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Spryker - Interview with Elena Leonova

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You can listen to this episode on Spotify and Apple Music.

Podcast Summary

In this episode of the ROQ Tech Shop Systems Podcast, Fabian Wesner and Tim Niemeier from ROQ Technology interview Elena Leonova, CPO at Spryker, a modular commerce platform designed for complex B2B and marketplace models. The conversation dives into Spryker’s vision, technological foundation, and how it enables enterprises to handle sophisticated digital commerce needs.

History and Positioning​

Elena introduces Spryker as a platform built specifically for enterprise customers with complex and multi-layered business models. Unlike traditional e-commerce solutions, Spryker caters to industries such as automotive, industrial goods, and manufacturing, where businesses need highly flexible, scalable, and future-proof commerce solutions.

Spryker is not a one-size-fits-all platform but is instead modular and API-first, allowing enterprises to adapt it to their specific needs. Companies with unique workflows, B2B2C models, or marketplace setups benefit the most from Spryker, as it provides a foundation that supports complex interactions between manufacturers, distributors, and resellers.

Architectural Philosophy and Technology Stack​

Spryker is built around a modular monolith approach, giving enterprises the flexibility of microservices without the complexity of managing them individually. The open-code philosophy allows customers to view and modify the core system, making it adaptable to custom business requirements.

Key architectural principles include:

  • API-first design for seamless integrations with external systems.
  • PHP-based codebase for wide developer accessibility.
  • Composable commerce approach, allowing businesses to select and integrate best-in-class third-party solutions.
  • Multi-layered business models support, catering to businesses operating across multiple distribution channels.

Spryker is a cloud-based solution, with many customers choosing AWS for hosting, though it remains cloud-agnostic. It offers both B2B and marketplace-ready solutions, ensuring enterprises have the right tools to manage large-scale e-commerce operations.

Business Model and Monetization​

Unlike open-source platforms, Spryker follows an open-code model—while customers don’t need a license to access the code, they do require one to use it in production. This approach combines transparency with enterprise-grade support, offering:

  • Customizable solutions without the maintenance risks of open-source software.
  • Dedicated customer success teams guiding enterprises through complex projects.
  • Value engineering services to optimize commerce strategies.

Spryker differentiates itself from traditional SaaS platforms by allowing enterprises to deeply customize their commerce operations while still benefiting from regular product updates and enterprise-level support.

Community and Ecosystem​

Spryker maintains a strong partner ecosystem consisting of:

  • Solution integrators who implement Spryker for customers.
  • Technology partners (e.g., Algolia for search, Stripe for payments) that provide deep integrations.
  • A developer community that contributes new capabilities and participates in hackathons and knowledge-sharing events.

The Spryker Commerce Quest community serves as a hub for developers, partners, and customers to collaborate. Spryker also runs regular user groups, roadmap sessions, and developer enablement programs, ensuring that the ecosystem continues to evolve.

Challenges and Future Vision​

Elena shares that Spryker’s future focus includes:

  • Enhancing AI-powered developer tools to improve efficiency.
  • Expanding support for hybrid B2B commerce models that merge self-service with sales-driven processes.
  • Strengthening its composable commerce ecosystem by integrating more best-in-class solutions.
  • Improving the developer experience with SDKs and AI-assisted integrations.

Spryker aims to remain the go-to platform for enterprises with highly complex digital commerce needs, ensuring they have the tools to scale, innovate, and future-proof their business models.

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