This Thursday at Community Breakfast, we had the pleasure of getting to know Ronaldo, a Cuban American network engineer at NVIDIA and a member of the Republikken community.
Ronaldo shared his journey from Cuba through Mexico, Las Vegas, and Boston to Copenhagen, and how these experiences shaped his career, his work with major technology companies, and his life in Denmark.
From Cuba to the United States
Ronaldo grew up in Cuba, where he remembers a happy childhood surrounded by family, friends, and a close community.
His family later moved to Mexico, where they spent four years, before settling in Las Vegas.
Inspired by his family’s efforts to create a better future, Ronaldo wanted a career that offered stability and opportunities to grow.
He studied computer science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and joined the US Army to help finance his education.
That decision eventually introduced him to network engineering.
Finding His Way Into Network Engineering
During his military service, Ronaldo specialised in satellite communication systems, establishing connections that allowed information to travel between locations.
He gained practical IT experience and received guidance from colleagues about career opportunities in technology.
After returning to civilian life, Ronaldo moved to Boston, where he secured an internship at Rakuten, a Japanese technology company.
At Rakuten, he worked with backbone networks connecting offices, data centres, and infrastructure across different locations.
From Rakuten to NVIDIA
Ronaldo later joined NVIDIA, where he now works with data centre networking and network deployment automation on a much larger scale.
One interesting part of his presentation was how his approach to technology has developed.
Rather than making systems increasingly complicated, Ronaldo highlighted the importance of simplicity and automation in making network deployments faster and more efficient.
For Ronaldo, technology is about understanding complex systems while finding smarter, simpler ways to make them work.
Finding a New Home in Copenhagen
Ronaldo moved to Copenhagen around two years ago after his Austrian fiancé found a job in Denmark.
Having lived in several countries, he was familiar with adapting to new surroundings, but Copenhagen made a particularly positive impression.
He spoke warmly about how well the city functions, its international atmosphere, and the quality of everyday life.
He has also started learning Danish, another step in making Denmark feel like home.
What began as another move has gradually become something more permanent.
Today, Ronaldo sees Copenhagen as a place where he would like to build his future.
Community and New Connections
Alongside his professional work, Ronaldo wanted more structure and social interaction in his everyday life.
That is one of the reasons he joined Republikken.
Having a daily routine and opportunities to meet people from different backgrounds makes a difference when working independently.
Ronaldo enjoys being surrounded by entrepreneurs and people developing new ideas.
He is particularly interested in discovering tools created by fellow members and exploring how they might help solve challenges in his own field.
Outside work, Ronaldo enjoys staying active through sports, yoga, and sauna sessions.
Why It Matters
Ronaldo’s story was a reminder that careers rarely follow a straight line.
From satellite communications in the US Army to network engineering at Rakuten and NVIDIA, each experience helped shape the next chapter.
His journey highlights the importance of curiosity, personal connections, and being open to new opportunities.
And while Ronaldo spends his working days connecting digital networks, he also values the human connections that come from being part of a community.
We are very happy to have Ronaldo as part of the Republikken community.
Thank you for sharing your story, Ronaldo, and for giving us an inspiring look into your journey, your work, and your life in Copenhagen.