Zalando Tech Team Mixing Data With Fashion Ahead of IPO

Berlin’s Samwer brothers are known for building Internet companies that mimic the business models of American tech startups such as Airbnb, TaskRabbit and Uber. Philipp Erler aims to convince the world that fashion retailer Zalando SE -- a Samwer creation headed for an initial public offering as soon as next month -- isn’t dismissed as just another copycat.

Erler, the technology boss at Zalando, leads a team of 500 programmers who have developed proprietary systems to ensure the site can manage surging order numbers while providing enough diverse features to keep customers from Stockholm to Seville coming back for more. It’s a contrast to other Samwer-backed ventures, which typically license software from outside companies to quickly roll out new websites.