Who Are We?
Our Management Team
Our management team is comprised of experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds spanning engineering, technology, and business strategy. We are committed to delivering tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of our clients, ensuring each project is executed with precision.
Directors
Heinrich de Lange
Founder & CEO
Heinrich, our Founder and CEO, is a dynamic entrepreneur, investor, and business enthusiast with a track record of founding successful companies. His extensive industry experience and passion for creating cutting-edge products, solving complex challenges, and driving innovation resonate through his ventures. As a software and electrical engineer specializing in developing IoT and utility solutions, Heinrich leverages his wealth of knowledge and experience to propel our company forward. His leadership fosters a culture of innovation and growth, shaping the trajectory of our organization towards enduring success.
Prof. G-J van Rooyen
Executive Chairman
As Executive Chairman at Octoco, Prof. G-J navigates technology opportunities and risks for clients. With extensive experience, he assists startups in establishing technological foundations and supports deep-tech clients with expert engineering insights. Prof. G-J's tenure as the Research Chair in the Internet of Things at Stellenbosch University underscores his dedication to industry collaboration and innovation management. His passion for fostering innovation at the intersection of disciplines is evident in his ongoing collaboration with Stellenbosch University as an Associate Professor Extraordinary in Industrial Engineering.Management
James de Villiers
Chief Technology Officer
James serves as our Chief Technology Officer. Through his specialization in electronic engineering and machine learning, James brings strategic problem-solving skills to technology initiatives. With exemplary skills in full-stack development, he drives innovation in our endeavors. James's leadership exemplifies a commitment to technological advancement.
Werner Kotze
Head of Product
Werner, our Head of Product, brings a deep technical expertise and a strategic mindset to our team. With a strong foundation in software development and management information systems, he excels in guiding our product development processes. His experience working in high-pressure startups and more corporate firms brings a wealth of experience that sharpens his skills in innovation and problem-solving, allowing him to tackle complex challenges with ease. At the helm of our product team, Werner drives the creation of innovative solutions that resonate with market needs and propel our company forward.
Jacques Burger
Chief Operations Officer
Jacques serves as our Chief Operating Officer. Through his specialization in novel technology adoption strategies and R&D risk estimation, Jacques helps transform proof-of-concepts into reality, and empower entrepreneurship and engineering endeavors. His role focuses on bringing products to market and fueling internal growth strategies, reflecting his commitment to operational excellence and innovation.
Lourens Leeuwner
Head of Embedded Engineering
Lourens is an accomplished hardware and firmware engineer. He specialises in IoT and renewable energy applications. His experience includes biosensor development, M2M communications, PCB design and product manufacturing. Lourens has established himself as an industry leader through his unique ability to guide clients from product ideation to commercialization. He leads a team of embedded engineers at Octoco and is responsible for upskilling and management of junior embedded prospects.Operations
Christiaan van Rensburg
Head of QA/QC
Christiaan leads front-end development and QA/QC with expertise honed through a specialization in Information Systems Management. His skill set spans software technologies and quality assurance intricacies, ensuring seamless user experiences. Driven by innovation and a passion for IT, Christiaan's leadership in quality assurance and development reflects a commitment to excellence.
Mieke van der Veen
Finance & Marketing Manager
Mieke, our Finance and Marketing Manager, brings a unique blend of accounting and marketing expertise as a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) affiliate. With qualifications including Honours B.Com Management Accounting and Postgraduate in Marketing (Cum Laude), she oversees marketing functions and contributes to finance operations at Octoco. Mieke's multifaceted skill set and results-driven approach make her an invaluable asset, adept at balancing diverse responsibilities and providing innovative solutions on the operation front.
Emile Lombard
Engineering Lead
Emile specializes in Informatics and IoT. As an Engineering Lead, he brings a wide range of expertise to Octoco, including embedded programming, PCB design and enterprise-level full stack software development. Emile's dedication to staying updated on technology trends ensures continuous skill enhancement, contributing to engineering excellence.