Octoco, a burgeoning conglomerate of tech enterprises headquartered in Stellenbosch, has recently expanded its portfolio by acquiring Polymorph, a distinguished software product development consultancy renowned in South Africa.
Polymorph boasts a comprehensive suite of services that encompasses the entire product development lifecycle, from initial concept and exploratory research to ideation, design thinking, and user experience/interface design, culminating in prototyping and full-scale implementation. For over a decade, Polymorph has carved out a reputation as a trusted collaborator for many of South Africa’s prominent brands, thanks to its 12 years of industry experience.
The acquirer, Octoco, was established in 2020 by entrepreneur G-J van Rooyen following the resolution of an investor dispute involving his previous venture, Custos, which specialized in blockchain-based digital privacy solutions. Octoco has quickly made a name for itself by offering a broad array of engineering services, including software development, hardware engineering, and CTO-level support.
Additionally, Octoco has ventured into the investment space, backing tech startups such as Henlo Coffee, a member of the Octoco Group that has recently introduced its coffee machines to the Vida e Cafe chain.
With the integration of Polymorph Systems into the Octoco Group, the acquisition positions Polymorph as a sibling entity to Octoco Consulting, both of which are based in Techno Park, Stellenbosch. This strategic move is expected to enhance the group’s capabilities, with Polymorph’s expertise in software product design being particularly lauded by Heinrich de Lange, the CEO of Octoco.
De Lange expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, highlighting Polymorph’s outstanding approach to software product design and the synergies it brings to Octoco’s technology consulting services. He anticipates that the group’s more product-centric companies will greatly benefit from Polymorph’s deep well of design knowledge and experience.
