Meet the Team: Jason Joannou, Our New Backend Engineer

We’re excited to welcome Jason Joannou to EPCON as our newest Backend Engineer. Jason joined earlier this year and, just a few weeks in, has already immersed himself in the systems that power our work – with a focus on building technology that serves a purpose beyond the code.

Jason’s role is central to keeping EPCON’s software reliable, maintainable, and ready to scale. He’ll contribute across solution architecture, feature development, and the technical foundations that keep our platforms running smoothly. “A big part of my work is making sure services are running well,” he explains, “and thinking ahead about scalability and maintenance so the system can support more users.”

Before EPCON, Jason worked in technical consulting, including building simulation software for mining operations to optimise processes and improve efficiency. While the work was demanding and technically diverse, the consulting model left him wanting more continuity. “You’d join a project, then get rotated, then moved again,” he says. “It’s very capacity-driven, and you don’t always get to build toward a common goal.”

At EPCON, what stands out is the shared mission and how the team approaches building. “Here, it feels like we’re developing something for a goal bigger than ourselves,” he says. “It’s value-driven work. You can feel that people aren’t trying to squeeze everything out of a project at any cost – the focus is on building something meaningful in the right way.”

Jason brings a strong academic and practical foundation. He completed an undergraduate degree and honours in Computer Science, followed by around two and a half years in technical consulting. More recently, he began a Master’s in Financial Technology (part-time, started in 2024), where he worked on tech designed to improve real-world access and inclusion. One project that stayed with him focused on digitising stokvels, community-based savings structures in South Africa. (As an aside, South Africa has more than 800 000 stokvel groups, representing a R50-billion sector and over 11 million members.)

What motivates him is both technical and human. “I like understanding systems and how they interact,” he says. “It’s been really interesting seeing EPCON’s system and how everything fits together. But beyond that, it’s humbling to see people working for something bigger than themselves.”

However, Jason is clear about what must improve for the field to reach its potential: data access and governance. “Data is a pivotal currency,” he explains. “We need fair, open access – but in a safe way. That requires institutional frameworks and regulation that protect privacy and prevent abuse. In many places, especially in low-resource contexts, that can take time.”

When it comes to data, one thing that surprised him early on at EPCON was the power of geographic data, specifically how granular it can be. “I didn’t know access like that existed,” he says, describing how visualisation can move from country-level views down to regional and ward-level detail, opening new possibilities for targeted health interventions.

Outside of work, Jason is rarely still. He plays “anything that gets my body moving” – from basketball and soccer to surfing, jiu-jitsu, paddle, and tennis – and enjoys hiking and running, especially after long days at a computer.

We’re thrilled to have Jason on board as we strengthen EPCON’s technical foundations,  and we’re excited to see the impact he’ll have as our systems grow in scale, resilience, and reach.