What makes Sand Technologies a great place to work in 2025?
Over the past few years, Sand Technologies has undergone a bold transformation, placing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital innovation at the heart of its mission. From AI-powered healthcare solutions to smart city infrastructure, we’re becoming synonymous with advancements that create real-world impact (and we have the results to prove it).
This journey began with a clear vision: investing in talent, assembling the world’s brightest minds, and empowering them to innovate at scale. In 2024, that vision paid off in extraordinary ways.
It was a year of significant wins and ambitious strides as our teams pushed the boundaries of AI across telecommunications, water management, healthcare, and sustainable mobility. From launching AI-enabled healthcare clinics in rural Africa to collaborating with Formula E World Champions Envision Racing, Sand Technologies proved itself to be Africa’s best-kept tech secret — though at this rate, not for much longer!
At the heart of it all is our people. Our success isn’t just about the breakthroughs we achieve but how we achieve them — by fostering a culture that values connection, courage, and creativity. It’s the collaborative spirit of our teams, the celebration of every win, and the trust placed in us by visionary partners to achieve their boldest goals.
As we look back on a milestone year, here are the achievements and moments that showcase why joining us in 2025 could be the key to unlocking your next career milestone
It all starts with our Values
Our values shape how we work and innovate together. They create an environment where diverse perspectives thrive and where each person’s contribution is meaningful.
Courage: We speak up, challenge the status quo, and embrace new frontiers.
Humility: We serve others and continuously seek growth and learning.
Adventure: We dream big, set ambitious goals, and find joy in doing hard things.
Initiative: We take ownership, solve problems proactively, and go the extra mile.
Resilience: We face challenges head-on and grow stronger from setbacks.
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On top of this, our work benefits are designed to help people flourish:
- Autonomy: We trust our employees to take ownership and lead with initiative.
- Community: We prioritise connection, collaboration, and shared success.
- Fulfilment: By working on purpose-driven projects, our people find meaning and pride in their work.
Work that made an Impact
We were humbled to see our work in AI create real, lasting impact in the world this year. From our AWS Advanced Tier Partnership to winning TM Forum’s Best Moonshot Catalyst award for our AI telecommunications solution, each achievement opened new doors for our team this year. Here are some of our favourites:
1. Racing to Sustainable Innovation at 200mph
When Envision Racing sought an AI partner to sharpen its competitive edge in Formula E, we were ready for the call. At speeds of 200mph, every millisecond matters.
Our team is developing digital twins, advanced computer vision systems, and real-time simulations to support one of the most successful teams in Formula E history—all while advancing sustainable mobility solutions worldwide. Keep an eye out for this in the new year!
High-stakes projects like this ignite our engineers’ passion for solving complex problems, proving that innovation can be as thrilling as the challenges we tackle.
2. Predicting better outcomes in rural healthcare
Through the Rural Health Operating System (RHOS), our AI tools are transforming how care is delivered in remote areas. A partnership with the Rwandan government this year led to the launch of the “Blue Room” Health Intelligence Center, where real-time data analysis predicts disease patterns and informs preventative care.
At health posts, faster access to patient histories, automated reporting, and real-time medicine stock monitoring mean quicker, smarter decisions — and lives saved. As one district health officer shared, “This system has streamlined services, helping track diseases and improve healthcare at the grassroots level.”
Purpose-driven work like RHOS fuels our sense of fulfilment. Knowing that our innovations directly improve healthcare for underserved communities inspires us to keep pushing boundaries. It’s not often that work in tech directly improves lives like this – we’re proud to pioneer this field!
3. Supporting startups to scale innovation faster
Our partnership with The FutureList connects us with a global ecosystem of 10,000+ startups, fostering opportunities to co-create solutions that matter. We’ve collaborated on events like the recent AI Insurtech Conference in Cape Town, highlighting our role in building connections that pave the way for the future.
As our CEO, Fred Swaniker, explains:
“Sand stands for innovation. We want to help companies scale, build great products, and foster exceptional technology teams. The FutureList connects us with the world’s most promising innovators, allowing us to deliver even greater impact for our clients.”
Partnering with startups not only exposes our team to new ideas but also allows us to play an active role in shaping the next wave of transformative technologies.
4. Improving water intelligence globally
With water scarcity expected to impact 66% of the global population by 2025, smarter water management systems are increasingly necessary—even critical. We’re answering this need with AI-powered tools that optimise water usage, prevent leaks, and reduce waste.
In the UK specifically, our Hydraulic Network Risk Tool (HNRT) saved a national utility £7 million by preventing a major outage and delivered £1.3 million in annual savings.
Our engineers thrive on solving real-world problems, and tackling challenges like global water scarcity demonstrates the direct impact of their work.
Learn more about how AI makes water management smarter and our breakthrough initiatives like RiverAware below.
Culture that brings people together
We can’t innovate without our people. Nothing beats that sense of connection and shared purpose. We may be a remote-first company, but even though we’re 400+ strong, we still invest in the time to meet each other face to face, creating valuable moments for our team to collaborate, celebrate, and build lasting relationships.
Global retreats
Our annual All-Staff Retreat is where it’s at! This year, in Kigali, Rwanda, we pulled off a retreat for over 450 employees from 32 countries! We came together to celebrate wins, spark new collaborations, and align on a vision for the future.
First Fridays
In our South Africa offices, we host First Fridays, bringing remote colleagues together in person to share ideas, build connections, and unwind over food and drinks. These gatherings remind us that great ideas often start with great conversations.
Staying connected
Our Global Talent Community receives monthly insights for a career at Sand, while our Life at Sand Tech Instagram gives you an unfiltered look at our culture, our work, and most importantly, our people. We want great minds to connect, whether you’re already part of the team or even just curious about joining. Meet some of our adventurers below!
Looking Ahead with Sand Tech in 2025
Our CEO describes our philosophy best:
“Rather than looking at how we will survive, we are looking around the corner to how we can thrive. African engineers will build the metaverse, drive global cybersecurity, and enable the continued migration to the cloud.”
The symbolism of our name has never felt more fitting than in 2024. Sand – the essential element that gives us everything from silicon chips to fiber optic cables, from solar panels to the screens through which we view our digital world. Like these countless grains that form the foundation of modern technology, Sand Technologies continues to be the essential building block for industries racing toward their digital future. As we look to 2025, we’re not just watching the future unfold – we’re creating it, one innovation at a time.
Make that next career move. You’re ready.
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