About Randcore

A small studio, on purpose

We bridge the gap between hard technical problems and what a business actually needs. Based in Rosebank and Linden, working with clients across South Africa.

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The studio

Founded: A senior engineering studio
Base: Rosebank and Linden, Johannesburg
Clients: South Africa and the EU
Led by: Ethan Lowery, CEO and CTO

Why we built something smaller

Randcore started from a plain observation: too many businesses were underserved by providers who chased volume over depth, or who could not solve the hard problems properly.

So we built something smaller and more deliberate. A studio that understands a client’s context before proposing anything, and stays on the work long after launch. Today we serve businesses across South Africa, from ambitious SMEs to listed corporates, across custom APIs, e-commerce, hosting, security and ICT, all held to one standard of engineering.

Founder-led, senior throughout

Randcore was founded by Ethan Lowery, who leads the studio as CEO and CTO. Behind that is a small team of engineers you will work with directly. The person who scopes your project is the person who builds it.

Six principles

The rules that do not change, whoever you work with and whatever we build.

Selective by design

We work with a limited number of clients so every project gets a senior engineer’s full attention. Fewer things, done properly.

Business first, then code

We start with what the work is worth to your business, not with the framework we feel like using. Technology serves the operation.

End-to-end ownership

From scoping and architecture to build and long-term support, the same people carry the work the whole way.

Security throughout

POPIA and sound security are built in from the first commit, not bolted on before launch.

Local knowledge

South African payment gateways, couriers, compliance and connectivity are home ground, not a learning curve.

No surprises

Clear written briefs, fixed quotes, and an honest answer when something is a bad idea. Including when the bad idea is ours.

Things we do not do

The most honest section on the site. What you will never get from us.

Take on more than a handful of clients at once.
Hand your project to a junior to learn on.
Sell you a platform because it is the only one we know.
Charge VAT. We are not registered, so the price is the price.
Disappear after launch and route you to a ticket queue.

Where we are

Rosebank and Linden

Two bases in Johannesburg and a footprint in the EU, hybrid by default. We work with clients across South Africa and internationally, while our roots stay firmly in Jozi.

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