About me

Welcome, and thank you for your interest! I'm Gerard Krol (born 1985). I’ve been programming my entire life and currently work as a software developer and consultant. I studied Chemical Engineering at TU Delft.

What is your experience with software development?

I started writing software when I was 8 years old, while my father was retraining for a new career. My first programming language was Turbo Pascal. After that, I spent a significant amount of time programming in C++, initially for various open-source projects and later, after my studies, at Zermelo. My second project there was developing the Zermelo Arena, a grid-computing system that drastically reduced idle periods in Dutch schools. It was the predecessor to Zermelo Atlas.

After that, I worked on transitioning the Windows software to an online SaaS platform. This eventually became the Zermelo Portal. That software was written in Java, both on the server and the client side (using GWT). One of my final projects there was the Zermelo WebApp. Read more about it at Zermelo – From Desktop Software to SaaS.

After Zermelo, I joined Katmai Tech Inc. (USA), where I created the concept and developed the initial software. I chose TypeScript for both the client and the server (Node.js). I now mainly work on the Katmai Engine, focusing on 3D rendering and WebRTC communication. Read more at Katmai – The Virtual Office.

Since 2023, I’ve also been managing the software system of the Clinical Genetics lab at LUMC one and a half days per week. Read more at LUMC – Legacy Software, Innovative Care.

I’ve always written software independently as well – sometimes open source, sometimes for myself. Read more at Experiments – AI, Rust, GPU, etc..

What is your experience with management?

After working for three years as a software developer at Zermelo, I was asked to lead the development team, which eventually grew to 8 people. I was also responsible for the overall IT policy and for managing our system/network administrator. As a member of the management team, and working closely with the executive board, I contributed to company policy and strategy.

At Katmai, I set up the engine team and temporarily led it. I now work as a Principal Engineer, collaborating closely with the technical leads. Alongside creating and reviewing technical designs, I’m also involved in the code review process and in establishing technical standards.

Wherever I go, I like to steer things slightly – with tips on how to best approach projects, thoughtful questions, and personal initiatives to improve processes. Often that involves a software component, but not always.

What interests you?

I enjoy complex technical problems – especially the kind other people think are impossible. At the same time, I also appreciate the elegance of a simple solution to a simple problem. I care deeply about efficiency. That doesn’t mean there’s no time for a chat – quite the opposite – but when it’s time to work, I believe in getting things done without waiting on others, without fighting the computer, and without bureaucracy getting in the way.

Can I hire you?

You can! I have a separate page for AI without the cloud – fully self-hosted. For other projects, feel free to contact me at info@krolinventions.nl.