Johann Du Toit

Bio

Born in 1974 near Cape Town, South Africa.
Studied, MSc in Mechanical Engineering at Stellenbosch University, specialised in advanced structural design.
Co-Founder and CEO of Simera Group, and Simera Sense.
My journey in physics and space began as a childhood aspiration, interesting enough even manifesting in the form of a poem about the life of a photon travelling through the vacuum of space. Little did I know years later catching photons will be the core of my career. Upon completing my master’s degree in mechanical engineering, I had the chance to contribute to the optomechanical structural simulation of the spherical aberration corrector for the SALT telescope, in Sutherland South Africa. This experience provided a comprehensive introduction to the design and simulation of precision optical structures, with a focus on identifying and mitigating factors that could compromise the performance of optical systems.
After this, I was involved in the simulation and structural testing of various precision systems, ranging from dental implants, to submarine sensors, to commercial helicopter seats and eventually again back to optics and specifically space-borne earth observation systems, after which followed a deep dive into optical payload development. Over the last 23 years, I have honed my skills driven by curiosity and bullish passion, and now serve as the CEO of an exciting engineering company, Simera Group and in particular Simera Sense. My current role entails leading a team of passionate experts in the realization of small satellite optical payloads, aimed at making earth observation effortless for our NewSpace clients.
While my earlier satisfaction came from solving problems independently, my current satisfaction stems from witnessing the collective efforts of my Simera Sense team and our extensive global supplier, partner and client network turning game changing ideas into exciting NewSpace missions!