about me

One partner for
business and tech

I'm Mathijs. I make sure you know where your software stands, do something about it and keep it running. One point of contact, no layers in between.

Haarlem, NL Laravel · Vue · AI
~/mathijs.jpg
Mathijs Oggel
2012 first company, at sixteen
5+ years as lead developer
2 SaaS platforms built from scratch
1 point of contact, no agency
the story

The story behind Oggel Codelabs

I have been building things that work since I was sixteen. First my own websites, then five years as Lead Developer, taking two SaaS platforms from prototype to business-critical.

Oggel Codelabs is the obvious next step: that experience applied directly, without layers in between. You talk to the person who builds it. And I do not disappear at launch: I run the maintenance afterwards myself.

~/oggel-codelabs · zsh
$ whoami
Mathijs Oggel, technical partner: I automate work a system should be doing
$ cat how-i-work.txt
✓ honest advice, also when the answer is "do not build this"
✓ short iterations, working software every week
✓ your source code, your servers, no lock-in
$
how I work

Hired help or a technical partner?

A contracted developer solves a capacity problem. A technical partner takes responsibility for the product.

Hired help

builds what is on the ticket

  • Scope goes in, hours come out
  • No opinion on the business case
  • Handover ends the relationship

Technical partner

thinks about what you should be asking

  • Pushes back when the tech misses the real problem
  • Priorities set by impact, not by backlog order
  • Still there after launch
background

Experience that counts

From a first website at sixteen to platforms companies run on.

  1. Oggel Codelabs
    2025 - now Oggel Codelabs

    Founder

    Technical partner for companies where too much still happens by hand. First a review to know where you stand, then a partnership to do something about it, and maintenance to keep it running.

    Laravel Vue AI
  2. De Reclamefabriek
    2019 - 2025 De Reclamefabriek

    Lead Developer & Partner

    Took two SaaS platforms from prototype to business-critical, used for the content work of brands like bol.com and Aldi.

    Laravel Vue InDesign API
  3. CGI
    2018 - 2019 CGI

    Digital Aviation Consultant

    Worked with KLM, Transavia and Schiphol Group, and built a machine-learning prototype that cuts food waste in aviation.

    Machine learning Prototyping
  4. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    2016 - 2018 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Web Developer KnowVU

    Built the faculty knowledge platform where teachers share their educational innovations.

    PHP Laravel WordPress
  5. 2012 - 2014 Birdey Webdesign

    Co-founder

    First company at sixteen: websites and narrowcasting screens running on Raspberry Pi.

    Web Raspberry Pi
education

Academic background, and what sits outside it

bsc

BSc Information Sciences

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

2014 - 2017

The fundamentals: information systems, software development, and turning a business need into something buildable.

msc

MSc Information Sciences

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

2017 - 2018

Specialised in improving business processes with IT. The reason I look at your process before I look at your code.

outside work

National rowing champion

2× national titles

Years of competitive rowing taught me what a team can do with discipline and a deadline.

roeien.nl
ready to start

Let's meet

Curious whether I am the right partner? A free intro call, no strings attached.