How North77 moved beyond the consultancy model with Infraspeak

About North77

Founded by Wynand Langeveldt, North77 began as a solid consultancy in facilities and utilities management. With more than 20 years of experience, mainly in the real estate sector, Wynand had built a business grounded in expertise, trust and delivery.

But, like most consultancies, growth came with a ceiling, limited by time, projects and people. Scaling meant adding complexity.

That changed with Infraspeak. What started as a technology evaluation quickly became a strategic decision. North77 chose to build its future on a scalable software platform, and today Infraspeak is the foundation of the business.

A turning point, not a product choice

Infraspeak wasn’t initially part of North77’s roadmap. The discovery came from a joint project with an Infraspeak partner in Angola, which triggered a deeper market assessment.

“I did a lot of research on what was available,” recalls Wynand. “And I couldn’t find anything that was as feature-rich or as modern.”

From consultancy to scalable platform model

The impact was structural. “Infraspeak has become my business,” says Wynand. “It’s 100% where my focus lies.”

North77 transitioned from a consultancy model, constrained by billable hours, to a software-led business with recurring value. Consulting evolved. “My role changed to helping customers understand what’s possible with a platform like Infraspeak,” he explains. “How can it unlock value in their operations?”

That shift allowed North77 to scale without linear growth in people or projects and to position itself as a long-term technology partner.

One platform for multiple markets

With Infraspeak at its core, North77 expanded well beyond real estate.

The business now operates across retail, hospitality, facilities management companies, industrial environments and food and non-food production. What once sat firmly in the real estate sector now spans a wide range of industries, all supported by the same platform and the same operating logic.

A single platform opened access to multiple sectors and multiple revenue streams. “Infraspeak has completely overshadowed what I did before,” Wynand reflects. “And that’s a good thing.”

The diversity of use cases also brought unexpected opportunities, such as new investments, new business units and partnerships that emerged from the ecosystem built around Infraspeak.

A partnership designed to grow businesses

The partnership model behind the product enabled North77’s growth. The relationship began during COVID-19, with onboarding and early implementations happening remotely. It wasn’t easy, but it worked.

Over time, that support extended beyond implementation. Marketing, proposals, positioning and customer success became shared efforts. “This isn’t a reseller agreement,” he explains. “It’s a real partnership. We move through the highs and lows together.”

For North77, that collaboration was critical in establishing credibility, building brand awareness in a new market and accelerating regional growth.

Where North77 is today and what’s next

In five years, North77 evolved from a local consultancy into a regional Infraspeak hub in South Africa.

The partnership delivered tangible results (new clients, new sectors, new investments and new business opportunities), all built on the same foundation.

Today, accelerating growth and expanding Infraspeak’s presence across the region is the clear focus. “Infraspeak didn’t just change my offering,” Wynand concludes. “It changed my business completely.”