Sadly not what it used to be - Lead Software Engineer Kraken Employee Review

3.0
Mar 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible work hours, unlimited leave, generally a good amount of autonomy over how to solve a problem although that seems to be reducing. Some really great engineers which makes it a fun place to work for the day-to-day and a good place to learn.

Cons

This company used to have moral and ethical principles, and prided itself on not selling its software to clients that weren't aligned with these. That has gone out of the window. Senior leadership claim we must compromise for the big green dent, but it really (as so often) appears to be all about the money. The current leadership is also noticeably starting to be more top down, and starting to ask us to cut corners to handle the issue that they have oversold and can now not deliver and to make the figures look better for a likely IPO.

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Kraken Response
2mo
Hi there, Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. It’s great to hear that you value the flexibility, autonomy and the calibre of engineers here, that day-to-day learning and collaboration is something we’re really proud of, and we know how important it is to protect that environment as we grow. On your concerns around client alignment and leadership direction, I want to acknowledge that growth inevitably brings tougher decisions and more complexity. Our ambition to make a meaningful impact in the energy space hasn’t changed, even as we scale. Balancing commercial realities with long-term principles isn’t always simple, but it’s something leadership discusses carefully and regularly - we have recently had great discussions at our AMA's around this and I would encourage you to give these a watch if you haven't had the chance too yet! We also recognise that as we take on more customers and expand into new markets, clarity and sustainable delivery matter. Looking after all of our staff, including engineers, and maintaining high standards is critical to long-term success - it’s not something we take lightly. If you’d be open to sharing more about your experience or specific concerns, I’d genuinely welcome the conversation. Thanks again, Olivia Roberts olivia.roberts@kraken.tech

Explore other reviews about Kraken

5.0
Jan 23, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I joined Kraken a few weeks ago and so far it has been a very nice company to work for. The journey from recruitment to onboarding has been smooth and well-organized. The ELT's strong focus on culture clearly trickles down, creating an environment where you are free to work effectively. I hope it remains that way

Cons

No cons to report so far.

5.0
Dec 12, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Newhire here, extremely glad to have landed at Kraken. The company is genuinely driven by a desire to deliver the transition to a sustainable energy future. Does an amazing job of making employees genuinely empowered and accountable, in a blameless and humane setting, which gives people the authority to make themselves productive. Normally I'd consider that to be a Silicon Valley thing, but here at Kraken this has a bit of a British spin on it, being the company's history derives from the UK's Octopus Energy. The resulting mix slices through corporate politics with real talk and joviality. I just got out of one genuinely hilarious and inspirational optional all-hands which left others commenting "OMG It's my first week, does this happen every Friday???" In my department, clients (such as electrical utilities) love the way we're revolutionizing their businesses, including the way they treat their call center staff, humanizing them to become wide-ranging, informed and empowered problem solvers on behalf of their customers, instead of helpless automatons following scripts. Elsewhere, Kraken has tentacles in all kinds of sustainable tech, from sustainable generation, huge demand-flattening battery installations, domestic EV chargers, and smart meters. Business is booming, growth is spectacular, and huge markets still exist for the taking...

Cons

I'm a programmer. We have a big codebase. There is some tech debt. But show me a 2,000 person high growth company for which that isn't true. Everyone has a very sane attitude towards it. Not a biggie.

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