When international companies need software teams that deliver without the management overhead, Mitrais has been the answer for over three decades—serving over 780 clients across 3,200 projects, with a track record built on outcomes, not promises. 

“Trust is built on outcomes,” says President Director Wiwie Harris. “If we say we will deliver, we must do it—consistently and reliably.” 

The company operates four development centers across Indonesia, backed by a team of 600 software engineers—including around 10 percent available for rapid deployment within weeks of engagement. Time zone alignment with U.S. and Australian clients, combined with ISO certification held since 2019, reflects proven operational maturity. "That track record speaks for itself," notes Harris, pointing to partnerships spanning over 16 years with leading Australian technology enterprises. 

Mitrais's model prioritizes long-term investment in Indonesian engineering talent, including university collaborations and funding for free education through the YKIP Foundation, which Harris chairs. Internally, the company offers graduate intakes, business communication training, and ongoing competency development—all underpinned by continuous learning, unlearning, and relearning. "Once you understand fundamental principles, adapting to new technologies becomes far easier," says Director Gusti Putu Kompiang. "That adaptability is essential."

Read selected extracts from the interview below.

Q: What do you want clients to fundamentally understand about how the company operates today?

Harris: We want them to see that our value is not just in holding an ISO certification. For us, ISO is not just a badge. It reflects Mitrais’ operational maturity. Everything we do is based on practices that have been tested and proven. We obtained ISO 27001 in 2019, and we renew it every year. The certification simply validates our operational maturity.

That maturity is also reflected in our long-standing client relationships, particularly in the U.S. and Australia. We have maintained multiple long-term relationships, not just one or two isolated cases.

We are a company with deep talent, strong operational maturity, and real stability. We always ensure that we have the right people for each client, because we must add value. Our vision has always been long-term, and those relationships must be reciprocal.

Q: From an engineering leadership perspective, how has Mitrais adapted to constant technological change without losing coherence as an organization?

Kompiang: My engineering background keeps me grounded in logic. Engineering is about breaking down complex problems and iterating systematically, and I aim to create an environment where goals are transparent, feedback is continuous, and innovation is evidence-based.

At Mitrais, this philosophy has shaped empowered and adaptive teams built on continuous learning, unlearning, and relearning. Unlearning, in particular, is the ability to distill concepts to their core principles and then find footing in new manifestations.

We teach our engineers to unlearn before relearning, so they do not confuse old patterns with new paradigms. This gives them a reliable foundation in a rapidly changing world.

Q: How is Mitrais preparing for its next phase of growth within the software services market?

Kompiang: As software development services become increasingly commoditized, we are laying the groundwork for our next major evolution, growing into a product-driven company. Octopus is one of the products at the core of this shift.

For years, we have been helping other companies develop their products. Services alone are no longer enough. Companies are moving toward products, and in many ways, we are preparing to leapfrog into that future.

Another path is accelerating that process through acquisition, especially when the target has strong technology and a solid investment outlook. In that case, we would take over and manage the technology.

Q: How would you assess the depth and readiness of local engineering talent today?

Kompiang: Indonesia is actually an untapped source of exceptional engineering talent. Over the past two and a half decades, local engineers are not only strong technically, they are fluent in global collaboration, agile practices, and forward-thinking approaches.

As a result, we now hire mostly, if not entirely, local engineers. Occasionally, when we see the need for specific expertise, we bring in talent from other geographies, but the goal is always knowledge transfer and building those skills internally.

This approach is also how we maintain cost efficiency, by developing capabilities in-house rather than relying heavily on external expertise.

Q: How does Mitrais structurally ensure both capacity and speed of deployment?

Harris: One thing for sure is that Mitrais has built real capacity. And by capacity, I mean people. We maintain, on average, about 15% of our total engineering team ‘on the bench’, ready for immediate deployment.

If we have 500 engineers, that means more than 50 are available at any time. When a client asks, ‘Do you have people with this specific qualification?’ we can respond immediately.

Keeping people on the bench is an investment, but it allows us to offer immediate solutions. Onboarding can happen within days, not months. That speed provides both peace of mind and cost efficiency for our clients.

Q: How is Mitrais approaching AI as it reshapes software development globally?

Kompiang: Our experience so far shows that AI can generate code quickly, but sometimes it creates more effort in fixing issues. That is why we are taking a careful approach. AI may support the process, but we remain firmly in the pilot seat.

We have defined a five-year roadmap inspired by Microsoft. We are investing in training, documentation, and internal capability before scaling. Next year, we plan to experiment more deeply with AI-assisted coding, while complementing AI tools with testing platforms to ensure security.

We are taking a slow and methodical path. Some might see it as unusual, but we want to understand the implications of each step before moving forward.

Q: How can Mitrais help companies solve high-stakes technology problems while still moving fast and staying cost-efficient?

Harris: Indonesia’s engineering talent is one of the best-kept secrets in the world. Mitrais understands how to tap into this talent pool.

We are secure, reliable, and operationally mature. Clients receive cost efficiency and high performance, supported by strong processes, communication standards, and long-term relationships.

With Mitrais, clients can sleep well knowing things are taken care of. That level of assurance is what truly sets us apart.