Gerhard Ecker, CEO von EGSTON Power: Inside a 22-person embedded powerhouse building the Digital Power Twin

What we learned from “Gerhard Ecker, CEO von EGSTON Power”

In the session “Gerhard Ecker, CEO von EGSTON Power,” Gerhard Ecker of EGSTON Power Electronics GmbH offered a concise, candid look at a company that truly lives engineering end to end—hardware, firmware, and customer-facing software. From our DevJobs.at editorial vantage point, a clear picture emerged: a 22-person organization with around 15 engineers in development, roughly half of them focused on software and embedded work; a compact team structure; leaders who still code; and a flagship product that speaks directly to the energy transition—the Digital Power Twin.

EGSTON Power builds digital models of real energy and drive components (fuel cells, photovoltaic modules, electrical machines, inverters, batteries) and reproduces them in real time through power electronics—as a source or as a load. That allows the “other side” (grids, inverters, complete systems) to be tested under realistic conditions, from a few kilowatts to megawatts.

Although the company historically identified as a hardware development firm, its core competency today sits strongly in embedded and firmware. That intersection—where hardware, firmware, and software must meet—is what shapes the culture, hiring, and day-to-day engineering at EGSTON Power.

Team size, roles, and hierarchy: no “non-playing captain”

EGSTON Power “is fundamentally a development company.” At the center is a development team of about 15 people—roughly half focused on software and embedded. The rest of the 22-person organization work in adjacent, still technical roles such as sales, project management, and system engineering.

Structure is deliberately clear and lean:

• One head of development leads three teams: hardware, software, and firmware.
• Each team has a lead—and those leads contribute as hands-on engineers.
• The head of development also codes and contributes to ongoing development.

One line captures the mindset perfectly:

Even CEO Gerhard Ecker is directly involved on the operational side—primarily in sales. It’s a culture where nobody leads only from the stands. Decisions are fast, responsibilities are visible, and engineering is genuinely hands-on.

International by design—and English by default

For a company of its size, the team is unusually diverse: approximately ten nationalities among 22 employees, stretching from Europe to North America and Asia. The result:

• English is the office language for day-to-day work.
• Reports, presentations, and project descriptions are written in English by default.
• There are “very few meetings” conducted in German—English is the norm.

EGSTON Power is also overwhelmingly technical: 90–95% of the team are engineers. Even sales and system engineering roles are strongly technical. That’s a direct reflection of what the company builds and who it serves.

Customers, markets, mission: research in grids, renewables, and alternative drives

EGSTON Power’s customers are academic: universities and research groups around the world. Their research domains—grid stability, renewable energy, alternative drives—are seeing intense activity, supported by public investment in testing infrastructure.

The team travels globally, both to acquire customers and to build systems on site. For engineers, that means solutions must stand up not just in theory but at real test benches where simulation, control, power, and safety converge.

Product focus: the Digital Power Twin as the differentiator

“We manufacture a product called the Digital Power Twin.” Behind that neutral phrasing is a transformation story: until fairly recently, EGSTON Power still saw itself as a hardware development company. Today, the “digital” sits visibly at the center.

What the Digital Power Twin does:

• Builds digital models of real components such as fuel cells, solar cells/photovoltaic modules, inverters, and batteries.
• Recreates them in real time through power electronics—as a source or a load.
• Enables realistic testing of the “counterpart” (e.g., the power grid, converters) under controlled, reproducible conditions.
• Scales from a few kilowatts to megawatts.

The implementation is equally distinctive: core competence lies in firmware and embedded. Development does not stop with electronic design; it’s about the interplay between modeling, VHDL/FPGA, high-speed interfaces, and a robust, customer-facing software layer.

The technology stack and flow: C++, C, VHDL, Simulink, FPGA, SFP

EGSTON Power is refreshingly direct about its stack—no buzzwords, just substance.

• Customer-facing software in C++
• The GUI/interface is developed in C++.
• The “apps” that model a fuel cell, photovoltaic module, or electrical machine are also built in house—“a major aspect and a customer argument.”
• Embedded/firmware close to hardware in C
• Hardware-near development is done in C to directly and deterministically drive the hardware.
• VHDL via Simulink, then onto FPGA
• VHDL flows from Simulink models.
• Hardware developers build the models; the firmware team translates them to run on FPGAs.
• High-speed interfaces and in-house control
• Communication between the FPGA and the in-house control unit—“we build it ourselves, we call them CCDs”—uses SFP interfaces.

One sentence from Ecker captures the architecture and the culture:

It isn’t just a technical constraint; it defines how people collaborate, who gets hired, and how success is measured.

Day-to-day collaboration: system thinking over silos

EGSTON Power hires bridge builders—people who can connect models (what should the system achieve?), firmware (how does it run in real time on the FPGA?), and hardware (how does the power stage behave as source/load?).

Ecker is explicit: they need people “who understand both.” Excellence in C or VHDL is important, but it must be paired with a “basic understanding” of the overall system. The company draws a clear line between classic software profiles—“database designers”—and what’s required here: hardware-near development, co-evolving with the hardware, to create a coherent product.

Practically, that means:

• Models are constructed in Simulink with the FPGA and power electronics in mind.
• Firmware (C, VHDL) is engineered for real-time execution on the target hardware.
• SFP interfaces and the control unit (CCDs) are built in house—so integration happens under one roof.

“Hands on” is literal: team leads write code, the head of development writes code, and the path from idea to real-world testing is short.

Recruiting today: from job ads to active outreach

EGSTON Power’s hiring mirrors what many tech organizations experience—and says it plainly: “The recruiting process is difficult” because the market has shifted. Previously, you’d place job ads and receive applications. Today, you introduce yourself proactively on platforms and make your case.

Concretely:

• Platforms used: DevJobs.at, LinkedIn, and external recruiters.
• Platform choice depends on role:
• LinkedIn tends to work better for “classic sales profiles.”
• DevJobs.at for software/firmware roles.
• The process is lean, reflecting a small company:
• First interview online (or on site).
• Second interview directly with the leadership team—typically leading to a decision.

The company also emphasizes the “why us?” more strongly than in the past—benefits, learning paths, and the distinctiveness of the work itself.

What matters in hiring: social competence, English—and growth mindset

Two capabilities are non-negotiable:

• English—“a must” because it’s the company language.
• Social competence—“because the technical can be shaped.”

Why social competence? In a diverse team shipping complex, real-world systems, the way people collaborate determines speed and quality—as well as safety margins in live power electronics. Technical depth matters (C, VHDL, system understanding), but EGSTON Power is explicit: if you fit the team, they can help shape and specialize your technical skills.

Benefits and work environment: flexibility, learning, and a location on the Danube cycle path

Benefits aren’t an afterthought at EGSTON Power—they’re now presented up front. Highlights include:

• Flexible working hours.
• Home office options.
• Bike-friendly access “via the cycle path” and a shower at the office.
• A location “right next to the Danube on the cycle path,” with a view from the office.
• Support for part-time education (Bildungsteilzeit), enabling people to work alongside their studies—or study while working.
• A push for ongoing learning: “Know-how is an essential component of our further development.”
• Attention to family needs “as far as possible in context.”
• Social events such as a company picnic in summer.

It adds up to flexibility, learning, and a practical setup that fits different life situations.

Why EGSTON Power stands out for engineers

From our DevJobs.at perspective, several factors make EGSTON Power compelling—especially for those who want to work close to energy systems, real time, and hardware:

• Contribute to the energy transition: research into grid stability, renewables, and alternative drives becomes tangible in test systems and power hardware.
• End-to-end stack under one roof: modeling (Simulink), VHDL/FPGA, SFP interfaces, in-house control units (CCDs), and the customer-facing C++ software.
• Apps as a market differentiator: the C++ “apps” that model fuel cells, PV modules, or electrical machines are a clear selling point—and a direct avenue for impact.
• Hands-on leadership: team leads and the head of development still code. Decision-making is close to the work.
• Small, diverse, and deeply technical: around ten nationalities among 22 people—English as the working language—90–95% engineers.
• Real learning paths: part-time education support, explicit encouragement to study and grow, and a culture that can “shape” technical specialization.
• A real home for system thinkers: those who connect hardware, firmware, and software will shape the core product.

The profile they’re hiring for: system-minded, strong in C/VHDL, and team fit

The session makes the requirements straightforward:

• Strong in C (hardware-near) and/or VHDL—with practical FPGA experience.
• Comfortable with model-based development (Simulink) or willing to ramp up.
• Understanding of high-speed interfaces (e.g., SFP) and real-time constraints.
• Appreciation for customer-facing software—because the interface is a key market argument.
• Confident in English (written and spoken).
• Social competence and team fit in a diverse, operational environment.
• Motivation for interdisciplinary work—hardware, firmware, and software are not silos here.

Engineers with a C++ focus (the user-facing layer/apps) will also find substantial work: those product-adjacent apps are central to how EGSTON Power differentiates.

Application pointers—based on the session

Candidates can reflect the fit by highlighting:

• Examples of taking models into real systems—concept to test (e.g., Simulink → VHDL/FPGA).
• Projects where C/firmware tightly integrated with hardware, including real-time aspects.
• Contributions to customer-facing software (C++), ideally in measurement, control, or drive contexts.
• Teamwork across diverse groups—how you communicate and collaborate in English.
• Learning curves (continuing education, studying while working)—which aligns with their support for part-time education.

How work gets done: small, fast, operational—with global reach

A small company combined with global academic projects produces a distinct operating model:

• Decisions happen quickly—reflected in a short, two-step hiring process.
• Roles are clear but not rigid—team leads code, the head of development codes, the CEO sells.
• Technology is validated in real test environments: university labs, grid interfaces, and converter setups—not just simulations.

This structure requires maturity in the team—hence the emphasis on social competence alongside English and technical fundamentals.

From a hardware story to a digital present—without losing the roots

EGSTON Power was born as a hardware house. The Digital Power Twin marks an explicit turn toward the digital—without diminishing hardware. To paraphrase Ecker’s repeated point: success lies in the connection.

• Models without real-time execution are academic exercises.
• Firmware without a system model becomes patchwork.
• Hardware without software won’t deliver intelligent testing.

“One doesn’t work without the other.” That’s both an engineering truth and a cultural statement here.

Closing: a place for engineers who want to shape energy reality

Our takeaway from “Gerhard Ecker, CEO von EGSTON Power”: EGSTON Power Electronics GmbH is a home for people who don’t separate technology into silos but connect it—models, firmware, hardware, and a customer-ready interface.

• The work is real-time and high-impact, tied to grid stability, renewables, and alternative drives.
• The team is small, diverse, and technically strong—led by people who still build.
• The environment is flexible and growth-friendly—from home office to part-time education and that very practical shower by the Danube cycle path.

If you’re fluent in C/C++, VHDL/FPGA, Simulink, and SFP—and, above all, if you can bring them together—this is an environment where the whole matters more than any single part. Or, in Ecker’s words, “one doesn’t work without the other.”

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