He designs tools to organize access to IT systems. His work targets companies that use Linux servers and secure connections.

Andrew Burns (photo), a South African computer scientist, founded Keystash in 2020. This company specializes in centralized SSH key management and secure access for Linux environments.

Keystash offers a platform that enables companies to manage users, SSH keys, two-factor authentication, and connections to Linux servers. The solution automates access management, streamlines compliance with security requirements, and simplifies access auditing. It also aims to reduce risks associated with compromised SSH keys.

"Keystash will guide your users when creating new or uploading existing SSH Keys ensuring the highest strength keys. Create temporary user accounts and keys for contractors or situations when you need to give access for a short period of time," the startup explained.

Andrew Burns serves as Senior Director of Software Engineering at Yoco in Johannesburg. Yoco is a fintech company that provides an e-commerce platform designed to help small businesses manage sales, operations, and analytics.

Before launching Keystash, Burns co-founded Notafy, where he served as Chief Technology Officer until 2020. Founded in 2012, Notafy developed a group messaging app that allowed businesses to send instant messages to clients at no extra cost, supporting real-time engagement.

Burns began his career in 2002 at Dial a Nerd, an IT support provider for businesses, where he worked as a network technician. He became the product development lead in 2008 and the Chief Technology Officer in 2009. In 2012, he joined Smoke Customer Intelligence, a provider of customer feedback solutions, as CTO.

By Melchior Koba,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji