The chief executive of Kraken, the technology arm of Origin Energy-backed Octopus, says there is an enormous opportunity to grow the start-up in a world where utility companies are stuck on legacy platforms.

Amir Orad has run Kraken since August, and his growth plans are central to the success of Origin’s 23 per cent stake in Octopus. The company’s artificial-intelligence powered platform allows companies such as Origin to manage millions of customer accounts as electricity generation shifts from big coal-fired power stations to home solar and battery systems around the grid.