After studying computer science at the University of Strathclyde and Hogere Informatica Opleiding,[1] Van Hoff joined Sun Microsystems as an engineer with the Distributed Objects Everywhere team.

[2] In 1993, he joined the Java development team,[2] writing the language's compiler and taking responsibility for its first release to Netscape in August 1995.

[3][4] In 1996, he left Sun, feeling that the options to develop Java outside of the organization were "too tempting", and established the startup Marimba, as its Chief Technology Officer.

[5] At Marimba, Van Hoff led the engineering team in developing a pull technology-based software distribution system, Castanet.

[10] He left Flipboard in November 2012[11] and started Jaunt Virtual Reality with co-founders Tom Annau and Jens Christensen.