Elmitel

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CIO of a satellite operator providing mobile satellite services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Elmitel?

We needed them to develop custom firmware to allow Libelium IoT devices to communicate with a SaaS platform.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted solutions using off-the-shelf IoT equipment that would work with our satellite system so we could serve locations around the world.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They are part of the Libelium partner ecosystem with validated solutions in operation.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They did design, development, operational deployment, and support of a satellite-based IoT system. They continue to enhance the solution for deployments in additional areas of the world.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a small team of experts who developed the solution.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

They provided fast and error-free software development.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had a single project manager who kept us up to date on the project and was very effective in delivery management.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are experts in their field.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we’re completely satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a research engineer at Siemens.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Elmitel?

We needed someone to develop our Android Auto app for a charging station platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We relied on Elmitel to develop an Android Auto app, which allows users to find the best price and closest distance of a charging station for their electric vehicle. The app draws live data about charging station availability through BIG IoT technology. There are several options for search criteria as well, and the app will route users from their position to the charging station using GPS technology.

What is the team composition?

There were 3–4 people assigned to our project, but we only interfaced with two people.

How did you come to work with Elmitel?

We received between 40–50 proposals for a general open call on applications/services in domains like “smart parking,” “traffic monitoring,” or “smart charging” within a funded European project, and we had external experts evaluate all of them. That process yielded eight strong candidates for the open call, and we selected Elmitel as one of them from that group.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about €35,000 (approximately $39,620 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement spanned July–November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We experienced some difficulties because of Android Auto and Google at the beginning, but Elmitel successfully worked around those hang-ups. They were able to connect to Android Auto data and put all of the information for the charging stations on the smartphone in the car. They successfully delivered the product on time.

How did Elmitel perform from a project management standpoint?

Elmitel was quick to respond to all problems or questions. They made it easy for us to track their progress through introductory reports, interim check-ins, and final presentations. We had few issues collaborating.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They took ownership of their work. If there was a problem, Elmitel made sure to solve it themselves. They provided the exact solution that they promised. I was impressed that they grasped the concept as well as they did. They familiarized themselves with Android Auto very quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we consider this to be a success.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We do not doubt that they’ll do an excellent job. I would recommend working with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the president and CTO a company that develops IoT technology for farmers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Elmitel?

We hired Elmitel to develop tools for cherry farmers based on similar work they did for vineyards in Europe.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to provide software that could predict the appearance of pathogens based on weather patterns during the season. Ultimately, we wanted to help farmers minimize losses.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

No one else had the experience we needed.

Describe the project in detail.

Our project uses multiple sensors installed in orchards that collect data over extended periods of time. Using Elmitel’s software, we assess the risk factor for particular pathogens and determine when there’s a need for spraying.

What was the team composition?

I deal mostly with the program manager, but I understand that they’ve assigned two people with experience in biology, server-based software, and web-based interface.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The initial tools were quickly developed and modified according to our requirements. We are still working with Elmitel on several other models and implementations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We communicate weekly through Skype and emails. Despite a nine-hour difference, we have a great relationship.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I’m very impressed with their technical expertise. Elmitel is a rather small operation, but they’ve proven very responsive to our relatively limited program. The team keeps an open mind about the multiple changes in our requirements and their tasks.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not really.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Esoterix Systems. Based in the UK, we're focused on improving the efficiency and safety of transport for school children and students with special educational needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Elmitel?

We have a planning software that helps cities or other local authorities plan their transportation. We wanted to develop a system that both showed and monitored the routes a vehicle takes on a day-to-day basis. Portals would allow students, local authorities, and drivers to see where a vehicle is in real-time.

The project is part of a European-funded initiative that requires us to use FIWARE, which is being developed as part of a European technological development program.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped manage the project by documenting requirements, planned and executed the sprints, and developed the website and Android application. Technologies used were mainly FIWARE but also PHP, Javascript, and CSS.

Elmitel built NoSQL databases that needed to be accessed by the various applications, as well as a context engine that receives updates on the position of the vehicle as it's on the road. They also used complex event processing software to identify if there were problems in the system such as a disabled vehicle.

What is the team composition?

I worked exclusively with a project lead, and I don’t know how many other people were on the team.

How did you come to work with Elmitel?

There are not many local FIWARE developers. We asked the European program and technical coaches and they recommended Elmitel.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about £40,000 ($56,641 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from 2015–2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We don’t have performance metrics because it was an R&D/blue sky project. They were very cost effective and delivered on time, which was very important. We got a lot done quickly and at a good value.

How did Elmitel perform from a project management standpoint?

They used JIRA to manage sprints and we also used email quite extensively. We spoke on the phone as needed; Elmitel is based in Slovenia but our project lead spoke excellent English.

They were very responsive to project requirements, coming up with different strategies and proposals for doing particular tasks. They always kept me in the loop in terms of what was being done and how long it would take.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They possess the intelligence and experimentation required for the rapid prototyping of the project. They demonstrated this both in terms of the implementing languages and also the functionality of the mathematical algorithms.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were occasions when some releases weren't tested as far as I would like but that was probably more a question of resources than anything else.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Draw on their expertise in helping formulate your requirements.