# nventive x Wepoint nventive x Wepoint Reviews (16), Pricing, Services & Verified Ratings - 4.8 out of 5 average review rating - 0 connections joined nventive x Wepoint's Network [Visit Website](https://www.wepoint.com/fr/) [Get a Custom Proposal](https://clutch.co/profile/nventive-x-wepoint) **nventive is now part of Wepoint.** nventive joins the international Onepoint group under the North American entity **Wepoint**. This strategic merger combines our expertise in custom software development with Onepoint’s capabilities to create a community of experts specialized in organizational transformation through artificial intelligence. ## Company Information - Minimum project size: $100,000+ - Hourly rate: $100 - $149 - Number of employees: 250 - 999 - 2 Locations: - Montréal, Canada (Headquarters) - Québec, Canada - Founded in 2008 ## Services, Focus Areas, Industries, and Clients ### Service Lines - 40% Mobile App Development - 30% Web Development - 20% AI Development - 10% Custom Software Development ### Industries - 40% Financial services - 20% Medical - 10% Information technology - 10% Manufacturing - 20% Supply Chain, Logistics, and Transport ### Clients - 40% Midmarket ($10M - $1B) - 60% Enterprise (>$1B) ## Pricing Snapshot Average rating for cost based on this provider's reviews: 4.8 out of 5 **What Clients Have Said** *(This summary is based on verified Clutch reviews.)*: nventive x Wepoint offers competitive pricing, with projects ranging from $10,000 to over $300,000 depending on complexity. Clients report excellent value for cost, emphasizing responsiveness and innovative solutions, though some noted occasional communication delays. **Most Common Project Size**: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 15 reviews *(Pricing information for this provider is based on reviews where the project size was available.)* ### Pricing by Service - Mobile App Development: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 5 reviews - Custom Software Development: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 4 reviews - Web Development: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 3 reviews - AR/VR Development: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 2 reviews - E-Commerce Development: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review ## Reviews Clutch investigates each reviewer's identity and work history. Every review goes through a rigorous, human-led verification process to confirm the reviewer's identity, and reviews that we verify are visibly marked as 'Verified' so you can trust that they come from a real client. [Learn More](https://help.clutch.co/en/knowledge/how-clutch-verifies-reviews) ### nventive x Wepoint Review Insights Overall Review Rating: 4.8 - Quality: 4.7 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.8 - Willing to Refer: 4.8 ### Top Mentions - Great project management (7 mentions) - Communicative (5 mentions) - Proactive (4 mentions) - Timely (4 mentions) - Transparent (4 mentions) - Flexible (3 mentions) - Professional (3 mentions) - Accessible (2 mentions) - Easy to work with (2 mentions) - Efficient (2 mentions) - Helpful (2 mentions) - High-quality work (2 mentions) - Knowledgeable (2 mentions) - Team players (2 mentions) - Well-organized projects (2 mentions) - Hard working (1 mentions) - Innovative (1 mentions) - Openness (1 mentions) - Passionate about their work (1 mentions) - Receptive (1 mentions) ### Review Highlights **Client-Centric Approach** nventive x Wepoint's client-centric approach is evident in their efforts to fully understand client needs and objectives. They invest time in learning about the client's business and industry, which helps them deliver solutions that are closely aligned with business goals. **High Client Satisfaction** Many clients expressed high levels of satisfaction with the outcomes of their projects, emphasizing successful product launches, increased user engagement, and seamless integration of new technologies. Their ability to meet or exceed project goals has led to positive impacts on clients' businesses. **Responsive and Attentive Team** The team at nventive x Wepoint is noted for being highly responsive and attentive to client needs. They maintain open lines of communication and are quick to address any issues or changes that arise during the project lifecycle. **Challenges with Communication** Some clients reported initial challenges in communication, particularly in conveying non-technical requirements to the technical team. These issues were generally resolved once brought to attention, but highlight an area for improvement in ensuring seamless communication from the start. **Innovative and Creative Solutions** nventive x Wepoint is recognized for their innovative approaches to problem-solving, often suggesting new features and improvements that clients had not initially considered. This creativity has been particularly valued in projects involving advanced technologies like AI and VR. **Expertise in Custom Software Development** Multiple reviews highlight nventive x Wepoint’s proficiency in developing custom web and software applications tailored to specific business needs. Clients from diverse industries like financial services, SaaS, and healthcare appreciated the personalized solutions that addressed unique challenges such as investment management processes, job board functionalities, and e-commerce features. **Pricing and Budget Considerations** While clients acknowledge the quality of work provided by nventive x Wepoint, some have pointed out that their services come at a premium cost. However, they also note that the results justify the investment, particularly for larger projects. **Strong Project Management Skills** Clients praised nventive x Wepoint for their excellent project management skills, which included timely deliveries and regular updates. They effectively used tools like JIRA and Slack to facilitate communication and progress tracking, ensuring that projects stayed on schedule and met client expectations. **Effective Use of Agile Methodologies** Clients appreciate nventive x Wepoint’s use of Agile methodologies, which include regular sprints and iterative development processes. This approach has allowed for flexibility and adaptability, ensuring that projects can evolve to meet changing requirements. **Adaptability to Diverse Industries** nventive x Wepoint has demonstrated adaptability across various industries, successfully delivering projects in sectors such as ice cream retail, real estate, insurance, and public transportation. Their ability to tailor solutions to industry-specific needs is a recurring theme in client feedback. ### nventive x Wepoint Reviews #### Mobile App Dev for Skating Intelligence Platform **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Feb. - May 2023 **Project Summary**: nventive created a prototype mobile app for a skating intelligence platform. This included implementing Bluetooth Low Energy pairing functionality, setting up Wi-Fi on the sensors, and handling troubleshooting. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 4.5 **The Reviewer** President, Scorched Ice - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — May 17, 2024 **Feedback Summary**: Thanks to nventive, the client ensured successful field tests where one individual could efficiently start all sensors and upload session data, accurately linked to the correct player. inventive demonstrated seamless collaboration, provided constant support, and maintained constant availability. ""The entire team was extremely responsive to our needs."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the President of Scorched IceDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.We have created the world's first Skating Intelligence Platform by ingrating sensor data collection, machine learning algorithms, and biomechanics to provide personalized insights into skating performance and development. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire nventive to accomplish?Develop an MVP iOS ApplicationSend commands to up to 40 pairs of skate sensorsBe easy to use **SOLUTION** How did you find nventive?Worked with them previouslyWhy did you select nventive over others?Had a great experience with them on another projectHow many teammates from nventive were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.nVentive was tasked to work with the Scorched Ice team to create a prototype mobile application that allowed an individual to easily control 40 pairs of Smart Skate Sensors.The required functionality was:BLE pairingSetup wifi on the sensors for file transferSend a start commandAssign the sensors to the correct playersTrigger the data upload to the existing web serviceSupport and feedback **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?Success for the project was measured as successful field tests, where one individual could, in a reasonable timeframe, start all the sensors and after a session upload the data (and have it linked to the correct player).Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?The entire team was extremely responsive to our needs.  We meet regularly during the development to ensure the mandate was clear and that decisions were made at the right points.  The team was also available based on specific needs through email, calls, and in person meetings.  They also continued to support the app release and troubleshoot when we did our initial tests.What was your primary form of communication with nventive?In-Person MeetingVirtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?Not only did they find an innovative technical solution to our probelm they were available to help us think through and create features that we had not previously thought about.  They also championed our product within their own circles of influence, which made them truly feel part of our team and not an outside contractor.Are there any areas for improvement or something nventive could have done differently?Not that I can think of.   --- #### iOS & Android App Dev for Montreal-based Ice Creamery **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Nov. 2016 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) developed an iOS/Android app that enables users to customize ice cream orders, share creations on social media, and earn rewards. Currently, Cortex is working to capitalize on in-app promotions. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Vice President, La Diperie - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Dec 18, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Users have responded favorably to the app, and enrollment numbers have increased substantially. nventive (formerly Cortex) involved internal stakeholders throughout the design process to ensure a quality end product. Regular testing and excellent technical skills are critical to their success. "“They delivered exactly as they said they would.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the vice president of La Diperie, an ice cream shop that specializes in dipping products in chocolate. We’re a novel, trendy place with tons of ice cream specialties. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? To expand our digital marketing and loyalty program, we engaged Cortex to create an Android/iOS app that allowed users to create customized ice cream products online. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? In the beginning, we worked closely with Cortex to go over our needs and functions. They asked a lot of questions to get a better understanding of our business and then proposed several design options. We worked together iteratively to make modifications until we arrived at the final design. They then built the app for iOS and Android, and we tested it to provide feedback. With our solution, users could customize their ice cream order online, choosing from three base products (e.g., ice cream cone, cup, or sandwich) before selecting one of 20 chocolate dips and additional toppings. Once they finish their order, they can post their creations online and share it on social media. The app also features a loyalty program that rewards members with electronic stamps to redeem perks. Cortex has since launched our app, and they’re now working to integrate in-app promotional opportunities. For example, to mitigate low sales during rainy days, we’re going to push deals to entice more in-store traffic. What is the team composition? They’ve assigned a single point of contact who leads our account, but I’m sure there are developers working in the background. We built the app with them, and they’re still making improvements. How did you come to work with Cortex? We had a few initial meetings to explain the project, and they provided us with some suggestions and proposed designs. From there, it just made sense that they were the right partner for us. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent over $100,000. What is the status of this engagement? The original project lasted from November 2016–May 2017, but they’re still making ongoing adjustments. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Customers have responded well to our app, and we’ve seen a lot of participation from our client base. Our enrollment numbers are up for the loyalty program, and we’re looking to push more promotions in the app. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? During development, we mostly communicated through phone and email. I appreciated that they sent us design templates before committing to anything, which was more efficient than seeing a final app and making changes. This way, we were able to participate throughout to ensure that the end product aligned with our vision. What did you find most impressive about them? They delivered exactly as they said they would. As a non-technical person, it’s hard to imagine an app that works exactly as I’ve envisioned, but Cortex pulled it off. They handled the project well. Are there any areas they could improve? No, they met all our needs. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Have a clear, concise objective and understand how your technical solution plays into that. Apps and websites evolve over time, so you need to consider your future aspirations and choose a partner who can work with you as the product grows. --- #### Platform Web, and App Dev for Real Estate Company **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Sep. 2015 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) has completed several development projects to digitize a real estate company. They modernized a website, built CMS and sales management platforms, and created an iOS application. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Senior Marketing Advisor, Logisco - Industry: Real estate - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Nov 6, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Each platform has launched seamlessly without bugs or issues. nventive (formerly Cortex) serves as an excellent development partner and demonstrates flexibility and consistent communication. Customers can expect an effective team that offers creative solutions and delivers high-quality products. ""nventive (formerly Cortex) consistently comes up with innovative solutions to meet our challenges." " **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and your position there. I am a senior marketing advisor for Logisco. We’re a real estate company that constructs and manages residential and commercial properties. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** For what projects/services did your company hire Cortex? We’ve engaged Cortex to develop several custom software solutions, including a CMS platform, a sales management platform, an updated website, and a mobile application on iOS for maintenance teams. What were your goals for this project? We wanted our website to have an innovative design and better meet our customers’ needs. Our two platforms reflected a shift toward digitizing our data, and we wanted to share information across their systems as well. **SOLUTION** How did you select this vendor? We first hired Cortex to update our website. Their work impressed us so we engaged their team for other development projects to shift our organization into digital systems and solutions. Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project? Cortex is involved in every step of development. When we contract them for a project, Cortex meets with our team—both field workers and in-office staff—to consult on requirements. They then create a design and make a schedule for the development phase. Once they have our approval, Cortex builds the platform. Over the years, they’ve become a development partner, and we’re now familiar with each other’s methods and processes. What was the team composition? We work with an architect, a programmer, a developer, and a few designers. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business? Every platform they’ve built has integrated seamlessly into our organization with few bugs or issues. How was project management arranged and how effective was it? Cortex makes the collaboration seamless. We’ve developed a unified workflow to oversee every aspect of each project, from management and media to communication and billing. We utilize Slack and Jira and hold meetings to provide regular updates. What did you find most impressive about this company? Cortex consistently comes up with innovative solutions to meet our challenges. They also can scale their resources as needed to accomplish our project goals. Are there any areas where they can improve? We sometimes have trouble communicating our needs from a non-technical perspective to their technical team and then getting the results we want. --- #### React Development for 3D Visualization Tool **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Dec. 2017 - Mar. 2018 **Project Summary**: Integrating specialized technologies to enhance functionality, nventive (formerly Cortex) used React to rebuild a website, making it mobile-friendly and enabling 3D model viewing of customized products. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CTO, Vowsmith - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 19, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: nventive's (formerly Cortex) high-quality site build surpassed project goals. Their targeted resources solved specific problems, and they transmitted critical knowledge to enable internal site management. "“Everything we asked for was achieved.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the CTO at Vowsmith, a personalized jewelry company. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? We had built our website internally. It had problems with speed and memory that we needed to fix and also needed it updated to be mobile friendly. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? They rebuilt our website, integrating new technologies to enhance it. They also redesigned the layout and reconfigured the CSS to make it mobile friendly. They used WebGL, a 3D model view technology, to allow users to visualize ring customizations by capturing the customer’s fingerprint. It integrates with software that we developed internally to do image treatment to suggest a ring with fingerprints engraved on the surface. They also suggested that we use a framework called React that is used by companies like Pinterest and Facebook. It allows us to control the different options of our own software. What is the team composition? I worked with four different people including a dedicated project manager and developers. We worked with different people according to their expertise. How did you come to work with Cortex? One of the Cortex team members is a good friend of our CEO. We're both based in Quebec City. They had the expertise in WebGL that we needed. They convinced us by showing us work from past customers. How much have you invested with them? We spent $15,000 CAD ($11,600 USD). What is the status of this engagement? We started the work in December last year and just finished last week. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? They completely reached their goals in terms of quality. We’re definitely happy with the software integrations. Everything we asked for was achieved. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? We used Slack to communicate which worked very well. I would also go to their office at times to meet with them. It was easy for me to reach any member of the team. They provided us with their best resources depending on our needs. For example, for the memory issues, I spent two days working with their team member who had the expertise to resolve the problem. What did you find most impressive about them? I like the fact that they let me learn with them. They weren’t trying to hide anything from me. They tried to transmit all their knowledge to me so that I could work on my side without them. Are there any areas they could improve? Sometimes they approximated the price. For example, they would tell me it would take four days and it would only take one. It was a good thing in the end and I can understand that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how things will go. But it was difficult to know exactly what to expect in terms of cost and time. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Make sure to understand your needs well. It was easy for me because we’re in the same city. I could sit and work with their team, which made the work more efficient. --- #### Accelerated Web Project for Theatrical Performance Group **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Oct. - Dec. 2017 **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) helped create an online space to educate clients about a company’s brand. The strategy and design of a website framework and advertising assets were delivered on an expedited timeline. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 4.5 **The Reviewer** Digital Strategist, Entertainment Company - Industry: Arts, entertainment & music - Client size: 1,001-5,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 26, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Seamless development, coordinated in one-week sprints, yielded a pixel-perfect and comprehensive product. The design passed an internal approval process with only minor changes. Developers’ specialized frontend and backend expertise and rapid response times enabled the project’s swift delivery. "“They're a small, attentive, flexible, and efficient team […that] did almost a perfect job for us.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I work for a touring performance company. I oversee everything our customers have contact with online, including our apps and websites. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? Cortex specializes in expedited projects and "rescuing" the client, which was perfect for our short timeline. We hired them for a brand bible project. Essentially, we wanted to create an online space where our partners could learn more about our company. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Cortex helped us develop a strategy for how to talk about our organization. For our advertising efforts, they located which assets, like logos and images, could best showcase our brand. The designs were more advanced than the ones we usually create internally, so they really pushed the frontend as far as KPIs and related elements. They not only created deliverables efficiently, but also quickly incorporated changes based on our feedback. When we started the project, we hadn’t yet created all the necessary assets. The team built a comprehensive framework that was easy to tweak and incorporate detailed elements into later on. All the content fit perfectly. What is the team composition? François Girard, our assigned project manager, was very talented. Our frontend and backend developers had specialized expertise in their assigned roles, respectively, which saved us a lot of time. How did you come to work with Cortex? My boss has a contact who knows the owner. Their team came to our office to give a presentation showcasing their previous work. Since they've mostly worked with local clients in Quebec, our international brand presented a big opportunity. How much have you invested with them? We spent $30,000 Canadian dollars [$24,000 USD] on their services. What is the status of this engagement? We worked together between October and December 2017, with a short break in November when we couldn't provide enough assets. They were kind enough to pause the project, and restart it when we had enough information for them to move forward. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? It's usually quite hard to work with an agency when you don't have the whole package for the project, but Cortex did a great job. The process was absolutely seamless, and their execution of the designs was pixel perfect. Our internal approval process is usually very difficult. Certain designs don’t translate well online, and our staff will question why the digital rendering doesn’t properly reflect their work. Cortex excelled at bringing our designs to life. Our CMO accepted the first draft, and we only had to make minor changes with our brand team. Overall, it was a great success for our company. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? We really appreciated that they kept their team small for this specific project. We used Slack to facilitate daily communication, and they were extremely reactive. I never waited more than five minutes for an answer, which was unprecedented in my experience within the agency world. Their invoicing system used a very effective tool that sent bills via email and provided a detailed view of the completed work. A streamlined workflow made it possible to achieve our challenging deadline. What did you find most impressive about them? They're a small, attentive, flexible, and efficient team. I thought it would be impossible to complete this project on time, so their success was amazing to me. They did almost a perfect job for us. When we work with other development agencies, it's really hard to fit within two- or three-week development sprints. Cortex did one week sprints for us, and would occasionally even deploy the website for us to review online before they ended. Do you have any advice for potential customers? If you have all your content and assets ready, Cortex will be able to deliver even faster than they did for us. --- #### Web App Development for Sports Coaching Platform **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: May 2015 - July 2017 **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) built several versions of a web application that hosted training videos and allowed sports coaches to share, compile, and download exercise plans.  **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 4.5 **The Reviewer** Founder, Athlek - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 26, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: The platform quickly attracted 2,000 regular users and captured the interest of major national sports organizations. nventive (formerly Cortex) checked in frequently to discuss expectations and ensure quality. They remained close to the initial budget and schedule while delivering excellent results.  ""They work very closely with us to ensure that I feel good about the process." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the founder of Athlek. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? In partnership with Cortex, we developed a road map and a lesson plan builder for a sports federation and club in Canada. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? In 2015, we built an accessible, user-friendly prototype for presentation to future investors, after which our first partner decided to invest in the pilot version of the project. Cortex developed the MVP. After we launched the pilot and worked in the second version for a year, we ran the app for several months without any updates. It has worked very well. There are no problems with the app. Almost 2,000 people across Canada use it on a weekly basis. The web app hosts videos and training courses through Zmail, and there's a link to embed the video in the database. The database isn't too complex. Coaches can create their own skills and drills and add them to the database. They can also build a lesson plan by gathering ideas from our repository of gymnastics exercises. From there, they can print the lesson plan or use it on a tablet or phone. We want to work with Gymnastics Canada, so we're going to develop new features for the second version. What was the team composition? Five developers were involved in the project, including one project owner, one frontend developer, and two backend developers. They split the work between the team. How did you come to work with Cortex? The first time I heard about them was through a reference. I explained my vision and budget to a friend. He told me that I should engage Cortex for the project, because they had done something similar for another client in the past. I met with the CEO, and we began the project. How much have you invested with them? I've spent between $50,000—$200,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started talking in 2014, but didn't begin the project until May 2015. We finished our engagement with them in July 2017, and there have been no updates since then. We are going for a second phase in March. We will certainly work with them again. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Within a year, we gained around 1,000 additional users. Our first partner was Gymnastique Québec, and we started working with Saskatchewan a couple of months ago because they were very excited to invest in the project. We’ve started working with other sports too. The prototype was built for gymnastics, but other sports are interested in using it, too, which is very exciting. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? Their project management was great. I changed project managers only twice in the span of the two-year partnership, and the general director always made sure that the transfer had gone smoothly and that and I was still happy with the partnership. They were also very tight on deadlines and didn't go much over budget. They had in-house software to manage the project, but I'm not on that platform; they communicated with me only by email. What did you find most impressive about them? They work very closely with us to ensure that I feel good about the process and the features that they develop. They're open to talking with us about money, business, and features, and they invest time in making sure that we are happy. Are there any areas they could improve? Their team is growing a lot, so they changed my backend developer twice or thrice within two years. I understand that it's not easy to manage a growing team, however, and it was still a good partnership even if the developers changed. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Be ready to pay the price. It's not cheap, but the results are great for the price you pay. I've worked with other businesses to develop websites and apps, and I've had many bad experiences. Go to them if you want to have a great project with no problems. --- #### Chatbot Development for FinTech Innovation Lab **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Jan. 2016 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) builds chatbots that engage with mobile users to provide auto insurance quotes. They use Optical Character Recognition Technology and implement text-to-speech features.  **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Digital Strategist, Insurance Company - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 1,001-5,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 26, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: The chatbot serves thousands of mobile users while remaining secure. nventive (formerly Cortex) designs adaptable contracts, quickly addresses any concerns, and implements a flawless Agile process. Their advanced skill set enables them to succeed in a highly innovative atmosphere. ""They were very autonomous, professional, and always on time." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m a digital strategist at an insurance group. I’m in charge of a small innovation lab, which works to improve the user experience with new technology. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? We needed help with development. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Their first project dealt with OCR [Optical Character Recognition] technology. Their staff had the skills to explore that technology, which later evolved to a chatbot. Our big project with them was building a chatbot that could provide online auto insurance quotes. It’s still in the experimental stage. We looked at a lot of available technology, but chose to customize the chatbot due to some security concerns. The guys from Cortex knew how solve the security and confidentiality issues. We also added text-to-speech and speech-to-text features. In the past, they also built a website for a contest. What is the team composition? We have had 6-7 full-stack programmers helping us over the last two years. At the project’s peak, we worked directly with four full-stack developers for 5-6 months. Direct access to programmers was one of the working terms we set with them. We explained which skills we needed, and they sent us developers with those skills. They were always a perfect fit for our projects. They built the chatbot alongside our in-house team. Their team was very helpful in building that part of the platform. How did you come to work with Cortex? They were referred by a friend. They understood the innovativeness of what we were trying to achieve and were very flexible on the contractual terms. For instance, they were willing to send some of their people to work in our offices. That boosted our confidence in them. In addition, their projects for previous clients were good. How much have you invested with them? More than $200,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in 2016 and the work is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We worked in two-week Agile sprints. They were very autonomous, professional, and always on time. I can’t remember a time they delivered tasks late. The chatbot was implemented for our customers. We added some restrictions on the IT side. We began experimenting with mobile traffic, so every user that visits the website with a mobile device lands on the chatbot. There have been a few thousand users. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? They were very flexible with our working terms, which helped us greatly and contributed to our success. It was very easy to get them on board with the team and with the methodology. What did you find most impressive about them? They are very responsive to our requests and very quick to accommodate any addendum we give to them. Over the last two years, we’ve demanded a lot from them on short notice, but they came through every time. Are there any areas they could improve? No, working with them was pretty seamless. --- #### Voice Recognition Software for Augmented Reading Experiences **The Project** - Services: AR/VR Development - Project size: $200,000 to $999,999 - Project length: Jan. 2014 - July 2016 **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) worked in tandem with internal resources to develop a composite voice recognition software that’s integrated with AI functionalities for the iPad. They also assisted with various IoT projects. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder, Saga World - Industry: Media - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 24, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: nventive's (formerly Cortex) contributions were crucial in obtaining funding for an R&D phase. They were responsive to requests throughout development, and their positive attitude amidst scope issues was laudable. Communication skills and staff versatility made for an overall efficient and fruitful engagement. "“They really focus on keeping their customer happy.”" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the CEO of Saga, a design studio that creates immersive and interactive experiences for the physical world. We used to be a production company, but then started using technology (e.g., IoT and AI [artificial intelligence]) for interactive storytelling. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? We used to work with a high-priced company whose voice recognition technology only functioned at 80%. We needed to detect words or context in real time, and we were having to pay for each request to the server that was happening every two seconds. We were billed for each of those requests, so it ended up being very expensive. That voice recognition technology wasn’t fitting for our business model, so we decided to develop our own for an experimental storytelling experience. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We were creating an experimental storytelling experiment that incorporated voice recognition software and natural language processing to detect children's positions within stories as they read aloud. The voice recognition software triggered various storytelling features within the app, including videos, sound effects, and music. We did some pretty amazing sales with two customers which resulted in thousands of other sales for that book and allowed us to invest in the technology’s R&D. Cortex’s team was key in this process. We developed our own system where servers could scale on demand. It’s a combination of six different types of technology that run in real time. These include DSP [digital sound processing] for audio signals to make them easier to understand, as well as voice recognition training so that our natural language processing system can improve as it’s being used. Cortex built the app on the Unity platform for the iPad as well as the AI [artificial intelligence] that facilitates better understanding of sentence structures based on story progression. They did an excellent job of integrating these key components.   We did a physical installation version of that technology with another story for a marketing campaign. The installation was in a park where people could go, discover a book, and read it out loud. Their voice was amplified throughout the park, so people ended up gathering around, and adults were reading books to other adults. We used the same technology, but instead of a cloud-based system, we did a local version of that project. We’ve also used Cortex for some development tasks when we haven’t had the resources in-house. It’s a platform called ioTHEATRE which we’ve been working on for a few years. It uses sensors and controllers to understand the behaviors and context of users in real time, and then triggers content which is projected onto walls accompanied by sounds or lighting effects. It’s a big framework that we’ve been using for exhibits and projects. We’re still working on it. We’ve done some IoT projects with them as well, including electronics for prototyping. How did you come to work with Cortex? I’m friends with some of their team members. They are a nice and small development studio in Quebec City. They are the company we think of when we have a project that requires extra resources or special skills. We’ve been really satisfied with the work they’ve done for us. How much have you invested in them? We’ve spent between $200,000–$300,000. What is the status of this engagement? We began working with them in 2014, and the last project wrapped up in July 2016. We still use them when we need some additional resources. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? I could speak to the studio head if I had a problem, and they always fixed it right away. They really focus on keeping their customer happy and the projects working. We had a project where I know they lost money because we underestimated the complexity of it in the beginning. We never had a discussion about how much more it would cost, and they just delivered the project anyways. They have a really positive attitude in those types of situations, which I really appreciate as a customer. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? They were great. We had no issues with communication. We used tools like Basecamp to manage the project. What did you find most impressive about them? I liked that they weren’t a huge company with hundreds of people. They were a partner in the process of building the project. I was happy to work with and pay them because I knew the value we were receiving in return. They’re really good with web development and all the attached components, including the cloud. As a design studio, they have some employees with different skill sets for various types of projects. They can work on a web project on the first day and then switch to another project on the second day. They’re pretty versatile. Are there any areas they could improve? I don’t have anything specific for them to improve on. Do you have any advice for potential customers? I suggest going ahead and working with them. --- #### Field Sales App & iPad App for Training Gamification **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Jan. 2014 - Oct. 2016 **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) developed multiple apps for a high-end bath manufacturer. The apps they developed help consumers understand the bath manufacturer's company and train salespeople; they are working on an e-commerce app as well. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Bain Ultra - Industry: Information technology - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Nov 2, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: To date, about 35% of the salespeople utilize the app, which has helped them to become well informed, well-trained, and ahead of their competition. nventive's (formerly Cortex) creativity, strong leadership, management, and ability to understand businesses and company cultures were integral to the success of this collaboration. ""I really enjoy working with nventive (formerly Cortex) and wouldn’t envision going with anyone else." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the CEO of Bain Ultra. We’ve been working with a distribution network for almost 40 years in the states. We have about 2,000 dealers working with us. We manufacture high end bathtubs, freestanding bathtubs, and mainly therapeutic bathtubs. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? We had huge challenges over the last two years because we’re working with so many people at the same time. There’s a huge change in the way people are approaching sales because of the Internet. We’re in a very outdated network. The root of our network is plumbing. We had to try to bring that network to another standard. I needed an application developed for iPads in showrooms to help differentiate our product. We also needed the salesforce on the showroom floor to be trained. Whenever we launched a product, we had reps that would train salespeople. It would sometimes take three months before they would get the proper training to everyone. There was always a gap between the time that we would launch and promote on the marketing level. I needed Cortex to develop an app training game that was user-friendly and could be used on any type of device. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We carry very high-end bathtubs. Our bathtubs can’t be bought at all places. They’re worth between $5,000-$10,000. The consumer must understand the added value of our product. The app is a tool for the consumer to understand us better and show us better in the showroom. The second project was the training game app. The app would allow the sales people to quickly understand the differentiation of our product that we are launching and be able to talk about it to the consumer. I’m starting to work with them on a platform for e-commerce because we want to start selling our bathtubs online. It’s a huge project because of the network we work with. We have to be very creative to not jeopardize the relations that we have with the dealers all over the states. I hope that the platform will be up and running by the spring. How did you come to work with Cortex? They work in a hub in Quebec where I live. I was working with a marketing company that was located next door. The owner of the marketing company talked about Cortex and I was introduced to them. How much have you invested with them? We've spent $200,000 for the iPad and the training game apps. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together three years ago for the iPad app. The training game app was started in January 2016 and completed in October 2016. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We have close to 1,000 sales people across the states that have downloaded the training game app. Of that, I have about 35% using it currently that have completed all the challenges. About 55%-60% of the staff are working their way through it. It’s a very slow network to get into the digital era. It’s part of the problem we have right now. As a company, we’re very progressive. We’ve always been developing new things before our competitor. It’s a success to be able to have 35% of the salespeople in our most high-end store using the training app and being trained faster than our competitor can. We’re shortening the lifetime penetration of our product in the mind of the salespeople and in the mind of consumers. Twenty percent of our dealers are very high end and they are the salespeople that have downloaded the app. They are our most important stores. Having people with the knowledge to properly answer the consumer has put us ahead of our competitor. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? They use a project manager and we do the same in our company. The project managers are constantly in contact with one another either by phone or by Skype. Whenever there’s a problem, they answer very quickly. They’re very professional in the way they do work. I deal mainly with Jean-Michel [LeBeau, Founder] if I have an issue of some sort. When the projects are implemented, they are done through the project managers in each of our companies. What did you find most impressive about them? Before I came to this company, I worked my way through many companies in many places. For quite a while, I was a coach for leaders in different businesses. I was doing the strategical alignment in the different companies. Jean-Michel is extremely smart. He’s humble. He listens to the client very well. He’s very creative. He does even more than you ask. He takes you in like your part of his business. He comes up with ideas and technologies that we can even adapt to our bathtubs. He’s incredible as a leader and as a manager for his team. I’ve hardly ever seen someone so smart, but also talented enough to manage his team properly. Whatever they did for us was always right on.  They are extremely creative and listen very well to the company and the culture involved. One of the problems I met in the past with tech companies is they can be very good technologically, but they don't understand the challenge that we face on the cultural level. Each network has its own culture. You can have a wonderful tool that’s worth absolutely nothing at the end. With Cortex, Jean-Michel has a very strategic mind. He will take a lot of time to understand scaffolding, and not only the technological challenge you face, but the culture of your company and where you come from, in order to understand where you can go with the technologies to court your success. Are there any areas they could improve? I really enjoy working with Cortex and wouldn’t envision going with anyone else. We always want to be the first project that they’ll answer to, but you’re working with real people that have more than one project going on. If you want to have an answer in the next hour, you might have it three hours later. It’s those type of things, but very normal things to expect. They always come back quickly. I have nothing negative to say about Cortex. --- #### Web Development Agency Partnership **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Jan. 2013 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) has helped with a number of app and web development projects, including a ticketing platform used by prominent stadiums and performances around the world. Their latest project is a business website. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder, 32 MARS - Industry: Information technology - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 6, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: nventive's (formerly Cortex) site won a design award, and traffic and ranking has increased significantly. They are professional and reliable under pressure. Though they could enhance their services to be more conducive to small businesses, Cortex is a proactive team with an effective, collaborative Agile process. ""They’ve often suggested different ways to do things, and always had the right answers to our questions."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the CEO of 32Mars, an advertising agency. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? We’ve worked with them on technology development for client projects, including a couple of apps as well as web-based development. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Our latest project with Cortex is our business website. We’ve previously worked on a large website for one of our clients. Cortex developed a web-based ticketing platform and CMS [content management system] serving clients like Cirque du Soleil, The Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team, and large stadiums around the world. How did you come to work with Cortex? One of our business partners introduced them to me. I met Jean-Michel Lebeau, the CEO of the company, and we talked business. I appreciated their values and we started working together. Cortex has been professional, and we’ve worked together since that time. How much have you invested with them? The cost of their work is between $250,000 and $300,000 CAD per year. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Cortex five years ago. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Our business website was launched 4 weeks ago, and has won an Awwwards prize, which was a huge compliment from the industry. Our visitors have been scaling up since the launch. More visitors are coming in organically, and we have a better ranking. When my team worked with Cortex, it was always on behalf of clients, so I cannot provide actual metrics. I’m quite sure that if there were any problems, my team would have mentioned them. The ticketing platform sells millions of tickets per day; it’s the second-biggest in the world. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? They keep tight schedules and are professionals. We never had any issues in this sense, which is rare in this area. We’ve been working with a couple of Cortex’ project managers, all of whom were good. The process is collaborative, Agile, simple, and proactive. They’ve often suggested different ways to do things, and always had the right answers to our questions. If they didn’t, they would come back with one in the same business day. The final cost always matched the estimate given to us at the beginning. We mainly work with the Google Docs suite. The collaborative documents make it easy to track bugs and do follow-ups. They also use internal administration apps. What did you find most impressive about them? Cortex is always working on research and development—things like VR and 3D web and visioning solutions. They are very good at finding technology solutions, even when working with a small budget, in order to reach the client goal. If the client only has a budget for a portion of the project, Cortex is good at proposing milestones and working in stages. Instead of delivering a website in a year, they will split it into multiple stages over 2 or 3 years, with everything the client wants. The solution is always perfect. Are there any areas they could improve? They could introduce solutions for small businesses. Cortex is not expensive, but they favor bigger projects, and aren’t capable of working on smaller ones like startup landing pages at a reasonable price. They could improve their business in this way. --- #### Experiential Marketing Stunt With Eye Tracking Tech **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: Less than $10,000 - Project length: Apr. - May 2017 **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) rapidly created an interactive marketing experience using eye-tracking technology. They've also provided other application and interactive technology development. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Copywriter, LG2 - Industry: Arts, entertainment & music - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Sep 25, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: A proactive and upbeat approach allowed their team to perform diligently despite strict time constraints and a small budget. The technology performed at a higher accuracy than expected, and has been well received by the advertising community. They are a comprehensive and responsive partner. ""We felt someone was constantly working for us because they made the project their priority."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m a copywriter for LG2, an advertising company operating in Quebec, Montreal, and Toronto. I’m based in Quebec. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? I had an idea for a magic trick that used eye-tracking technology to show people a card they picked while watching cards on billboards. We wanted to use the technology at bus stops for the Magic Festival of Quebec City.  **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? I knew of Cortex's capabilities, but this was still a big challenge for them because they’d never used eye-tracking technology before. However, they were happy to take on the challenge when I approached them. We've also worked with them on applications and other interactive technologies planned for 2017. How did you come to work with Cortex? My sister was a graphic designer there, and she informed me that they were familiar with this kind of work. She arranged a meeting for me with Jean-Michel Lebeau [CEO, Cortex], and we talked about the project. We also contacted a number of companies in Montreal since there aren’t many tech groups in Quebec, but none had done something like this before. Cortex was the only company that told us it was possible, and they completed it just fine. How much have you invested with them? I’m unsure of the exact cost since I don’t handle financial issues, but we’ve spent under $10,000.  What is the status of this engagement? We started working with them in April 2017. This particular project was launched in April or May, and it’s currently online. We have a partnership of some kind, and are also working on other projects. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We are about to do some metrics research because we’re entering the solution into a contest. The display was available for one day, from early morning, until afternoon. We reached a lot of people, but the goal was always to create a case study video to reach more people. The original video allowed us to receive an innovation award in Canada, so it’s definitely made its way through the advertising community. The Quebec Magic Festival also used it for its widespread promotion. I’m unsure how many people were present, but the video was shown at every magic festival gala.  We knew the eye-tracking accuracy wouldn’t operate well outside. We had 80% accuracy when we were hoping for 20%, so the results were very good, but not perfect. The ultimate goal was to have a technology that worked every time. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? The project was very rushed. We only had one month to do everything from scratch, including inventing technology that would work inside of bus stops. It was hard to do, but we made it. Their project management was amazing. We had a lot of questions because we didn’t know anything about the technology, but they still remained flexible and patient. They were comprehensive, and their ability to effectively work with time constraints and a small budget made noticeable differences.  We visited a couple bus stops to take measurements, so it felt special to them because it was a custom-made project. They were happy to work on it, even though they weren’t making a lot of money. We felt someone was constantly working for us because they made the project their priority. It was well done, and nothing was rushed or cheaply made.  I visited their office to check progress, and everyone was always welcoming. They were friendly and open to us visiting them, and setting up meetings were never complicated. Working with them was human and practical because their team was available and also very good at what they do. They are a small company, but they hire the best employees, which is why they collaborate so well. What did you find most impressive about them? The follow-through, project management, and communication were very nice. They communicated very well, and never questioned us when we needed to change things at the last minute. The team was so proactive that they found solutions to questions we hadn’t even asked yet. Their team knows their technology and capabilities well. We don’t get involved with technology often, so we needed a partner like Cortex who knew exactly what they were doing. I recommend everyone work with them. It was our first experience with the company, but since then, we’ve continued to give them projects. We consider them a partner now. Are there any areas they could improve? No, it was a perfect project. They did exactly what we asked for, gave their time, and provided many things. We had a small budget and strict time constraints for this project, so many problems could have appeared, but didn’t. It really worked well, so I don’t have anything bad to say about them. We’ve experienced minimal issues with other projects. --- #### Customer Feedback App & Food Ordering App **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Mar. 2013 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) developed an iOS/Android for internal customers to view customer satisfaction metrics. They’re almost finished developing a cross-platform app using Cordova to enable mobile food ordering. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 4.0 **The Reviewer** Product Owner, POS Software Provider - Industry: Information technology - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jun 1, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) excels at progress reporting, although some misunderstandings caused delays at first. They also provide valuable consultation for improvements in the mobile app space. The minor bugs that did appear in the first app were fixed quickly, and the app now has 800 active users and positive feedback in the market. ""[W]e’ve gotten what we asked for. nventive's (formerly Cortex) team is easy to work with."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. We are a point-of-sale software company providing solutions for restaurants. We have an end-to-end platform from the front of house to the corporate office, and also have mobile applications for it. I am the technical product manager for the maître d’ system. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? We needed to develop a mobile app for one of our products. It would serve as a feedback tool for store managers. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? The web app was built for iOS and Android, and it was meant for fetching data from one of our cloud services, and display it in a dashboard view for notifications and alerts. We also developed a mobile POS and food-ordering app for the restaurant with Cortex. It’s still under construction. It will initially be developed for Android tablets, and uses the Cordova technology, which will allow us to go cross-platform easily in the future. It allows waiters to enter orders and have them go directly to the POS system. Cortex is managing our Google Play and Android Store accounts, which is very helpful, since we don’t have knowledge on that side. How did you come to work with Cortex? We’re based in Montreal, while Cortex is in Quebec. We have many internal connections with companies which are working with this type of developer. We also looked at one company in Montreal, but chose Cortex because of their proposed starting time. Both developers were on the same level, so it was a matter of delivery speed. How much have you invested with Cortex? The food-ordering app will have a cost above CA$100,000. [$74,000] The first app was less complex than the ordering one, and doesn’t compare in terms of cost. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Cortex in March 2013. We continue to update the application regularly, and have new versions every few months. The ordering app is 80% complete. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement? The feedback for the app, which is on the market, is very good. There were some bugs in it, but Cortex fixed them as we went. The main issue was in terms of our own backend, and was not related to the app itself. The app has above 800 active users. There can be more than one user per restaurant because the target audience is made up of managers and owners. There is a good chunk of people using the application. It’s linked to a product which we sell, so we mainly look at how many people are enrolling within it, installing it on their phones and actively using it. The app is free on Google Play, with the actual subscriptions being made on the backend. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? It’s been easy to work with Cortex, but we have had some communication lags. Items which we thought were simple were misunderstood, which led to more back-and-forth. Overall, it’s very good, and we’ve gotten what we asked for. Cortex’ team is easy to work with. The first app was delivered in an acceptable timeframe with no issues. For the other one, the delays are coming from our side, so I can’t fault Cortex for that. We have received weekly reports through which we could see exactly where we were. Cortex has provided access to JIRA, their bug-tracking system. We can enter bugs there directly, and follow the process. What did you find most impressive about Cortex? On the project management side, our weekly reports have been very well-done and informative, which has helped our POS project a lot. Technology-wise, Cortex has good ideas on how we can improve the project afterwards. The data-board app was started three or four years ago, and Cortex has been giving us ideas on how we can improve it in terms of technology. They are always looking at improvements on the mobile app space, and give us consultations. Are there any areas Cortex could improve? I would have made sure that, at the beginning of our POS project, communication channels were flowing properly, so that we wouldn’t receive the kickbacks we’ve had. The problem was mainly on our side. On the next project, I will make sure that this is done, and eliminate any communication issues. --- #### App for Real Time City Bus Schedule **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Jan. 2015 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) developed a mobile app that informs users of the next bus departures based on their location. Additional features include marking favorite routes, creating itineraries, and checking fares. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Communications Director, City Transportation System - Industry: Information technology - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — May 24, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Considering the market size, app adoption has been very strong; users find it to be a valuable tool. nventive (formerly Cortex) did in-depth research into similar tools in other cities in order to deliver the best solution. The team was transparent and managed the project well. ""They were not just executing what we thought would be best, but also suggested ways to improve." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I represent a public bus transit company in Canada. I work in the marketing and communications department, mostly with our web tools, including the company site, mobile application, digital screens, advertising and client communication. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? We wanted to develop a mobile application for our client. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Cortex built our app. Some of its functionalities are native, but I cannot specify and technical aspects. The application geolocates clients and displays the next departures of nearby buses in real time. The app also displays notices related to our routes, unavailable stops, and so on. It allows users to look at schedules for our fleet, and it can also create an itinerary, showing people which buses they need to take from point A to point B. They can also mark favorite routes, and look at all fares. We have built-in APIs which provide all the data around our routes, stops, scheduling and so on. Cortex needed to connect to our web service in order to make sure that they were providing the proper information in real-time. How did you come to work with Cortex? I was not working for the company when Cortex first started, but I know that they went through a public RFP. We had two major criteria, the price being one of them, as well as the quality and expertise of the company, relative to mobile applications. They analyzed several candidates, and Cortex got the contract. How much have you invested with Cortex? [Cost confidential to maintain anonymity.] Since we are a public organization, maintaining the initial budget was very important. Cortex stuck to it, and the results were in-line with what we had in mind. What is the status of this engagement? The application was launched at the beginning of April 2016, and the work on it was started two months previously. Cortex is still working with us on optimizing the app and creating new functionalities. We will be launching an update next week. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement? The app has had over 100,000 downloads. The app is for a small city and not everyone uses public transportation, so the usage and download count are great, from our perspective. Many people are using the app on a daily basis. The app has proved a useful tool for them to know when in real time their bus will arrive. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? The project went well. Cortex was really transparent: they sent us weekly summaries of what had been done and what we were planning to do next. We never had surprises, and went through daily scrums towards the end, in order to make sure we were sticking to the plan. If we encountered any bugs or other issues, Cortex informed us about it. They are using JIRA for bug tracking. We had access to it, and could report any issues or improvements identified on our side. The daily communication was done mostly by email. What did you find most impressive about Cortex? Understanding our needs and being able to suggest some additional functionalities. Their team approached the app from our clients’ perspective, and also looked at what apps from other countries had done. They were not just executing what we thought would be best, but also suggested ways to improve how the information was delivered, from a UX and UI perspective. Are there any areas Cortex could improve? At first, we were asking to be kept informed more often. As soon as we brought it up, Cortex did it. Maybe it’s not the case for all clients, but we do need a lot of information around our projects, in order to report to management. --- #### VR Demonstration of Reporting Capabilities for News Firm **The Project** - Services: AR/VR Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Mar. - Sep. 2016 **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) created a VR experience to showcase news analytics tools via total immersion, managing all UI design and frontend development tasks in an outsourced engagement. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Account Manager, Digital Agency - Industry: Information technology - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — May 23, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: The 360-degree experience successfully incorporated key branding elements and creative requirements, achieving all client objectives. nventive's (formerly Cortex) transparent workflow, proactive communication, and glitch-free deliverables contributed to a productive partnership. ""nventive (formerly Cortex) has an easygoing team and addressed any concerns before they became problems."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m an account manager for a digital agency. We produce digital experiences both online and at events for client brands.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? We needed help with a virtual reality [VR] project in 2016. The client was a major news corporation looking to showcase some of their news analytics tools in VR to demonstrate the usefulness of those tools in a real-world environment. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We gave them the creative brief, and Cortex handled all UI design and frontend development for us. The 360-degree experience was developed for desktop and mobile VR. They took the brand style guide and client creative brief for products and services and integrated it into an HTML5 mobile VR experience. How did you come to work with Cortex? They reached out to someone on my team a little over a year ago and met with us in New York. We went over some of their work and sent them an RFP. We decided to give them a shot on what was initially a small project that ended up expanding. We work with many development groups and are always looking to find new teams. Cortex created working VR demos for us proactively, as a sample of what we’d need in the experience. This effort made us excited to work with them. They were really great to work with throughout the process. Their attitude and work ethic were evident before we even started the project. How much have you invested with Cortex? The cost of Cortex’ work was around $50,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Cortex in March of 2016. The VR app was delivered in September. There were many delays from the client in terms of launch date and sending information. There were some pauses caused by us not having access to the client’s APIs and not receiving information. I have nothing but great things to say about Cortex, and we look forward to working together again soon. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement? The experience we built for the company was used as an internal sales resource. It wasn’t necessarily public-facing until a certain point. As such, we don’t really have performance metrics because those details were kept confidential even to us, the developers. Because of the nature of the timeline, the client worked with us through troubleshooting and QA. I don’t have specific feedback, but I do know that the client was happy with how the product came out; it was exactly what they were looking for. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? We mostly communicated through email and Slack, which we were given access to from Cortex’s end. Mathieu was my main contact, except when he was on vacation for a week and they put me in touch with a developer. Cortex was always communicative. I liked having a main contact rather than 5 or 6. He led all the communication and development efforts. If Cortex’s team didn’t think we would be able to get a certain feature ready in time for a smooth launch, they brought it up to me. I don’t remember exactly what those issues were, but there were certain features of the experience that they didn’t think would be delivered on time. Even though we had a long project timeline, there was a bit of a crunch at the end, and Cortex definitely brought this to my attention. They cared about the project launching without any glitches or flaws, which I definitely appreciated. Many development groups would not have brought these matters to someone’s attention, choosing instead to launch things that didn’t work perfectly. Cortex was honest with me about their internal resources and project timeline for development. Everything was transparent, and I was able to see every step of the process from their side as well. Cortex’s internal project management worked very well, which made my life easier, especially when dealing with a very difficult client. We don’t want to have a difficult client and an equally difficult development group. That would have doubled if not tripled the headaches caused by the project. What did you find most impressive about Cortex? Communication was their top strength. Cortex has an easygoing team and addressed any concerns before they became problems. They’re good in terms of development skill but not the best I’ve ever worked with. Are there any areas Cortex could improve? Nothing really comes to mind. Cortex was transparent with everything, in terms of the assets and formats required. They answered all my questions proactively and even raised some that I didn’t realize at first.  --- #### Magento and UI Expertise for High Design Products Retailer **The Project** - Services: E-Commerce Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Oct. 2015 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) joined a website overhaul near the end to deliver final frontend features. Key elements included a product review page and an affiliate module. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CMO, Online Retailer - Industry: Information technology - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 15, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) moved quickly to understand the business objectives. They offered excellent suggestions, communicated well and worked quickly. A project they managed with little oversight now provides an incremental 15% in sales. ""They’ve given us a high degree of confidence that they are working hard to solve our problems and they are using their time efficiently." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. Peak Design is a design company specializing in outdoor photography and lifestyle carry-gear including bags, backpacks, and camera accessories. I’m the head of marketing. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Cortex? We hired Cortex because we were about 80% of the way through a website rebuild and needed help to finish it. We tried to do the work in-house but we ran into problems with the Magento platform. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We gave Cortex a list of things that needed to be done to the website in order for it to be ready to launch. Most of it was frontend work. They provided problem-solving but also helped us design the experience better than we envisioned it. They were fast and very effective. Anytime we have something that needs to be fixed and has to be done perfectly, we always call them. We continue to use them as our go-to Magento development house. How did you come to work with Cortex? We were looking for developers that had Magento, backend and frontend experience along with UI/UX design. We found Cortex through a staffing agency called Crew. We talked to 3 or 4 firms and Cortex put together the best proposal. They also had the best range of experience. How much have you invested with Cortex? We have spent between $50,000 and $100,000 so far. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with them in October 2015, and the work is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement? One of the features that they implemented on our site was product reviews. Within 3 months of that feature going live, we had more than 500 reviews. They worked on features that are the most heavily used and the most successful. They also implemented our affiliate module and that now accounts for 15% of our website revenue. That means there’s a lot of sales happening through this affiliate program. How did Cortex perform from a project management standpoint? We used to have a weekly meeting; now it’s more of a meeting between my developer and their developers and project manager. They’re very communicative of their progress. The project manager is Maude and she’s great about asking the right questions. We communicate using phone and email and they’re very responsive. They’ve given us a high degree of confidence that they are working hard to solve our problems and they are using their time efficiently. What did you find most impressive about Cortex? Their communication is great and they do what they say they’re going to do. They never fail to internalize what our goals are and work to solve them. Are there any areas Cortex could improve? No. --- #### Full Stack Dev for Crowd Gaming App **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Jan. 2017 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) provides their development services for creating a prototype of a crowd gaming/fan engagement mobile app that can be used on giant screens or projected on a court. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Co-Founder, Play Crowdy - Industry: Arts, entertainment & music - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Jan 12, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: nventive (formerly Cortex) delivered the prototype in time for an important tradeshow, handling both the backend and frontend development very efficiently. The app required very few changes and works great. Their team is young but very passionate about what they do. ""They ... were part of every important decision concerning the orientation of our startup." " **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and your position there. I’m one of the co-founders of Play Crowdy Inc., a solution for fan engagement and crowd gaming. By using smartphones, everyone in an audience can play the same game at the same time on a giant screen or projected on the court/ice. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** For what projects/services did your company hire Cortex? We hired them to program a prototype of a game using a web browser on smartphones. They created the backend and frontend to allow thousands of people to log into the same game at the same time. What were your goals for this project? Our main goal was to create a working prototype for a tradeshow in Philadelphia. **SOLUTION** How did you select this vendor? They have created a lot of apps for big organizations in Québec and they were enthusiastic about our startup. Describe the project in detail. They programmed the backend and frontend of our game, finding solutions to any issues we met. They helped us with many things and were part of every important decision concerning the orientation of our startup. What was the team composition? I don't know how many people worked on our project but I guess there were at least five people involved. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success? They delivered the app faster than expected and not many corrections were needed. It's a success. How effective was the project management? The workflow was very effective. What did you find most impressive about this company? It's a young business that grew fast. They seem to be really passionate about their work. What tips or recommendations do you have? They know their jobs better than I do. --- ## Portfolio & Awards ### About nventive A quick overview of our most recent projects. Let's connect! sales@nventive.com ### B2B - Hadrian Web App Hadrian, a North American leader in manufacturing toilet partitions and lockers for industrial locker rooms, commissioned nventive to create a platform that is more accessible for its users and easier to update for its internal teams while also preserving all the functionalities from its previous platform. Concretely, we replaced the existing downloadable app with an online platform for an easier access for users and effortless updates for the internal teams at Hadrian. The result: an efficient platform that manages a very high volume of business rules which also enables users to create plans that are precise and that comply to construction standards. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/hadrian ### B2C - CAA Mobile App Number one trusted brand in Canada, CAA is a federation of 8 Clubs providing 6.2 million members across the country providing roadside assistance, automobile, travel and insurance services, and offering a member loyalty program. In this complex ecosystem, nventive brought together the Clubs around a common vision and delivered the new CAA Mobile app. The application allows members to receive assistance with just a few clicks and to maximize their member discounts by easily locating nearby offers and remembering their favourite offers. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/caa ### B2C + B2E - VCA Animal Hospitals Digital Ecosystem As the leading operator of animal hospitals in the USA and Canada with 1,000+ animal hospitals and 27,000 pet care providers, VCA set out to revolutionize the pet healthcare industry by integrating technology, allowing for a seamless flow of information to be shared amongst veterinarians, technicians and pet owners. nventive has developed a family of apps that has significantly increased employees' productivity, quality of care as well as customer satisfaction. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/vca ### B2C - Suicide Prevention Digital Ecosystem The Quebec Association for Suicide Prevention chose nventive to conceive and develop a comprehensive digital ecosystem to support persons at risk, their families as well as responding social workers. Suicide affects both individuals at risk, as well as those concerned about a loved one or grieving. To reach the affected population, an omnichannel digital ecosystem was necessary. After thorough analysis, we developed an information, support, and prevention website, digital tools, a mobile application, and a chat service to assist individuals in psychological distress, their loved ones, and those bereaved by suicide. Recently, a forum for grieving family members was also launched. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/AQPS ### B2B - Agri-Marché Web App As a leader in the animal feed sector, Agri-Marché wished to optimize its relationship with its farmer customers by tapping into technology. To embark on this major shift, the first step was to put a new tool in place for communications and online order intake to improve the client experience. nventive developed "Portail Agri-Accès", a simple and efficient web app that eases the exchange of information as well as saves precious time to Agri-Marché’s clients. Always at hand, this app centralizes the management of orders, of invoices and communication tools. In order to combine efficiency and flexibility, nventive and Agri-Marché opted for a Progressive Web App (PWA). This type of solution not only meets the client’s strict requirements, but it also allows for the development of a single app that works both on mobile phones and computers. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/agri-marche ### B2E - Air Canada Ecosystem Closely working with Air Canada since 2017, nventive first developed Air Canada Life, a B2E mobile app that allows Air Canada staff to easily book flights according to real-time seat availability. A channel of communications with employees has also been added to the app. Air Canada has also entrusted nventive to build a custom web application that enables engineers to access key information relating to aircraft maintenance and reliability, as well a responsive web app to facilitate flight compensation requests after C49 law passed. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/aircanada ### B2C - Parkland Fuel Loyalty App Parkland is one of North America’s fastest growing independent marketers of fuel and petroleum products. Journie Rewards is a cross-platform loyalty application. In partnership with Bond Brand Loyalty, nventive designed and developed the mobile experience and consulted on the strategic decisions for the upcoming pilot launch. This app allows users to earn and redeem points at various gas stations across Canada by presenting or scanning the loyalty card in-app.  Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/transport ### B2C - Cree Nation Web App The Cree Nation Government is responsible for economic development, managing the indemnities received by the federal and provincial governments, education, fighting against poverty, culture and leisure, managing a regional police force, and, more broadly, is responsible for the well-being of all Crees. This web platform was requested by the Department of Commerce and Industry (DCI), which is responsible for the economic development in Eeyou Istchee. The Cree Nation Government called upon nventive to design a platform to showcase businesses and entrepreneurs from the Cree Nation, to promote economic exchanges and transparency in the community. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/cree-nation-governement ### B2C - Espace pour la vie Mobile App During the Insectarium's complete metamorphosis, the City of Montréal was looking for a partner who could elaborate a mobile app that would enrich the city’s new flagship museum experience, as well as finalize the development of the Biodôme’s existing app. To do so, nventive created and developed the "Espace pour la vie" app. Easy to use and rich in content, this app guides the visitors during their tour, whether at the Biodôme or the Insectarium, while also giving quick access to complementary information on the specimens in the exhibits.  Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/ville-de-montreal-insectarium ### B2C - RTC Public Transportation App Because it placed integrated mobility at the heart of its mission, the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) wanted to provide its users with a digital tool that could allow them to better plan their trips using public transport, carsharing and bike-sharing services. To take up this ambitious challenge, we created an app supported by iOS and Android that was based on a hybrid web technology. The app allows users to connect in real time to both RTC’s bus system and Communauto’s self-serve cars to better plan their trips in the City of Québec. Secondly, we reached an agreement with the Société de Transport de Lévis (STLévis) that lead to the development of additional features integrated to the original app, for example a functionality that gave access to ‘‘àVélo’’, a bike-sharing service. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/RTC ### B2C - Kaleido Web App Kaleido is a renowned leader in registered education savings plan (RESP) management. In 2022, the company underwent a brand refresh, acquiring a new image and positioning as well as a digital tool focused on education and coaching. The tool thus needed to showcase the financial products’ benefits while also clearly and rigorously demystifying the content. nventive created and developed an interactive calculator that enables parents to visualize and to optimize the planning of their savings to fund their children’s higher education. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/Kaleido ### B2E - BDC Financing App Since 2016, nventive has been the preferred partner of the BDC for the development of a family of native mobile applications aimed at empowering client-facing employees in their interactions with clients. In collaboration with BDC, nventive designed and produced a mobile app combining security and ease of use to increase productivity of BDC’s account Managers during their financing meetings with entrepreneurs.  The solution simplifies the loan application process by reducing the time it takes to approve funding from days to hours. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/bdc ### B2C - National Geographic Learning App Bring the world of ideas to life in the classroom with the Learn English with TED Talks app from National Geographic Learning, in partnership with TED. Learn English with TED Talks is a supplemental resource for students enrolled in English language learning programs. This video-based language learning app helps learners understand and discuss powerful ideas from TED Talks. To support NGL in its ambitious goals, nventive’s team created a mobile app and a website addressed to students, as well as a Web console that allows NGL to manage all its different content. In addition, we developed a website devoted to the program’s marketing and sales management by NGL. Read more: https://nventive.com/en/case-studies/national-geographic-learning ### B2C - E-Commerce Solution By identifying Peak Performance's business objectives early on, nventive was able to bring Peak's Magento e-commerce platform to the next level.  Through our suggestions and a very fluid workflow, review pages, an affiliate module and many more key features were built by our team wich resulted in an incremental 15% in sales. ### B2E - Restaurant POS in Xamarin (C# / .NET) Maitre'D is a POS that inventive have developed for their tablet version through Xamarin development in C# for Posera. The application allows them to manage the transactional process in over 25 000 restaurants worldwide and has proven to be an exceptional accomplishment for us.  It's now considered a key tool for efficiency and is being used on a daily basis.   ### B2C - Responsive Website Redesign Trough Ruby on Rails technology, we developed a responsive design for Leclerc, one of the biggest cookies & snacks company in Canada.  With their multiplatform web design, we included an intuitive CMS that allows them to have full control over the content of their website. Amongst other key functionalities, some pretty cool animations were included giving a great UX feel to the whole project.  ### Industry Recognitions - 101 Top Mobile Startups and Companies in Montréal - nventive dévoile ses stratégies et tactiques pour - Top App Development Companies - Top Software Developers in Toronto - nventive CEO François Tanguay rides apps to succes - Public’s Favourite prize - Excellence prizes - Culture and Society OCTAS ## Key Clients - DCM ## Packages ## Locations (2) ### Montréal, Canada (Headquarters) - 1117 Rue Sainte-Catherine O, Suite 900 - Montréal, QC H3B 1H9 - Canada - 101 - 150 employees - Phone: 1-888-926-1276 ### Québec, Canada - 633 Rue Saint-Joseph E, Suite 300 - Québec, QC G1K 3C1 - Canada - 21 - 30 employees - Phone: 1-888-926-1276 ## Contact nventive x Wepoint [Send a message](https://clutch.co/profile/nventive-x-wepoint) ### Connect on Social - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/nventive) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/nventive) - [X](https://twitter.com/nventive) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/hellonventive/)