Povio

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the COO of Invisible Universe

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a provider of GenAI tools for producing short form animated content.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Povio to accomplish?

• Help build our first SaaS product offering

SOLUTION

How did you find Povio?

Referral

Why did you select Povio over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Povio were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

asd

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Delivering the MVP on time and on budget. Then, delivering subsequent iterations and optimizations as expected.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Povio maintained adequate project management practices throughout our engagement. For most projects, deliverables were typically completed within ±1 week of agreed timelines. Their software development process follows industry standards for request intake, design preparation, review processes, and engineering handoff.

The team implements a conventional one-week sprint cycle, which provides a balanced accountability approach and allows for necessary weekly adjustments. Their project manager consistently creates and tracks tickets, including ad hoc tasks communicated via Slack, ensuring work is appropriately documented.

This approach helped maintain steady progress and aligned with typical industry practices for project execution. 

What was your primary form of communication with Povio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What distinguishes Povio from typical outsourcing firms is its engineers' proactive approach to system maintenance and improvement. Rather than simply executing tasks as directed, they regularly offered suggestions for system optimization and long-term sustainability.

Their willingness to constructively challenge ideas was particularly valuable. When they identified potentially inefficient architectural approaches, they provided thoughtful alternatives instead of proceeding with suboptimal solutions. This level of professional pushback is uncommon among outsourcing partners, whose focus is often primarily on rapid task completion.

This ownership mentality appeared embedded in Povio's organizational culture, extending beyond engineering to other functions like product development. Throughout our experience, Povio has felt like an extension of our team and a true partner vs. a vendor. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Povio could have done differently?

As a startup, we faced a challenge in shifting the team toward an incremental delivery approach rather than large upfront work packages. This transition required several iterations before becoming effective. A more agile, iterative approach from the outset would have better accommodated our evolving requirements as a startup and prevented resources from being allocated to redundant development work.

While we appreciated the strong start with a senior designer, transitions within the design team introduced some challenges and extended feedback cycles. At times, designs were more complex than needed, highlighting opportunities for improved collaboration between product management and design to streamline requirements and reduce iterations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the General Manger of Live Bash

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Live Bash merges physical and digital experiences to create dynamic, tech-powered live events with turnkey venues in Chicago and LA.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Povio to accomplish?

• Livestream ticketing platform

SOLUTION

How did you find Povio?

Online Search

Why did you select Povio over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Povio were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Live Bash partnered with Povio to develop a custom livestream ticketing platform designed to empower artists and talent to monetize live-streamed performances. The platform enables seamless event hosting, ticket sales, and audience engagement in a fully integrated digital experience.

Deliverables:

• Admin panel for creating new events
• Front-end experience for customers
• Integration for emails and custom templates

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Ability to use admin tool to create new events with no code required
• Ability to create custom domains per event
• Ability to view all ticket holders through CSV
• Ability to track all clicks on page through Mixpanel
• Ability to run a livestream ticketing event with no developer assistance

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Working with Povio on this project was an exceptional experience. Their professionalism, creativity, and commitment to excellence were evident at every stage of development.

Timeliness & Execution

Povio consistently delivered milestones on time and maintained clear communication throughout the project. Their structured approach to project management ensured that every phase—from initial concept to final deployment—was executed efficiently, keeping us aligned with our goals and deadlines.

Responsiveness & Collaboration

Their team was highly responsive to our needs, always available to discuss updates, implement feedback, and troubleshoot any issues that arose. They didn’t just take direction—they proactively challenged us to think through aspects we hadn’t previously considered, bringing new ideas and solutions to the table.

Expertise & Dedication

Povio’s team was deeply knowledgeable about the project, demonstrating a thorough understanding of our vision and the technical challenges involved. They went above and beyond to refine the platform, ensuring that it was not only functional but also optimized for a seamless user experience.

Overall, Povio was a true partner in innovation — they were fun to work with, highly skilled, and invested in our success. We couldn’t have asked for a better team to bring this project to life.

What was your primary form of communication with Povio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The most impressive aspect of working with Povio was their exceptional communication and clarity throughout the project. They weren’t just responsive—they were proactive problem solvers, anticipating potential challenges before they became costly issues.

Their ability to think ahead and challenge us in a constructive way added tremendous value, ensuring that our livestream ticketing platform was not only functional but also scalable and future-proof. Povio’s strategic foresight and dedication to excellence set them apart, making them a truly invaluable partner in this project.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Povio could have done differently?

Literally none. You all were a dream to work with and we look forward to our next project with you all.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Founder of The Pump

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Pump is a fitness app founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Povio to accomplish?

• Develop our App
• Keep up with member requests for updates
• Help us with customer service on app issues

SOLUTION

How did you find Povio?

Online Search

Why did you select Povio over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Povio were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We started with Povio to QA and debug a pretty app that had a faulty code foundation, and after being incredibly happy with their work, we hired them as our main developer/QA/designer for all app updates. We are a very nimble and small company with a huge focus on our members, and Povio's scope has grown along with our app's growth.

They have designed gigantic new features like a habit builder and tracker and redesigned the core of the app in response to member feedback to help solve members' issues with committing to fitness.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have shipped an update to our app every month for a year and a half now. Our members tell us they have never seen an app move this quickly to meet their needs, and our membership continues to grow.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our project manager, Egzon, is the best in the business. He keeps his team moving on deliverables, discovers issues that we didn't know, and goes above and beyond in helping us with customer service issues that have to do with the app.

What was your primary form of communication with Povio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their commitment to move as fast as we do while also making sure we don't break the app. We are very hungry and competitive, and they match us. All you need to know is that our project manager steps up and is an active participant in answering our ZenDesk tickets, while also keeping the app moving and updating.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Povio could have done differently?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of a storytelling app

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

A conversation-based storytelling app that uses generative AI to help users discover, preserve, and tell their life story.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Povio to accomplish?

• build and maintain our mobile app
• design our UI and manage our product development process
• create a secure architecture and ensure user privacy

SOLUTION

How did you find Povio?

Referral

Why did you select Povio over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Povio were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

0 to 1 product initiative to create, test, and maintain a mobile app, including experimental, environmental, quality assurance, staging, and production environments.  Manage app creation from blueprint to release, including Apple review.  Manage 360 degree security and privacy development.  Weekly updates with founders across product, design, and engineering development and including quarterly in-person work weeks on location.  All testing, QA, and bug remediation was and continues to be managed by Povio, as well as app maintenance and feature roadmap / future development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Tireless personal dedication to the work.  Povio's team is second to none when it comes to app development and they place great care in delivering a superb product.  They set and maintain a high standard of work ethic, design quality, and integrity.  I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Povio team and I consider them to be essentially internal employees of my company.  They are responsible for creating the exact app that we've dreamed up and I'm extremely proud of their effort.  A big thank you to everyone at Povio - anyone considering their services and expertise will not be disappointed with the final product.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They tailored a project management solution that fit our changing needs, sometimes on a week to week basis.  They were extremely flexible in our dynamic product environment and were able to shift focus rapidly to meet our customer needs.  They were transparent and helped educate us to their internal process so we could create an effective operational cycle remotely across several timezones.  They went above and beyond to make impossible deadlines.  

What was your primary form of communication with Povio?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The culture. Everyone I have met and worked with at Povio is someone I would absolutely work with again.  The positivity, energy, and "can do" attitude is infectious and the Povio team is really fun to work with.  The team also took a personal interest in our company and did their best to bring our vision to life. Povio really understands our mission and earnestly wants to see us succeed.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Povio could have done differently?

No notes! A+

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Strategic Applications of a furniture manufacturer

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Furniture manufacturer

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Povio to accomplish?

• Redo e-commerce tech stack

SOLUTION

How did you find Povio?

Referral

Why did you select Povio over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Povio were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Our current e-commerce site was written using shopify templates and hosted on shopify which limited our creativity for the site as well as our ability to change checkout flow. Worked with Povio to redo the tech stack by:

• Making front in React
• Using graphql to call drupal site for CMS sending to an e-commerce "Saleor" platform for order tracking
• Our web designer designed entire site in Figma and Povio used those designs to impliment front in  
• We handled creating the back end drupal site

A lot of communication betweens teams was needed to make the project succesful and we felt that was the best experience we had with Povio. Easy to work together, communicating back and forth as to what needed to be done.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Site that met site loading speed standard
• Followed web standards
• Matched design wishes
• Matching quality standards that was built on a new tech stack to be able to easily add features in the future

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

• They did a good job of adjusting if we saw there were issues where a resource wasn't responding as quickly as we had hoped
• Their initial estimates for the site for the amount of work required were under on certain sections, they not understanding the full list of functionality within. For most sections they were accurate
• They worked with us to improve velocity
• They meet when needed
• They suggested changes if needed

What was your primary form of communication with Povio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Povio's communication is excellent; they ask questions when needed and their dynamic is very good. The team being our team mixed with their team. We've used other companies in the past and had the communication gaps, it was refreshing not to have them here.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Povio could have done differently?

There initial estimate was low.  Mostly due to not understanding full breadth of the functionality of hte site they were going to redo.  Only other issue was they usually take multiple weeks of vacation at a time, which can cause odd gaps in progress on a schedule.  Had to work with them to get everything on a calendar so those could be accounted for.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Product of a product innovation agency

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Product innovation agency

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Povio to accomplish?

• Design & build a new web platform under the new brand

SOLUTION

How did you find Povio?

Not Sure

Why did you select Povio over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Povio were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Built a new web platform for our client to showcase their content and events.
• Leveraged Wordpress CMS & Wordpress VIP.
• Migrated existing content from their legacy platform on Drupal to WP.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Nothing too measurable given the type of project but:

• Client is very happy with the work. 
• Consistently hit deadlines.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes, generally handled very well. Njomza made it clear when they were blocked and when I was blocked she helped find the right solution.

Early in the project there were a few hiccups. Most notably, eng shouldn't have been brought in to the project so early as they ended up spending time on tasks that would later need to be redone. Also, there were some lapses in communication around time-off.

What was your primary form of communication with Povio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Mario has been fantastic, he's a huge reason why this project was a success. They are super knowledgeable, very fast, flexible, and always available.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Povio could have done differently?

I've already shared my notes on project management in a previous question.

On the technical side, there were some instances where a potential challenge was flagged early and responded to with "we don't need to worry about that now" and then we don't hear about it again until it becomes an issue. For ex, the data migration was flagged super early as a high risk part of the project, and a couple of days before launch we encountered various issues that could have been avoided.

Otherwise, it would have been great to have QA be more comprehensive (ie. beyond just UI). There have been several broken experiences that should have been caught earlier.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Red Planet Labs

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We build a developer platform for building applications at any scale with very low cost

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Povio to accomplish?

• New website
• New logo

SOLUTION

How did you find Povio?

Referral

Why did you select Povio over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fits our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Povio’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

•  Achieve great aesthetic with an "alien technology" theme while still looking professional
• Design each page with smooth presentation of information and calls to action
• Make a professional logo that matches the theme of the website
• Implement as a static website for deployment on Github pages

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• The website consists of five pages were designed and implemented meeting the aesthetic and information display goals. The implementation is pixel perfect on both desktop and mobile. The website is beautiful and achieved an aesthetic outcome beyond anything I expected.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They were extremely organized. From the start they made it clear how their process works and when I could expect deliverables. We met virtually every week to sync up and plan the work for the next week. For mid-week adjustments we communicated via a Slack channel they set up. I received responses to feedback and questions extremely rapidly.

What was your primary form of communication with Povio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The quality of the work they produced was superb – both the designs and the quality of the implementation code. I was very impressed by how organized and efficient they were, and by how they completed the work in exactly the quoted price.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Povio could have done differently?

No, this project went much better than I was expecting. I'm extremely pleased with every aspect of their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CTO of a prop-tech startup. Our platform automates rental finances for Property Investors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Povio?

We needed a fast, flexible, and affordable way to help our internal engineering team quickly launch our neobank. We required flexibility to be able to scale up or down the team as needed during the MVP phase.

SOLUTION

How did you select this agency and what were the deciding factors?

We received recommendations from other startups who have used this agency before. For us, our primary concern was speed and flexibility to scale up and down the teams as needed with engineering talent that can hit the ground running.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

They provided 1 senior full-stack software engineer. Half the team focused on the front end and the other half focused on the back end. This allowed us to make progress across the board very quickly.

Describe the recruitment process in detail.

We discussed the project in detail over 1 or 2 meetings, communicating our needs. Povio was very quick to follow up with a list of candidates that meet our criteria. We then scheduled calls with 1 or 2 of the top candidates. After we selected a developer, we set dates and began working together a few weeks after.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to launch our neobank a full month ahead of schedule.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow has been great. Their team is completed integrated into our team. There is no middle man between our team and theirs, which increases productivity and speed.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They are extremely flexible and customer-centric.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

So far, it's been great!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a co-founder and CEO

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Povio, and what were your goals?

We hired Povio to develop a web browser game and Velocity smart contract for NFTs and ERC-20 tokens.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I already knew this company before since I already interviewed for a developer position there. Needless to say, I was familiar with their hiring process and knew that they have quality people working for them.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Before starting the project we already had a specification written. At our kickoff meeting, we shared it with them. After that, we had meetings 3 times per week to hear their progress. If there were any questions about the specification we communicated it through chat or voice chat.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

3 developers (1 frontend, 1 backend, 1 blockchain) 1 lead engineer 1 project manager 1 QA analyst

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The project was delivered on time and in great shape. They made it super easy for us to modify any settings and deploy the project on our own.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We had daily standups 3 times per week and one sprint planning meeting at the end of the week.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their response time is very impressive. Whenever we wanted to change something it was usually available in just a few days (usually only 1 day).

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nothing I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of a software company based in Germany.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Povio, and what were your goals?

We designed SOPHY - a tool to get work done and tasks completed, anywhere, anytime. That means real-time management of tasks and teams. Not only do changes to tasks reflect in real-time, but our smart notification system instantly sends email updates to relevant users to keep them on the pulse of your processes. All changes are logged in activity feeds on the site, ensuring accountability and transparency at all times.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

A recommendation of a client. It was important to work with a professional team which gives us input and has a lot of experience.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

They designed a complete new software solutions for us after a structures workshop.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

There were 5 people in the core team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Due to the complexity of the solution, we initially had to readjust our deadlines. Overall, deadlines were met and both project management and developers advised us as customers very well.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They were always proactive in communication with reliable and realistic assessments. In case of difficulties, the issue was addressed immediately and a good and quick solution was found in the interest of all parties involved. We were very satisfied

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Professionalism, reliability and commitment

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

As in any project, expectations are very high for me as a client. Povio has been able to meet them.