Custom Hardware & Software Dev for Outdoor Gear Rental Co
- Custom Software Development Product Design UX/UI Design
- Confidential
- Sep. 2022 - Ongoing
- Quality
- 5.0
- Schedule
- 5.0
- Cost
- 5.0
- Willing to Refer
- 5.0
"What stands out most about Teknika is that they cover both hardware and software under one roof."
- Hospitality & leisure
- Panama City Beach, Florida
- 1-10 Employees
- Online Review
- Verified
Teknika has been hired by an outdoor gear rental company to develop custom smart-lock hardware and a cross-platform mobile app. The client also wants the team to build a Supabase backend.
Teknika has launched the app on the iOS App Store and Google Play, and the custom smart-lock hardware is operating at multiple live locations. The team has a strong project management approach and is highly responsive. They're flexible and treat the client as a long-term partner.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and position.
I am the Owner of DailyAdventureBox Inc.
Describe what your company does in a single sentence.
DailyAdventureBox operates smart, app-controlled outdoor adventure lockers that let people rent kayaks, paddleboards, and other gear 24/7 at hotels, beaches, and military bases.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What specific goals or objectives did you hire Teknika to accomplish?
- Build a cross-platform mobile app (iOS, Android) for renting outdoor gear from smart lockers, with Stripe payments, account management, and BLE locker control.
- Develop custom smart-lock hardware and firmware to replace off-the-shelf locks, with secure BLE pairing and remote unlock capability.
- Integrate the lock hardware with the mobile app and Supabase backend to enable real-time rental tracking, automated unlock/return flows, and overdue fee handling.
SOLUTION
How did you find Teknika?
- Referral
- Connected through local investors and Steve Millaway
Why did you select Teknika over others?
- High ratings
- Close to my geographic location
- Pricing fit our budget
- Great culture fit
- Good value for cost
- Referred to me
- Company values aligned
How many teammates from Teknika were assigned to this project?
2-5 Employees
Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.
Teknika has been our core technology partner since September 2022, handling both hardware and software development for our smart locker rental platform. Hardware: Designed and manufactured custom smart-lock hardware to replace off-the-shelf locks (BLE-enabled, secure pairing) Manufactured locker control boards, wiring, and mechanical components for our outdoor adventure lockers Iterated on hardware revisions across multiple production runs Software: Full Flutter mobile app rewrite (iOS + Android) — sign-in (Apple/Google/email), age verification, T&C with signature, QR scan + 6-digit code unlock, BLE locker control, rental timer, overdue handling, Stripe payments, profile management, and Apple-compliant account deletion flows Backend lock-control software integrating the mobile app with locker firmware (real-time unlock, return tracking, overdue fees) Ongoing app maintenance, bug fixes, and feature additions Live deliverables: App is published on the iOS App Store and Google Play, currently serving real customer rentals at active locker locations.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
- Launched on both major app stores: The Flutter app is live on the iOS App Store and Google Play, built from a single codebase (vs. maintaining two native apps), reducing ongoing maintenance overhead
- First real revenue generated: The platform has processed real customer rentals at deployed locker locations, validating the end-to-end flow (mobile app → BLE unlock → Stripe payment → return)
- Hardware deployed in the field: Custom smart-lock hardware is operating at multiple live locations, replacing off-the-shelf locks that previously limited reliability and integration
- Apple App Store compliance achieved: Account deletion, payment disclosures, and T&C flows passed App Store review on first major submission cycles
Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?
Teknika's project management has been a strong point of the partnership. Frank Eastham (CEO) is the primary point of contact and is highly responsive — usually replying same-day. Scope is documented through clear fixed-rate SOWs with defined deliverables and pricing, which made it easy to plan budget and timing. They run the work in Jira, so I have full visibility into tickets, sprint progress, and what's in QA vs. ready for release. The team uses a structured handoff process for each release, including QA before deployment to the App Store and Google Play. When store-review feedback came back requiring changes (e.g., account deletion compliance), they turned it around quickly without scope disputes. They've been flexible when priorities shifted — accommodating hardware design iterations as we tested locks in the field. Communication is direct and they push back when something is technically risky, which I appreciate over a "yes to everything" vendor. Overall: deliveries land on or near schedule, communication is consistent through Jira and direct messaging, and they treat us like a long-term partner rather than a transactional client. Fixed-rate SOWs with clear deliverables — no surprise invoices.
What was your primary form of communication with Teknika?
- Virtual Meeting
- Email or Messaging App
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
What stands out most about Teknika is that they cover both hardware and software under one roof — most agencies do one or the other, which means juggling vendors and finger-pointing when something breaks at the integration layer. Teknika can and has been assisting with the lock hardware, assists with the firmware, builds the mobile app, and ships the backend that ties it all together. When a BLE pairing issue comes up, the same team owns the diagnosis end-to-end. The other thing that's unique is the level of partnership they offer. Frank and his team treat us as a real long-term partner, not a billable client — they've been flexible on payment timing, advised on architecture decisions that reduced our long-term cost, and stayed engaged through hardware iterations that didn't always go to plan. They're also genuinely deep technically. Flutter, embedded firmware, BLE, Stripe integration, App Store compliance — they handle the full stack confidently without needing to bring in outside specialists for each piece.
Are there any areas for improvement or something Teknika could have done differently?
The only thing that can be better that I have already brought up to Frank is the Jira tracking being in line with budgets set. This highly depends on the PM but some times if there is not effective communications and a budget is set for a line item, that budget can not translate into Jira and then hours might go over depending on where the team is with the task. This is overall a communication improvement with client, partner, and Jira time tracking integration.
RATINGS
-
Quality
5.0Service & Deliverables
"Production-quality work across hardware, firmware, mobile (Flutter), and backend. App is live on iOS and Google Play with customers using it daily."
-
Schedule
5.0On time / deadlines
"Sprints tracked in Jira, releases ship on schedule, and App Store / Play Store review issues are turned around quickly without scope disputes."
-
Cost
5.0Value / within estimates
"The combined hardware + software capability under one roof saves significant cost vs. juggling multiple vendors."
-
Willing to Refer
5.0NPS
"Already have. Teknika is a rare partner handling hardware, firmware, mobile, and backend confidently — ideal for any IoT or connected-device startup.