4IRE LABS

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CEO at Blaze. we're blockchain development company based in Ukraine. We've been around blockchain industry from the very begining of cryptocurrencies & Bitcoin.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4IRE LABS?

We had few collaborations last year. We built Pivx based staking platform together.

What were your goals for this project?

The client wanted us to deliver MVP of platform as soon as posible, but our team didn't have senior blockchain architect & skilled project manager avaliable. Thats why we asked Kirill & Max from FireLabs to help. We knew that they had experience with Pivx. So, the main goal was to make client happy with the fast delivery of the product.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met FireLabs team at Blockchain Hackaton at Kiev & we were impressed with their skills.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The platform is a service which helps customers to stake their cryptocurrencies & earn interest. Earning comes using custom platform based crypto. User can choose to get interest or reinvest it to platform.

What was the team composition?

We worked with 3 guys from FireLabs team. Project man & Blockchain arch

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

FireLabs team has provided a skillful architect for the project. It allowed us to combine our resources. Our project manager and FireLabs architect boosted and finished the project in time. As a result, the client was satisfied with it.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

FireLabs team has an established structure. Nevertheless, they are flexible so our cooperation allowed us to implement our client's project fast and efficiently. During the project, their architects built themselves as experienced and highly responsible.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The key point is that we have the same values and approach to the work, especially system thinking, productive communication, regular checkpoints. It was easy to be as one with FireLabs. As for me, I was impressed by the level of each employee's awareness and responsibility. They are smart and talented developers & architects.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing immediately comes to my mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a CMO at bvblogic company - an IT-company with a passion for innovation. The company has more than 10 years of experience in the IT-outsourcing market. 800+ successfully implemented projects. 500+ satisfied clients from all over the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4IRE LABS?

We received a request from our client for a payment application with the invoicing system.

What were your goals for this project?

The client had an idea for the project. He provided us with some references. We realized, that our partners from 4ire Labs had similar projects in the past, so we decided to contact them. The main goal was to deliver the ready product to the client and keep transparent relationships with him.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We’re working with 4ire Labs for the last few years. During this period we’d successfully collaborated on several projects. 4ire Labs team has solid expertise in fintech development, and we decided to involve their experts in this project.

Describe the project in detail.

4ire Labs team has started from a Workshop with their Solution. During this workshop, they developed architecture design and project road map with the detailed tech requirements as well as UX design for the app.

What was the team composition?

1 Solution Architect, 2 full-stack engineers, UX/UI designer, QA Specialist, and PM - a total of 6 people.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client has tight deadlines, so it was really important to provide the best options in the shortest period of time. The 4ire Labs team provided prompt responses. They were responsible for the full development from scratch. Their team provided all the needed support and resolved all issues quickly during the development process.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

All communication was handled by their Solution Architect, who was responsible for the delivery. The development process was divided into 2-week sprints. The team used the Slack channel and GitHub for communication and knowledge-sharing.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

4ire labs is our partner for a few years. During this time we have worked together on several projects and all of them were successful. They are very responsive and reliable. All our clients were impressed with the experience of their experts. We hope to continue our productive collaboration.

Are there any areas for improvement?

As for now, they always show their best. All misunderstandings were resolved quickly and friendly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and Co-Founder @ Captain Bitcoin, a video education and advertising platform powered by blockchain technology, that pays its users for consuming video content on a daily basis.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4IRE labs?

We are using 4IRE for the whole range of services from conception of the idea to development, deployment and maintenance of our platform and also for further product design and development as they have been great to collaborate with in all ways.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals for the project were to get an MVP developed for our product as fast as possible but also work with a group of individuals who are highly technical to ensure they are building a robust platform.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We spoke with more than 20 vendors prior to selecting 4IRE and their knowledge was far superior when compared to everyone else's and clearly understood our requirements and knew what had to be built and how.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

4IRE provided a whole suite of services -

1) Product design 2

) Assistance with product specification

3) Product development mobile and web

4) QA

5) Migration

6) Deployment And more.

What was the team composition?

Team of 5 but I mostly dealt with the Project Manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

N/A

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We relied heavily on Telegram and Google Doc's but it worked very well for us.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to execute at speed and high-level communication are stellar.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated by the client on June 30, 2020. New content is below:

BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Co-Founder and CEO of Captain Bitcoin. A blockchain powered, video content and advertising platform that allows users to earn cryptocurrencies and win Bitcoin while learning about blockchain and cryptocurrencies on a daily basis. Users simply sign up, watch videos, answer multiple choice questions correctly and earn cryptocurrencies. Each question they answer correctly increases the amount of crypto they earn and also increase their chances of winning Bitcoin.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
For what projects/services did your company hire 4IRE LABS?

4IRE Labs helped us at every step of the development from:

1) Web design

2) Product design

3) Product development

4) Blockchain / Smart contract development

5) Maintenance in near enough 'real-time' But more importantly, the team constantly helped us come up with ideas on how to improve our products in ways we had not thought about and saving us significant amounts of capital.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were:

1) Launching a user-friendly platform

2) Getting the MVP to the market as soon as possible

3) Continue to build the product based on user feedback

4) Development of unique smart contracts

5) Keeping low gas costs

SOLUTION
How did you select this vendor?

Selecting the right partner from the get-go was very important to us due to the complexity of our product. We reached looked at 50 different vendors and after speaking with around 25 of them, we shortlisted 5. After shortlisting the 5, we really deep dived with each of the teams to get a better understanding of their skillset and to get an understanding on how these vendors engage with their customers.

4HIRE team's knowledge superseded other vendors significantly and it was clear from the get-go the team had a good understanding of what we are building and more importantly they were excited to work with us. And since then the relationship is going very well.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

4IRE Labs helped us at every step of the development from:

1) Web design

2) Product design

3) Product development

4) Blockchain / Smart contract development

5) Maintenance in near enough 'real-time' But more importantly, the team constantly helped us come up with ideas on how to improve our products in ways we had not thought about and saving us significant amounts of capital.

What was the team composition?

Team composition:

1) Project manager

2) Designer

3) Front-end developer

4) Back-end developer

5) Blockchain developer

6) AWS architect

7) QA I am sure there were others too but we mostly dealt with the project manager and it has been going very smoothly!

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

N/A - the project IS our business.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was done using tools such as Trello but more importantly, we continue to be impressed with the availability of the team and the PM. For active management, we used Telegram for communication.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Most impressive has been the team's passion for our product. Having worked with various vendors before in the tech space, I understand many just see the work as another task. The 4HIRE team felt like an extension of our team and put in the time and hours required to carry out tasks as and when necessary, including working till 2 am on weekdays and working weekends.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nope.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO of a company that focuses on male health, based in Stockholm, Sweden. We have a small team but a highly digitised process. I oversee our digital products and strategies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4IRE labs?

Our company hired 4IRE labs to continue development on our iOS and Android apps.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals of the project were to bring the apps up to date to match the functionality currently provided on our web, as well as to be more in line with our competition.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had the fortunate coincidence to talk to a company which had worked with 4IRE Labs before, and I know first hand that they were capable in iOS development. And as luck had it, they were available for our project as well.

Describe the project in detail.

The project involves a series of features that would allow patients to follow up on their treatment, select labs to take blood tests and have a video conversation with their doctor.

What was the team composition?

The team was made up of 1 iOS developer and 1 Android developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Progress is made continuously, and we release updates to the app on a monthly basis, with either new features or improvements.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between us and 4IRE Labs has been good. Communication has been done via our Slack or Skype, and task assignments and pull requests via DevOps/git.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I find it impressive when the developers give insights on best practices for their respective platforms.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that come to mind that the moment.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We accelerate Sustainable Finance and Investment through Fintech innovation. The Green Assets Wallet is the world’s first Blockchain platform for green bond validation and impact reporting.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4IRE labs?

4ireLabs joined the project in the second year and has in only 7 months helped us take the Green Assets Wallet from MVP to Production Standard. 4ireLabs has developed the application on Chromia.

What were your goals for this project?

Inject transparency, cost efficiency and trust into the green debt market to scale the supply of credible green Investment opportunities.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Through a public procurement process in which three actors were interviewed and compared.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

4ireLabs has built the front end features that sit on Chromia Blockchain. This entails building, not only the features and functions, but also ensure they comply with a distributed environment, and uploading this to Chromia mainnet. 4ireLabs have built systems for green Bond post-issuance project level validation, project level impact reporting according to the Nordic Public Issuers Position Paper, and aggegated impact reporting at the overall issuer level for all Use of Proceeds. 4ireLabs have demonstrated the ability to grasp complex structures in the green Bond market and build the technology through our scrum process that involves multipel actors including green finance experts.

What was the team composition?

The Green Assets Wallet is a co-creation between green Finance experts, capital market actors and technology innovatörs. 4ireLabs have contributed with Blockchain experts and developers, front end developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Green Assets Wallet was launched on Dec 12, 2019, and has received strong market feedback already,

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The Green Assets Wallet is an innovation by Stockholm Green Digital Finance and has been developed under its lead. 4ireLabs have worked very effectively on their part of the overall project that includes many different actors. 4ireLabs has been instrumental bringing the MVP to PS.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Ability to grasp new complex topics and work systematically and in a transparent process. Ability to discuss practical solutions for new complex features. We appreciate their strong commitment to the success of the final product!

Are there any areas for improvement?

Can’t think of any right now

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a business analyst for a small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) financial trust platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 4IRE labs?

We’re trying to upgrade the technology standards in the construction industry, and we needed someone to develop our iOS app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re developing the flagship app for our company for iOS. Users can post an ad through our marketplace, and businesses registered on the platform can reach out to them and create a contract. The more work a certain business does, the better the reputation they accrue. While we’re developing the reputation algorithm in-house, 4IRE is building the contract piece and the API that will allow the two pieces to communicate. We send them detailed feature requirements and business logic, as well as screen mockups detailing how we’d like users to interact with the app.

What is the team composition?

We started with a large team, but our company hit tough times and had to reduce the number of resources. At the moment, we have a backend developer, a frontend developer, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with 4IRE labs?

My boss hired them. Another company in the FinTech space was using 4IRE labs and spoke well of them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2017, and the app launched in November 2018. We’re still working together to improve the solution.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been able to publish our fully functioning iOS app on the App Store in both English and Danish. 4IRE has been able to incorporate all the major features that we required in the release. This includes a robust contract feature that was very complex in terms of number of dependencies involved and integration with third-party APIs. It’s impressive.

How did 4IRE labs perform from a project management standpoint?

We talk over email and Slack. I interact a lot with the project manager and less with the developers. They’re very responsive. We’ve had a few major bugs, but they were very quick to address them. They’re a good team.

Our working relationship has been great. We had issues initially, sending them general requirements and receiving work back that wasn’t exactly what we wanted. We re-evaluated the relationship and decided to provide more concrete requirements that laid out exactly what our market research told us we should produce. Having more control over that process has worked much better.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very responsive, and they address issues quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

4IRE has been very responsive in addressing the issues that we've raised. Despite several initial timing challenges that arose during the development of our project, 4IRE team did their best to resolve the problems. Their focus on professionalism and customer satisfaction has allowed for organic improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important you choose people for your project that will be in sync with your organizational culture. If you’re strict with timelines and there’s little flexibility in your requirements, 4IRE labs might not be the best choice for you. In my experience, providing freedom and exerting less pressure on them works better. They still deliver quality and on time, so I would not be too concerned about this.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder and CEO of a consulting firm that works primarily with startups focused on blockchain.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 4ire Labs?

We have our own in-house blockchain, which we built ourselves. It’s an actual coin that we use for purchasing products and services on our platform. Subsequently, we’ve had some interest from outside developers who want to build into our blockchain.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

4ire Labs helped us build out some features on a blockchain for a client. They also helped me with the masternode function on my coin, which is a decentralized governance network-supporting function that's built into a cryptocurrency asset. They used a variety of technologies, including C++ .

What is the team composition?

I worked with a project manager, who was their initial point of contact, and a lead developer.

How did you come to work with 4ire Labs?

I interviewed a variety of software development firms. 4ire Labs had great references. I felt comfortable that they understood my needs. They also had an air of professionalism, which unfortunately is rare in the emerging blockchain industry.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $45,000 USD 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place from January–March 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All of the internal feedback was positive. Their work was technically sound and quite well done. The usability of their software is excellent; I haven't had any issues with it at all. The quality of the product was top-notch.

How did 4ire Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

The team was very professional. The project manager led the on-boarding and she had a good understanding of technology. She communicated often and frequently. The lead developer put together the quote for the project estimate. He would also communicate if he had any technical questions about the scope of work. They requested we communicate via Skype, which I liked. We did a weekly Skype call but they were readily available if I ever needed to speak with them. They outlined clear deliverables and met them all.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They focused on communication, which I think is important. There’s no confusion at the end of the job about what was delivered because it was reiterated weekly. If there’s not proper communication, developers may start taking on tasks that are outside the scope of the project. 4ire Labs wouldn't progress to the next milestone without clearly relaying what it would cost so that there was no ambiguity.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They don't give themselves enough credit, and they need to focus more on their brand. The way they present themselves doesn't always speak to their level of talent.

Any advice for potential customers?

Don't just hire the least expensive software developer. 4ire Labs wasn’t the least expensive option but their quality is solid, which will save you in the long run.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Ambiotex is a producer of smart apparel which monitors heart rate and other relevant parameters. I am the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Seductive Mobile?

They were brought in to implement our Android smartphone application. The company we were using at the time specialized in iOS, and was also quite expensive, relative to the service and results we received. It’s convenient for German companies to work with developers from Ukraine, so we started working with Seductive Mobile.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Seductive Mobile developed an Android version of our app, based on the iOS version we had in place. They got screen designs and user experience from the existing app. No enhancements were made for the Android version.

Our product communicates via Bluetooth Low Energy. The device collects data from that channel, stores it into a local database, and allows people to start and stop activities, as well as view statistics like calories burned.

We plan to implement a synchronization feature between all smartphone apps with our web dashboard and backend. This will be the toughest implementation task to undergo.

How did you come to work with Seductive Mobile?

We found them through a personal recommendation. The initial contact and project acquisition phase were handled professionally. This, combined with the recommendation we received, gave us a very good feeling.

How much have you invested with Seductive Mobile?

The cost of Seductive Mobile’s work has been around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Seductive Mobile in late December 2016. The first version of the app was supposed to be delivered by the end of March 2017, but it was delayed until April 20th.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We have used a couple of testers for assessing the builds we’ve received so far. Seductive Mobile has delivered apps which crashed in the beginning, which might be because of differing devices, but, as soon as we give them feedback, they are quick to resolve problems.

How did Seductive Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

The performance of our first project manager was not very good. He was exchanged, and, since the new manager was brought onboard, everything has been very smooth. We have used the Atlassian suite, including JIRA and Confluence. Seductive Mobile was always available and provided clear communication. The initial estimates differed quite a lot from the realistic efforts made during the project. The initial quote was for between $10,000 and $15,000 for the whole application, but we’ve already spent that budget, working on just the initial version of the app. Sometimes, this is how software development is.

The responsiveness of Seductive Mobile’s project manager and team was on par with our expectations. They provided detailed communication. We didn’t have any direct interactions with their developers, but we have communicated with the management team from Seductive Mobile. This was fine for us, since their principal has a deep understanding of software development.

What did you find most impressive about Seductive Mobile?

They have performed quite well in building a complex product. Seductive Mobile studied the iOS build, understood the functionalities of the app, and started on the Android version quickly.

Are there any areas Seductive Mobile could improve?

Not really. Their tools and project manager are very professional. I’ve had a good feeling up to now, and I’m looking forward to the first finalized version of the app. When we’ve started testing it with a bigger user group, we might find some issues, but we’ve been happy to work with Seductive Mobile so far.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Massabee is a massage on-demand application. Our company is based in Dubai.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Seductive Mobile?

I needed help to develop the application. I originally hired a different team but had to cancel the contract because of delays.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The idea for the app is mine, but the design and development were handled by two companies, one of them being Seductive Mobile. When they were brought onboard, some of the design had already been done, but not much of the development. Seductive Mobile finalized the design and took over development for Android and iOS in parallel, using 2 separate teams. We've also modified certain features of the application.

How did you come to work with Seductive Mobile?

I searched Google and looked at rating websites including Clutch.co. Seductive Mobile was mentioned as a top developer.

How much have you invested with Seductive Mobile?

The cost of Seductive Mobile's work has been around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Seductive Mobile in April 2016. We are still fine-tuning the project and developing certain features. The iOS side has been ahead of schedule, while Android has needed some catching up.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The project is still in development, and we're still trying to understand its niche. The quality of Seductive Mobile's design is good, as are the functionalities they've built and the quality of the code.

How did Seductive Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

I acted as project manager, with hands-on involvement in every aspect of the work. I kept in touch with Seductive Mobile's project manager and development lead. For any problems regarding scheduling or budget, I had the opportunity to talk to their principal. Seductive Mobile has a good team. They usually delivered on time and were not very expensive.

What did you find most impressive about Seductive Mobile?

I'm overall happy with Seductive Mobile.

Are there any areas Seductive Mobile could improve?

Seductive Mobile should put more emphasis on the design since that is currently one of the most important aspects of a product. Some of their work was not up to standards and needed additional guidance. From a development point of view, Seductive Mobile has good skills.

We have moved away from sprint-based development, where each segment was 7 days long. Seductive Mobile currently has an hourly rate. I cannot say which one is better, but I was happy with using the sprint methodology: it was quick and allowed me to track daily progress.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company does web widgets and native iOS and Android app development. We’re essentially a booking platform that is starting out by offering services for hair stylists, yoga instructors, etc. I am the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Seductive Mobile?

We built the Android app, the API, and database, basically the Android backend, and we needed someone to build the iOS version, so we hired Seductive Mobile to do that.

SOLUTION

How did you come to work with Seductive Mobile?

It was a referral from a referral. I was referred by a friend here in Sweden to a web development company in Ukraine when I contacted them about doing the iOS version. The Ukraine company referred us to Seductive Mobile. I guess they work pretty closely together. We had decided to give them a chance early on, and then we followed up with sprints. We were happy with their progress after the first sprint, so we decided to continue working with them.

How much have you invested with Seductive Mobile?

We’ve invested about $15,000 or $16,000 with Seductive Mobile.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project isn’t complete yet. We started working with them around July 2016, and we’ve been working on it for about six months. We have about a month to go, so it [the initial engagement] is nearing completion. Then we'll work on a continuous basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

It’s a fairly complex product, but we haven't yet found anything that Seductive Mobile hasn’t been able to solve. We’re confident they can execute all the functions we want and in an expedient manner. They’re also quick to understand what we want.

How did Seductive Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Very well. I think they’re very organized. We say what we want to accomplish, and they divide the work into sprints. They have a lot of freedom in doing that, and it’s worked pretty well for us. It’s convenient for us too, because we don't need to micromanage them. I mainly interact with their project manager in signing contracts, paying bills, and setting sprints, but my CTO works closely with their developers via Skype.

What did you find most impressive about Seductive Mobile?

When we sent our nearly complete Android version to them, they took a look at it and improved some of the solutions we had envisioned for the iOS version. They understand what we’re aiming for and improve upon our ideas, and we appreciate that. It’s not just a mechanical thing for them. They’ll think outside the box and make sure that you accomplish your goal and not just the pure metrics of it.

Are there any areas Seductive Mobile could improve?

If I have to say something negative, and I don't know how unique this is to Seductive Mobile, but it’s a little confining to work in a sprint structure. You set the stuff you need for the next two weeks or so, and then they go ahead and build it. But sometimes, you think up new ideas and want to change things midstream, and that’s not as easy to do if you don’t have the guy who can do it sitting next to you in your office. In that sense, it’s a little rigid. That has more to do with doing long-distance work as opposed to something specific to Seductive Mobile.