Custom hardware and software products
Alora Labs is a boutique development agency based in Toronto 🇨🇦 that brings innovation to business.
From start-ups to public companies—industry-leading companies lean on us to lead the development of their tech products.
With deep technical and industry expertise, our team has developed custom products ranging from wearables to apps to enterprise systems. We work with organizations of all sizes to create products that their customers love.
Focus
Portfolio
Mero, Objex, Banana Accounting, Rosterpoint Hockey
IoT Management Dashboard
Mero provides their proprietary sensor technology and their accompanying software as a service (SaaS) to building managers.
Mero had a prototype that was gaining traction with customers and realized strong demand in the marketplace. They approached Alora to develop a market-ready version of their product that could be commercialized and adhere to the drastic demand they were receiving. Encompassing their early customers’ feedback and building a more scalable system was a priority.
We designed the entire stack from the ground up, using AWS for the backend infrastructure and Laravel for the web application. The software allows for the provisioning of new sensors, setting staff schedules and provides value to building managers by optimizing cleaner visits and visualizing efficiency metrics. This successful launch allowed them to sign on additional customers and raise VC investment.
Bluetooth IoT Sensor
Mero developed proof of concept composed of development boards and jumper cables. While this solution was successful at demonstrating demand for their idea, it would have been expensive and time consuming to assemble and manufacture, even in small batches.
Hand-soldered connections depend on time consuming skilled labor and extensive quality assurance - not to mention they can also be less durable and have the appearance of unprofessionalism. Naturally, they wanted to create a more integrated solution to scale production as their business grew.
We created a system that actively monitors toiletry levels and bathroom cleanliness, and instantly notifies cleaning staff via email or SMS when necessary. This allows staff to prioritize their workload and provide building visitors with a cleaner and more pleasurable experience.
We analyzed their prototype and miniaturized features into a condensed schematic diagram. Next, we created a layout using Altium with similar components that was compatible with their existing code.
The resulting PCB combined the functionality of the many individual pieces that made up their prototype. The miniaturized product was designed to fit in an aesthetic plastic enclosure suitable to installation.
We delivered a printed circuit board with embedded software that optimized the energy consumption and electrical footprint. It was tested to ensure that data was properly able to flow to the back-end systems for data visualization and analysis.
Cleanliness Monitoring Web App
Mero wanted to launch a new product quickly to help their customers react to the new COVID-19 situation. The goal was to take the data they had already been collecting and displaying to cleaning staff and use it in new ways.
Allowing building tenants to view restroom cleanliness information in realtime enables them to make informed decisions and feel more comfortable going about their day.
We were able to transform their wireframes and mockups into a functional product within 4 weeks. Visit Comfort by Mero for a live demo.
Hockey Recruitment Platform
Roster Point was bouncing around between freelancers and development agencies who were billing hours but accomplishing very little. They had been forced to take their site offline and users were becoming frustrated waiting for them to relaunch.
Alora Labs introduced modern software development methodologies like automated testing, version control, continuous integration and agile project management.
The client was understandable stressed about relaunching as soon as possible but we were able to balance the desire for features with the necessity to launch the site and provide a reliable and high quality experience.
The platform relaunched with the agreed upon features. We used modern development methodologies like test driven development, version control, continuous integration and agile project management.
3D Hand Scanner
Their existing solution was struggling against increased competition and the demand for more affordable products.
Objex came to the realization that they needed to rethink their approach and chose to work with Alora Labs because of their integrated approach and experience with hardware and software.
It was important that the solution delivered an optimal user experience while maintaining compatibility with their existing suite of custom software.
We delivered a prototype, ahead of schedule, that exceeded the functionality of their current generation product, then proceeded to refine and iterate the product over the following months.
Objex Unlimited is now armed with a cost-effective product that is market ready and composed of installation packages, professional documentation, and a codebase that is scalable which will serve them well into the future.
Snap Installation Package
A common problem for software organizations looking to deploy on Linux is dealing with the dozens of different versions and distributions. Banana Accounting was no different in this regard. They had heard about Snaps as a possible solution to their problem but past attempts to bundle their existing software had not been successful.
Snaps are a sandboxed application distribution format which work across Linux on any distribution or version. Dependencies and assets are all bundled in a single archive which can be installed by end users through the Snap store.
Alora Labs setup configuration and continuous integration scripts necessary to build on the free Snapcraft build service.
You can preview the latest version of Banana 9 on the snap store.
Reviews
the project
IoT Dev, Consultation and Dashboard for Data Analytics Firm
“They took ownership of the project and wanted to see success from it.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the co-founder of a data analytics firm.
What challenge were you trying to address with Alora Labs?
We needed help building our MVP. We had a basic scaffold of what we wanted but we needed to make our product manufacturable at scale as well as get our first proof concepts out the door.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Alora Labs provided consultation and hardware design. They designed our IoT device so that it would be ready for manufacturing. The team also provided software development for our first analytics dashboard.
What is the team composition?
We had a hardware engineer, a software engineer, and a project manager.
How did you come to work with Alora Labs?
We came across them through a referral. They came very well recommended because of their hands-on approach. They were also very honest with what they could do with our small budget.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent over $100,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in October 2017, and our work is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Not only did they provide high-quality work, but they also took ownership of the project and wanted to see success from it. We’ve been able to go from a non-revenue generating company to generate about $1 billion in revenue.
Their real shining point is in the early stages for companies. When a company is just getting off the ground, they can build a really great foundation for others to expand upon when they have a bit more money. They also work well for larger, more mature companies as well. They really do the full suite and come in exactly where their customers are willing to go.
How did Alora Labs perform from a project management standpoint?
Project management was seamless. We integrated their engineers right into our team as if they were another team member. They joined our chat rooms, too. As we started to develop a larger team of our own, they integrated pretty seamlessly as a functional team member.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their consultative approach and their transparency to how they work stand out. They’re never trying to pad hours or inflate quotes. They take a holistic perspective of what their customers need and only provide the value that they need.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Sometimes they can be a bit opinionated in how they want to do a specific task. As they start to grow and bring on more customers, they’ll probably need to allow the customer to envision what they want in the product.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
My advice is to be clear with expectations and goals. Use them in a consultative way but don’t take that as the only way that things should be done.
Alora Labs’ work continues to set the bar at new and exciting heights. The team delivers high-quality work and they have a vested interest in seeing their clients succeed. Customers can expect a transparent vendor that takes a holistic approach to each project they engage in.