Altar.io

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of LoanLynx.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Altar.io?

We needed help with custom software development. Therefore, we hired Altar.io to bring our vision to life.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Altar.io is helping us develop a custom fintech solution. Initially, we defined our contract and set the appropriate terms and timelines for the project. I also provided them with a very brief overview and the workflow of the model we wanted to build. The product is still under development.

What is the team composition?

I've dealt with all the main teammates from Altar.io. At one point, five teammates have worked on my project. They're all executives.

How did you come to work with Altar.io?

We found them through a referral.

How much have you invested with them?

I've spent close to $20,000 directly with them. Indirectly, we've spent close to $50,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2024, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Altar.io has helped me save a lot of time and money. Comparing them to the first tech company I worked with, Altar.io has been much more efficient. Overall, I've seen an increase of 60%–80% in efficiency because they've figured out and streamlined their processes.

How did Altar.io perform from a project management standpoint?

Altar.io delivers on time and on budget, and they communicate well with us. I prefer email communication, so we've mainly used email to collaborate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Altar.io is very focused and diligent in their process, and they believe in focusing on quality over speed. Thus, they don't want to rush something and do it the wrong way. Instead, they would rather take some extra time to do it right. Overall, Altar.io is a first-class professional organization with a lot of accountability. I would recommend them to anyone.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There's nothing Altar.io could improve on.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Trust them, trust the process, be open and transparent, and have realistic expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of IT of a research company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Research and education involving dolphins

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Altar.io to accomplish?

• Develop software that recognizes dolphin echolocation in a natural setting
• Triangulate the center target of the echolocation in real time from an input of an array of hydrophones

SOLUTION

How did you find Altar.io?

Online Search

Why did you select Altar.io over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Altar.io were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Develop from scratch the python code that runs in real time to capture live dolphin echolocation in a natural marine environment. The software must:

• Recognize echolocation vs ambient noise.
• measure the intensity of the echolocation perform in real time on an array of 15 hydrophones.
• Compare the intensity of the 15 different hydrophones in real time calculate where on the array is the center of the echolocation by triangulating based on the intensity Plot a point on a screen that would relate to, if a screen was behind the hydrophones.
• Plot a mouseclick on that screen coordinate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Milestones
• Testing of the software

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

Altar.IO gave us regular updates weekly, they answered all questions we had immediately and overall were exceptional in communication and understanding what we needed and our constraints

What was your primary form of communication with Altar.io?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their ability to communicate, understand our situation and needs, and collaborate with us on ideas and the actual needs of the product and our unique situation

Are there any areas for improvement or something Altar.io could have done differently?

This has been an exceptional collaboration, I cannot think of anything that could have made it better honestly

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a managing partner of a real estate investment company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Altar.io, and what were your goals?

We hired Altar to build out our concept including creating the overall design for the users and administration of our company and backend development roadmap for an MVP.

SOLUTION

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

When searching for a development firm we were looking for a company that had a history of their work available online for us to review. This allowed us to find a firm that we knew would come up with a design that would match our design expectations. Altar had several of their projects and case studies online that we reviewed. After looking at numerous firms all over the world, we concluded that their design work matched what we wanted to get out of the concept and roadmap project. We also wanted a firm that would be easy to work with including language barriers and their ability to help us create aspects of the product that we might not have been thinking about. We wanted to make sure the firm wouldn't just create what we wanted and end up with an inferior product.

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

Altar provided all of the necessary aspects we needed to better understand our digital product from day one. This included the product scope to better understand how we would work together to develop our concept. This gave us a better idea of how they operated as a company before we even got started with them. During the ideation and concepting phase we utilized video conferencing to dig deep into what the product needed to be. Altar asked many questions so they could understand how to create our designs. Once our discussions were complete, Altar provided us a product roadmap, user personas, design concepts, and a project estimate to complete the work as we had discussed over the prior 6-8 weeks.

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

We worked with four main people from Altar. This included several of the founders for our initial product kickoff, two product owners (also a founder), and the CTO. We worked with several other members of their team. However, for our project, their input was small compared to doing a full project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The goal of our project was quite small. Our goal was to understand what our product could look like and the overall cost to develop the MVP of our product. Altar delivered on our expectations 100%.

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

We primarily used email and video conferencing. Their response on email is quick and we could accomplish our follow-up easily over email after our video calls.

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

The company always knew what was going on with the project. They always brought in the right people at the right time to answer questions about a certain part of the project. It had that boutique/family feel and that shows in the quality of their work and how they worked with us throughout the project.

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

I think I would have liked to incorporated slack into our communications. However, that probably wasn't completely necessary for our product scope project. For our MVP development project it would be nice to use over email.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the managing director of a cinema data agency in Melbourne.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Altar.io, and what were your goals?

We are a startup who wanted to bring on an agency to develop our app. We noticed some gaps in the market in terms of how audiences interact with films and cinema, so we brought in Altar to conduct the product scope and now also build the app.

SOLUTION

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

We selected this Vendor based on their pre-existing reviews and references, preliminary calls with the team and an evaluation of their technical expertise. We evaluated their offering based on how relevant it was for a startup, how well they understood startup challenges and their integrity and honesty when dealing with us.

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

We had a series of meetings to understand the needs and requirements of the product. After every meeting Altar would go away and build more pieces of the puzzle together so that when we met next, they had solutions rather than more questions. Their interest in the product and the end goal made it seem like we were co-founders, not working with an agency. Most of our conversations happened on video calls, and the deliverables were the scope of the product, key user understandings, key stakeholder analysis, key technology mapping.

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

Predominantly there were 3 people in the vendor's team with who I was dealing. The MD who was also my customer relationship manager. The Head of Product who conducted all of the product discussion meeting and a Product Manager who was working closely on the project to make it a reality.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product scope has evolved since our initial assessment and ideation. However, the overall product looks far more compelling and is a lot more comprehensive than we had initially designed. The feedback, ownership and dedication shown by Altar has really allowed the product to grow from strength to strength.

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

The team was easy to work with and provided frequent updates. We met regularly on video calls and the team were always available for follow ups and questions. The scope was delivered in a timely and precise manner and minimal changes were required to the deliverables.

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

The people who work at the company are very impressive. This is not a regular agency that will execute what you say to them, they will take ownership and treat your product like its their product. The most unique thing about the company is that they genuinely care.

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

We experienced minor technical glitches in our communication and delivery got delayed due to internal holidays, however the positives outweigh the negatives.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of TodayTrend, LLC. We operate Meetlax and todaytrend web applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Altar.io?

Altar.io helped develop a product scope to guide our decisions and to prioritize best features and scope for the MVP.

SOLUTION

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

We extensively searched for reliable and knowledgeable consultants and shortlisted about four out of 55 different consultants. After interviewing them, we decided to settle on Altar.io because they showed utmost care, professionalism, knowledge, and passion and cared more about the product than their own pockets.

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

After we reached an agreement with Altar.io, we did about ten shared session to elaborate and share our vision with them. They listened attentively and collected all the required information our wants, needs, and wishes. During shared sessions, Altar helped us develop a list of fundamental user stories (user centric first person textual description of product core features).

At then of the sessions, Altar.io experts consulted amongst themselves and at the end delivered"

• an outstanding Stakeholders Analysis of the market
• compelling User Stories
• SITEMAP
• UX wireframes
• UI mockups
• a Product Roadmap
• a BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation)
• essentially a diagram method to model the steps of the core software flows
• a development estimation

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

An amazing number of people got on our project, and each one of them completed a valuable piece of the project:

1. Mr. Daniel C. R., a Co-founder of Altar, became the Product Co-Owner for the duration of the project. He truly treated the project as if it was his own and provided invaluable expertise as he was working on the product.
2. Mr. Paolo D., another Co-founder at Altar, who has an amazing personality, became the Project Manager. He was the first one we talked to about the project, and his friendly demeanor and selfless feedback played a crucial role in our decision to pick their company.
3. Mr. Caludia T. worked in the background of Software Architecture.
4. Mr. Andre P. led the FE/UXUI of the project.

The entire team left a great impression.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team succeeded in accomplishing an actionable and reliable MVP for Meetlax. Initially, we thought we knew what we were doing; however, the Altar.io took a very critical look at the product and poked many holes in it. They pointed out all the flaws in our ideas and they were able to direct us in a more cost-effective and a reliable path forward.

At the end, every was very straightforward, and we had no difficulty explaining the product with confidence . They went above and beyond to make sure the product looked fine. The MVP was ready for development in no time.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Mr. Daniel Castro Ruivo made sure the product is ready on time despite many distracting suggestions we added. They were very responsive to our ideas and communication. The entire project happened virtually, smooth, and without any headaches. The team was on the top of everything.

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

They took the time to understand our product and provided invaluable feedback. The team approached our project with passion and never worried much about compensation. They sometimes removed features that would add more bucks to their pocket. Instead, enjoyed exploring the idea behind our product as if it was their own.

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

Of course, every company has room for improvement but I think they have done an amazing job in our case and I don't see much to suggest at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CEO for a SaaS firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Altar.io?

We began working with Altar as we underwent core product alterations in preparations for our pilot releases.

SOLUTION

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

We shortlisted some of the world's best software developers/consultants with proven and vetted experience, Altar was the best across all categories and was easily a top choice simply due to the interest they showed in collaborating with us on a long term basis. We aligned almost instantly.

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

Altar is consistent and is an absolute pleasure to work with. Everyone we have had the pleasure of working with at Altar is focused, and driven to execute core product goals, and are some of the brightest minds across their respective industries. The core deliverables were beyond anything we expected. A truly world-class team of product enthusiasts.

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

We worked with some of Altar's very best, Daniel, João, Margarida, Rui, Paolo, and many more assisted us throughout numerous product discovery phases and are each some of the most talented and driven people I have had the pleasure of getting to know. A truly exceptional team!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The outcome of our work with Altar was outstanding. We look forward to welcoming them into further projects.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their team completed everything on time, communicated effectively, and went above and beyond. The love and passion they showed for their work was clear every step of the way.

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

We aprreciated the time they took to navigate and understand our project and the overall investment they took to work with us on our mission to a greater capacity. We felt aligned the minute the engagement started and are excited to welcome them as one of our most trusted partners.

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

Altar are flawless.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of a new startup based in Saudi Arabia providing highly curated experiences to locals and tourists of the kingdom.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Altar.io, and what were your goals?

We reached out to Altar.io at the early stage of the company. Altar.io helped shaping the direction of the product moving forward. The goal was to brainstorm together how the product will look like before putting together the tech requirements. The goals were achieved and we're satisfied with how the engagement went. We have clarity over the products and all aspects around it.

SOLUTION

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

We searched online for CTO as a service when we found Altar.io. We selected Altar.io due to their proposed process and the experience of their team that directly helped defining clear value proposition of our startup.

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

Altra.io team shared a proposal and scope of work. Once agreed we moved into signing the agreement and transfer of the agreed payment. The first session was scheduled with the Product Owner who asked us to trust the process. We had around 4-5 sessions throughout the months of May and June. We used Google sheets and Miro mainly to keep track of the project steps and brainstorm. The key deliverables were stakeholder analysis, user stories, Business Process Modeling Notation, Sitemap, Key screens UX/UI, Product Roadmap, Tech memorandum and a Software development estimation.

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

The Product Co-owner and Company Co-founder was our main point of contact throughout the project. We were also in touch with The Project Manager/Co owner and their Head of Marketing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Not relevant as the project did not include tech development part.

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

Meeting were pre-scheduled ahead of time. Every session took around 3 hours. We used Whereby and that worked well. We had to reschedule once and they were flexible. There was an incident where they had to start the session late and an email was sent to inform us ahead of time.

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

Very relevant experience that helped directly shaping our value proposition. We have been challenged throughout the process and it's all paying off towards the end.

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

All of the sessions were online and throughout the sessions we often found ourselves not able to follow the Project lead due to not having access to the data gathering document.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an early stage, mental healthcare platform. I’m the founder and CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Altar.io?

We consulted Altar.io to help us arrive at the final scope of the MVP. This entailed benchmarking competitors, identifying our unique value proposition, and arriving at the final list of features, among other deliverables. Goals of the project were to identify a product that would solve a critical need, be different from competitors and delight our customers at the same time.

SOLUTION

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

I did an internet search related to MVP development and stumbled upon Altar.io. I scheduled a call with them, and since the first discussion, I knew they were the right partner for us! They thought of mindU as their own business and challenged me, with care/ when appropriate, to arrive at a more robust solution. They didn’t feel like consultants, they felt like investors/ board advisors!

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

Project involved a series of 4 hour discussions between the product head and me, the client, where we worked through different exercises to sharped our thinking and work towards the deliverables. They were like highly focused workshops/ brainstorming sessions with clear outputs at the end!

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

A product head, a tech head, an operations head, and a junior product member worked with us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The impact Altar.io had on mindU Health’s conception is manifold. They helped us with:

1. Figuring out the core of our value proposition vis-à-vis our competitors
2. Coming up with groundbreaking, innovative, value-driven features
3. Conceptualizing an outstanding, thoughtful UX,
4. Arriving at key business decisions. They went the extra mile, always having the customer at the center of our conversations and decisions. I can say with confidence that after consulting with them, we are in a much better position to find product market fit and raise funds!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The product head was the brains, face and voice behind the project through and through. Since he leads the product scope discussions for all of Altar.io’s clients and manages the quality of deliverables, his calendar was/ is absolutely packed. So I think responsiveness and project visibility can be improved, but this is a minor point!

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

Altar.io’s inclination to make impact for their clients. They put themselves in the founder’s shoes and operate with passion, persistence, acumen and kindness.

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

Time management, responsiveness and visibility can be improved.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CEO and Founder of a financial technology company focus on an enterprise-level software solution for the capital markets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Altar.io, and what were your goals?

We were looking for a development partner to run point on tech for our start up. This would be to develop the first version of our product and help us integrate a number of data feeds into the system.

SOLUTION

How did you select Altar.io and what were the deciding factors?

This was going to be a partnership and not just a transactional relationship. Our developer needed to have fintech specific expertise, good understanding of our aims and be aligned in developing and delivering an enterprise system.

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

We ran a detailed product scope process led by Altar. This used all the common collaboration systems to facilitate our workstreams. Ultimately Altar have presented to us a cloud-based system architecture which we believe will be robust and scalable in line with our business needs.

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

We have dealt with seven members of the team including two of the co-founders, the CTO / Partner, head of marketing, project manager and two full stack developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We got a full project scope on time and on budget despite the scope and scale of the project growing through the process. The team were unbelievably flexible, super intuitive around the soft items and gave key feedback that we needed not just around the software elements but also on the business model.

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

The team are brilliant communicators, run the project well and integrate technology into the process. Such is the case, we have all been fully remote through the process and I feel we have managed to operate as one team. The only timeline slips have come from our end due to deliverables from client to Altar. They remain on track with all their project deadlines thus far.

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

They are more than professional developers. They are start up experts, they understand business models, can calibrate the set presentation of the business and really add value beyond the coding. In doing this, they are able to give us confidence as we run our fund-raising that we have the right technology partner.

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

Nope - this team is the real deal.