Apiko

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of Good Life Sorted, an elderly market place platform. It connects elderly people with helpers in their area for shopping, errands, cleaning, transportation, medication reminders, meal preparation, and hospital discharge support.

What challenge were you trying to address with Apiko?

We needed scalability. We needed a marketplace platform system that would allow us to manage hundreds of helpers and customers. We needed a strong system for that.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We created three different systems. There’s one for the customers to access the system and submit the help requests and view helper profiles and track the help request. Another system is a helper portal which is a completely different system where helpers can create their own profile and add their visits, change their visits, the status of their visits, and also there’s a resource center where they can check resources and view more information about the customers.

The system is impressive. It’s like a Google Calendar from scratch because they can do the caring visits. You understand the complexities when you want to add a caring visit from now on and not change the partnership. There are invoicing features as well because every visit has a value attached to it. It’s how much the helper gets, how much we get, whether there’s a VAT for the business, VAT for the helpers. It’s quite complicated. The third one is the admin functionality where we manage all of that which is quite heavy. It’s all web development, database, and UX/UI design. They did the front- and backend development and database management. They also did the mobile app for the helpers on the go. It’s basically the helper portal on the app. It’s for when they’re visiting customers, they can check everything.

The website is based on Java. They also provide ongoing support and maintenance. Now we’re starting the next big round of development with new features.

What is the team composition?

There were around 10 people including the business people. Around five of them were full-time.

How did you come to work with Apiko?

I did a Google search. The vetting process was about a year. I wanted to be super careful.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2020 and the work is ongoing.

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

Since June, we’ve grown 650% in sales. Especially in 2020, that’s good.

How did Apiko perform from a project management standpoint?

They use Jira. They’re very good. The communication is very good. That’s one of the things I like. It’s the project management that makes the difference. They communicate constantly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re nice people with good intentions. They care about the business and they care about your results. They try to create a long-term customer which is a different concept. They try to create a partnership. Their communication and account management made the difference compared to other companies I’ve worked with in the past.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re based in Estonia and Ukraine. Their English could be improved. It’s not bad but could improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Spend time explaining the system. Customers sometimes make the mistake thinking the development partner will understand their system in one day. You should invest in explaining the logic of the system.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CTO and one of the co-founders of Hive Technology. I look after everything engineering-related. We provide a collaboration platform that integrates project management with other tools that may simplify processes that feed into projects, as well as email and notetaking.

What challenge were you trying to address with Apiko?

We needed Apiko to provide full-stack web development and help with mobile development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a single platform with different add-ons and sub-apps and were also responsible for any part of the core platform. The team used technologies such as Node.js, Meteor JS, GraphQL, React, React Native, and Apollo during the development process.

In terms of full ownership, they helped us build out third-party integrations with Jira, Trello, and Asana, as well as integration with Google, Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), and Single Sign-On (SSO).

What is the team composition?

When we began working together, we started with two full-time developers. Now, we have about 12, along with a handful of quality assurance people.

How did you come to work with Apiko?

Mykola (CEO, Apiko) presented a valid argument in terms of understanding that it’s the project quality, approach, and speed that are really important. They are very realistic when optimizing things for business impact. They research the product and have a good understanding of what its strengths are. My co-founder and I felt like these were very good reasons to move forward with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2016 and it is still currently ongoing.

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

We have seen an increase in company and product growth. As a company, we have been able to build more in a shorter period of time. When they first joined us, we had just raised a seed round of about $1.2 million. In this last round, we raised $10 million.

How did Apiko perform from a project management standpoint?

Apiko is excellent. Although we didn’t need them, they offer project analysts and business analysts. They take the initiative to get things done without being told. They use various project management tools.

If something is on a tight deadline, they pull together as a team to make sure it is met. If there are any concerns, they make sure to bring it up early to avoid delay. They never compromise quality or anything else to achieve a quicker deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Apiko is emotionally invested in the project 100% of the time. Their technical ability is top-notch. They actually care about the product and being a part of the team, which is hard to find in contractors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Early on there were some challenges with communication. This was mostly due to the ambiguity of our company; we were a smaller company. We couldn’t provide perfect resources in terms of supporting them. We have both grown and learned a lot since then and that communication has improved.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Markid, an online marketplace for parents to buy and sell used items.

What challenge were you trying to address with Apiko?

We needed a good technology team that could work on two-sided marketplaces, front- and backend development, iOS, and Android development, and design.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided us with front- and backend development, UX/UI design, and project management, as well as any online research we needed. The work used React Native so we could implement the Android and iOS platforms simultaneously.

They have good HTML web tools, with a solid understanding of data, linking the app events to a mixed panel. They also understand how to connect with APIs like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and some of the shipment/delivery APIs.

What is the team composition?

There’s a dedicated project manager who ensures everything is done on time and all the milestones are met. The core team included the project manager, a frontend developer, a backend developer, and a web developer.

How did you come to work with Apiko?

We did some research to find the best team for our needs and Apiko’s name came up on a blog about two-sided marketplaces. We spoke to a few people who had already used them and got really good reviews.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent over $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2018 and the work is ongoing.

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

We’ve been able to prove the product-market fit and are now in the process of getting funding. A lot of credit goes to Apiko for the success of the app and the way it works. They’re really good at managing milestones and coming up ahead.

How did Apiko perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is really tight and well managed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really get into things and do the necessary research before coming up with a solution. They’re very thought solution oriented and respond to feedback very well, taking action immediately.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

With any remote team, set up the polarities and lay them out very well with the context of the project too. Don’t use them simply as a third-party that does the code—when I’ve shared my vision with them, they’ve gotten excited and become part of the team. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of a national facility management firm.

What challenge were you trying to address with Apiko?

We were planning to completely rebuild our internal business application. We needed a vendor to help us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Apiko worked primarily on the design and architecture for the backend and they also handled the frontend design. We have a complex ticketing system that manages work orders and contracts. We can also use the system to track our suppliers, clients, and all of their locations. (We have roughly 13,000 suppliers and our clients have hundreds of locations.)

What is the team composition?

We have a project manager and there is a team of about 10–15 people assigned to our project.

How did you come to work with Apiko?

I interviewed Apiko and a few other companies, but I chose a different provider. About three months later, the owner of Apiko sent me an email with some interesting information that he had come across. I was impressed that he remembered our project and that he put together a thoughtful email. Since we were having some issues with the company we had hired, we decided to go back to Apiko and work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $300,000–$400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.

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

They do high-quality work. Our internal team is happy with both their development and the frontend design.

How did Apiko perform from a project management standpoint?

We're on our second project manager now, but there was a specific reason for the change. Our current project manager is doing an excellent job. Also, they're very flexible, so we're pleased with their approach.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very thoughtful and don't take anything for granted. Many developers just do what their client tells them to do, but Apiko really thinks critically and challenges us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Initially, there were some turnover issues, but ultimately, they put together a core group of people who are committed long-term. It's always better to have stability of the resources, particularly with a complex application because it's not easy to get in the flow of what's going on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared as a client because the better you're prepared, the better Apiko can do the job. They can also be part of the creative process.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the VP of engineering at One Drop, a company that provides patients with diabetes the tools and information they need to manage their diabetes and take back their life.

For what projects/services did your company hire Apiko?

We tasked Apiko with creating a secure portal for onboarding customers to our service, which was previously done only through mobile devices.

What were your goals for this project?

We required a responsive app and needed to hit a customer deadline. We also needed to integrate the product with our existing web services.

How did you select this vendor?

We looked at a number of offshore solutions and held competitive interviews.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Apiko developed a responsive React.js application using a pre-existing Figma spec that our UX department put together, making sure security was the top priority. We also needed them to integrate the product with our existing REST APIs so that our backend systems would be properly provisioned.

What was the team composition?

Apiko assigned three developers and one project manager to our project.

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

Apiko met an extremely tight external deadline. Our own internal resources had rated the possibility of hitting the deadline as hard to meet. If Apiko hadn't met the deadline we wouldn’t have been able to meet our client’s deadline, which means we would’ve lost the contract and significant revenue. We were also counting on the customer for referrals, so making it on time was a very big deal for us.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Their project manager liaised with our project management team. We used Slack for communication and Jira for the tracking tickets.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were easy to work with and delivered what they promised on time and within budget. Apiko’s work was of extremely high quality and in conformance with our specifications.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I was very pleased. No areas for improvement come to mind.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CTO at a digital marketing platform for halal food and beverage companies. We also serve our users through a subscription-based loyalty program. I oversee our digital products and merchant-to-customer relationships.

For what projects/services did your company hire Apiko?

Our mobile and web application was built a year ago but it was incomplete, unstable, and needed refactoring. After receiving a lot of complaints and a few bad reviews, we hired Apiko to fix the technical issues. We don't have any in-house engineers, so we needed to outsource the refactoring and bug fixing.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted bug-free mobile and web applications, which would increase user engagement and downloads while decreasing complaints and bad reviews.

How did you select this vendor?

We searched several freelance hiring platforms, then compiled a list of providers based on reviews and ratings. We read the company case studies on their websites, contacted each company, and narrowed it down to two contenders after receiving their initial solutions. We decided easily because of Apiko's genuine interest in solving our technical issues, their in-depth knowledge of our issues and solutions, and their fair price point. They even offered a free trial period to assure us that their team could solve our technical issues.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Once we selected Apiko, we had a series of meetings to discuss our goals and objectives. We gave them issues to rectify each week, and they always delivered on time. They produced demos on the completed tasks by end of the week. It was a smooth process, and communication on both ends was easy.

What was the team composition?

Initially, we worked with two developers. As we progressed further, they added a QA resource.

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

Three months after fixing the mobile and web application, we received fewer complaints, increased the number of downloads, and got more compliments from our users.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

It was easy to communicate with them. They provided daily updates and delivered results at the end of each week, which helped us keep track of their progress. We were impressed with their dedication, efficiency, and deep explanations of issues and solutions.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I learned a lot more from them than I thought possible. We appreciated their patience and kindness while we came up to speed. Working with Apiko was a pleasurable, positive experience. I will definitely engage them again!

Are there any areas for improvement?

Practicing the English language would add value to their company. Otherwise, we were satisfied with their excellent work and high commitment. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Let App Technologies. We’ve created a hiring platform for on-demand and part-time jobs.

What challenge were you trying to address with Apiko?

Apiko helped us with app development, and they continue to provide support.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have an internal technical lead that assembled the foundation for a hiring application for iOS and Android mobile devices. Then, we shared the wireframes and requirements with Apiko so they could support us in the actual development process. Using React Native, their team primarily worked on the frontend, but they assisted with some backend changes as well. They helped us refine our UI design, and put together a corresponding website for the app. As we test the platform, the Apiko team continues to help us make any changes or improvements.

What is the team composition?

We work with a total of six people, one of them is the CEO who is our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Apiko?

We found them on Upwork. We only hired one resource at first, but we had such a great experience that we continued to add to the team. Since we first started working with Apiko, we’ve expanded their role to include additional services.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent approximately $100,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2017, and it’s an ongoing relationship.

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

We’ve completed the application, but we haven’t started marketing it yet. Before we fully launch the platform, we want it to be totally free of bugs. They’ve been extremely helpful in testing each function, then resolving any issues that arise. We’ve been delayed by about two months, but we want to be thorough. Most of the setbacks stem from changes requested on our end.

We’re also collecting user input from our initial users. Based on that information, we’ve decided to add some tips to guide the user through the application and flow. Apiko is currently helping us implement these updates. We expect to see improvements within the week.

How did Apiko perform from a project management standpoint?

Honestly, I was terrible in terms of project management at the beginning of the engagement. I didn’t provide them with any written requirements, so we weren’t on the same page for the scope of the project. We realized that was a problem, so we now have a weekly call, and I document my expectations. We’ve also started using Jira and Trello to track the workflow.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared to my previous experiences with outside vendors, Apiko is the most responsive. I can send them an email at any time of day, and they’ll address it immediately.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be nice if the Apiko team provided their own tracking board. Right now, we can see their progress through Upwork, but a customized weekly or monthly report that explains their work would add value to their services.

Any advice for potential customers?

Speaking from my own experience, I recommend clients lay out specific objectives and clear milestones. Also, both sides should agree on a project management method at the beginning of the engagement.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the co-founder of a startup innovation company based out of Oslo, Norway.

For what projects/services did your company hire Apiko?

We needed to develop our social media app for both iOS and Android platforms as well as a webpage to go with it.

What were your goals for this project?

We were mainly seeking to create an innovative, intuitive, and scalable app with an easy flow.

How did you select this vendor?

We started the process by inviting three companies to make a beta version of our app for a small fee. One company dropped out and the other delivered after six weeks with several delays. Apiko produced a stable and functional app within 36 hours.

After this, we used them for the concept development phase of the app. They drew up the process with mockups, which we used as part of the tender process. There was no doubt that we would choose Apiko based on their competitive prices, the project manager’s exceptional communication for the concept work, and the quality of the beta product they delivered in a remarkably short amount of time.

Describe the project in detail.

We had an in-house designer in charge of creating our brand identity and color scheme; Apiko handled everything else. Upon our request, the work was milestone based. They created a deliverable schedule that detailed everything that would be included. In the end, they delivered 1–3 weeks ahead of schedule and all deliverables were processed seamlessly.

What was the team composition?

We initially only worked with their project manager. When we officially hired them, we got a team of developers and a designer. After a month, they added another developer.

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

Our app was just launched due to Facebook’s long approval process, but it has gotten nearly 700 downloads before even starting marketing.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The whole team was easy to communicate with through Slack and were usually always ahead of schedule. The only things that surprised us as a startup was the time that Facebook and Apple took for approving our app. Other than that, their work was exceptional.

In a process like this, we found that we also needed to be active because as the project progresses, it’s common to find how some features could be created differently than what was originally planned. So, even though we’re giving them an excellent review, clients should always be engaged.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The quality of the product, their positive approach to improvements, and their project manager’s excellent communication skills stood out. Also, their overall knowledge of web and app development, design, and servers is remarkable.  

Are there any areas for improvement?

We couldn't be more satisfied with our choice.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Experitix, a company that connects people to unique experiences through our online event and registration marketplace.

For what projects/services did your company hire Apiko?

I hired Apiko to develop our web application.

How did you select this vendor?

I found them through an online website for hiring freelancers and agencies.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Since I have a background in UI/UX design and project management, I worked with Apiko in a highly collaborative and agile fashion. They first developed an MVP for my web application, and then carried that through to a scalable, production-ready application. They also provide ongoing maintenance and support.

We have paused and resumed development a few times over the last several years. Each time I reconnect with them, they’re able to provide skilled developers to work directly with me.

What was the team composition?

The team has always been small, usually consisting of just one developer and myself. Sometimes, we would pull in a second developer if there was a lot of work for a certain milestone which could be easily be split across more resources.

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

Their help in developing a custom online ticketing and registration marketplace for local events really enabled me to have the business I envisioned. The application is the mechanism through which the company operates, so it is a key piece of the business.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was minimal for these projects. Their CEO would have conversations with me to understand the work that needed to be done and assign the right resource. From there, I would work with the developer to create tasks, estimates, and plan sprints. We used Jira for tracking sprints and an agile approach for software development.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their JavaScript skills and desire to be proficient in newer frontend frameworks and technologies is what originally impressed me. They also excel in communication. For working halfway around the world with a seven-hour time difference, I was very pleased with how easy it was to communicate with them, both in understanding and frequency. They also really care about the success of their clients. Overall, they are a great company.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I can't think of any major areas for improvement. They’ve done a fantastic job and it has been a pleasure to work with them. I've formed a great relationship with them and hope to continue to build upon it and work with them far into the future.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of engineering at Skin Analytics. We provide machine learning applications on skin cancer.

What challenge were you trying to address with Apiko?

We wanted to build a mobile app for our clients.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did the design of the app screens based on some wireframes we provided them with. They also did the development of the mobile app, using React Native. The apps are for both iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one graphic designer for the design of the screens, and there were two backend developers.

How did you come to work with Apiko?

We found them on Upwork and chose them after speaking with their business development person.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $9,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May­–June 2018.

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

They delivered on time and the app works well.

How did Apiko perform from a project management standpoint?

We had regular points for check-ins during the project. They managed to provide me with clear communication around what the issues were and the work they’d been doing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’d be happy to work with them again if we have future needs around the mobile apps.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve the developers’ level of English which would improve communication. However, we did manage to communicate fine.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No.