Appolica

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director Business Development of Green Streams

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company provides a Media Integration Platform for operators to launch, manage and monetize streaming based TV & Entertainment services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appolica to accomplish?

• The development of an Android TV for Operator Tier Launcher.
• The development of a mobile application for Android Mobile and iOS

SOLUTION

How did you find Appolica?

Exhibition

Why did you select Appolica over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• good reference

How many teammates from Appolica were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Appolica developed front-end applications for us for various platforms. The main focus was on an Android TV for Operator Tier launcher. Applications for iOS and Android mobile were also developed.

The challenge was that all configuration settings, including content discovery, are loaded from the backend and can therefore change continuously.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In this case, progress was quite easy to track, as new versions of an application were made available on a regular basis.

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

The required features were described in a proposal. These were then added to the backlog.

The actual project was then implemented in sprints. Before each sprint, the features for the sprint were defined. After the sprint, the new application version was presented in a meeting by appolica.

Online meetings were held during the sprint for coordination.

What was your primary form of communication with Appolica?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Flexibility is one of Appolica's outstanding features.

As a startup company, specifications and API interfaces changed frequently during the project. appolica always demonstrated great flexibility in adapting and didn't insist on the previously agreed specifications.

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

There were brief phases in the project where we would have preferred more intensive QA.
However, this was immediately restored after a discussion.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Programmes

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We use tech and community to connect purposeful businesses and their opportunities to diverse local people.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appolica to accomplish?

• Create MVP of a new job board

SOLUTION

How did you find Appolica?

Referral

Why did you select Appolica over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Appolica were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Creation of a place-based jobs platform, to help connect local communities to support and jobs from purposeful employers around them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• We completed an effective and functional MVP platform together, which delivered above and beyond our original scope and also has room for additional scaling in terms of features and complexity

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

After an initial process of finding our feet in terms of ways of working while remote - Appolica have been responsive, collaborative and effective. They take time to understand why a change is needed, and suggest the solutions that fit the best (not just the most expensive). The team are friendly, available and know their work well

What was your primary form of communication with Appolica?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We're impressed with their commitment to delivering a good product and the collaborative nature of the team.

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

This was something we both worked through - how to manage briefing, changes and amends entirely remotely. But we found a system that worked well and now collaborating is easy and smooth

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the COO of a white label SaaS community platform headquartered in London, UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Appolica, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop a mobile app for our customers to be able to provide their end users with a native app expert community experience.

SOLUTION

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

We searched via various vendors online and also via recommendation, Appolica were recommended by other portfolio companies from our investor base.

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

We had a series of discovery meetings where we shared our goals and scope and wireframe and agreed primary objectives as well as team roles and responsibilities.

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

A project manager, two iOS engineers, one Android engineer and one QA/tester.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within 5 months the app was submitted to both Apple App Store and Google Play stores and Appolica were instrumental in helping us navigate the compliance checks for a successful app store submission.

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

The project manager was very active in staying on top of the current status and ensuring the project was not unnecessarily blocked. Tools include Slack for communications, video calls and Jira.

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

They were efficient at delivery and very good at sticking to scope, the final app is exactly how we have scoped the app from the beginning. Appolica were also very good at overcoming unforeseen technical hurdles.

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

Regular status reports via email would have been beneficial rather than relying on Slack for the only communication tool.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the lead engineer at Nosso a fintech company specialising in family investments

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Appolica, and what were your goals?

We hired Appolica to provide the backend engineers for our investment platform, specialising in Kotlin, Java and SpringBoot.

SOLUTION

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

We considered Appolica because our founders had prior experience working with the senior management and found them to be experienced, trustworthy and very good to work with.

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

The ongoing work includes the architecture, design, build and testing of our backend platform. The platform comprises restful APIs and services built in Kotlin, Java and SpringBoot. The engineers are responsible for adding new APIs and features to the platform primarily in support of our React Native and Web applications but also providing administration APIs for internal use.

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

We have 2 engineers working with us, both as mid level developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The engineers have proved to be talented, efficient, friendly and great team members. They get work done in a timely way and are always positive and willing to go the extra mile to get projects completed.

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

We work collaboratively with the Appolica Engineers using our processes and management tools. They are to all purposes working with us in the same way as other non-agency staff and are very much considered core members of our team.

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

They have provided us with two very talented and dedicated engineers who provide great services to the ongoing development of the company.

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

Everything has worked well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of a health technology company, and we have a scientific and evidence-based platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appolica?

We hired them to develop our wellbeing platform, which would integrate subjective and objective data related to the wellbeing of individuals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

While building our Android and iOS app, the Appolica team researched various technical approaches we could integrate into our development process. They also worked very closely with our UI/UX designer and advised us on what we needed to do, sharing their expertise in the market. 

Furthermore, they provided advisory services, sharing insights that we wouldn’t have had as a startup. They continue to guide us in our project, and they act as a technical wing of our business. They now support our testing efforts because our app is in the beta testing phase.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with Martin (CEO), Deyan (CTO), and approximately 7–8 people from their development team.

How did you come to work with Appolica?

Appolica was highly recommended by a reputable and senior adviser in the technology world. He had worked with the team for 7–8 years and told us that Appolica was one of the best technology companies that he had worked with.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in March 2021, and we continue to collaborate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still in the beta phase, so we don’t really have metrics yet. Anecdotally, our feedback about their work has been very positive. They're always thinking of our business as opposed to simply delivering what we need for our project.

They’re also very diligent and practical when it comes to considering how they’re building our app and how it’s going to go to the market. Overall, we hope to continue partnering with Appolica as our product continues to evolve.

How did Appolica perform from a project management standpoint?

They follow an agile approach in our project. In terms of communication, they’re very engaged, and they’re constantly available to us; we have weekly stand-ups and biweekly reviews, and we predominantly use Slack as our communication tool.

They're very transparent about their progress, and they take feedback very well. In terms of scheduling, they’re always on time because they have an efficient and effective system. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Without a shadow of a doubt, their testing capacity and their approach to our partnership have been impressive. In particular, Deyan has been very supportive and we know we can count on him because he’s a very clever person.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so. I’d highly recommend them to any business.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to their insights and the expertise they could bring to your project. They're a very experienced team working across a diverse range of product and technology developments.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of G&C LTD, and we produce and distribute smart grilling thermometers in more than 27 countries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appolica?

We were exploring the option of developing a completely new device that would pioneer some aspects of grilling and cooking.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We developed a custom framework for a mobile app and software with Appolica that works in tandem to deliver the final end result. The mobile app is Native and is developed for iOS and Android — the app allows users to connect to any mobile or home network with their device. 

We asked for the app to be compatible with all types of devices regarding aspect ratio, and in terms of screen size and resolution. We also asked for real-time push notifications for when an alarm goes off.

Furthermore, The software is written in C++ or C# and they also developed a testing framework for the electronic engineers to test the hardware. They conducted the tests to see if the hardware can deliver the expected functionality. The tests were also designed to make a feasibility study of our concept, and they allowed us to move forward with the actual implementation of the project.

The product was launched around May–June 2021, but they’re still making some fine-tuning to it.

What is the team composition?

We have one main point of contact and at least five people actively engaged in the development.

How did you come to work with Appolica?

We found them through our research and started working together under strict contractual terms. We’ve seen that they were comfortable in working under these terms, and it showed us their confidence in delivering a high-quality product. We developed a level of trust that allows us to continue with further projects.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about €100,000 (approximately $11,800 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2019 and it’s still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The most objective metric is the rating of the users for our product in app stores, and we have a lot of five-star ratings. The user experience seems to be very good, and it's directly related to the sales of the app. 

We had COVID-19 to take into account during this entire period, and it’s one of the factors that delayed the entire process.

How did Appolica perform from a project management standpoint?

In general, they perform very well. From what I mentioned earlier, the pandemic derailed the entire project, but that isn’t something I can hold them accountable for. Overall, they’re keen on keeping the timelines and they show great responsibility for the undertaking of tasks.

We mainly communicate via Skype and Zoom on a regular basis, and we have daily text communications through Skype and email. They’re very present in the entire project and they keep their communication channels open.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We like that they understand business, which is strange because software engineers usually have a very different way of understanding requirements. Appolica is very good at developing software, but they’re also quite good at analyzing and understanding our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know if there’s anything they need to change because they’re still growing. When the growth rate is quite big, trying to catch up with the requirements wouldn’t allow for structured movements. However, Appolica is in an emerging environment, and they’re adopting whatever they need to in order to grow and respond to their customers’ needs.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would suggest communicating your requirements, listening to their team, and trusting them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a small sports tech startup in Bulgaria. We’re doing an AI code for running. We have a website and mobile applications where users can prepare for races and improve their running form. Basically, we analyze their runs and give them personalized training plans.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appolica?

We needed accurate calculations, so we needed to create trackers for the run. Also, we had some integration challenges with Garmin devices. Appolica was there to help us through the whole development process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appolica has been our partner since the beginning of the project. We started from scratch with a website and two mobile applications for Android and iOS.

Initially, we had meetings to discuss our requirements because we weren’t sure of what we wanted. We only had an idea and some basic things. They helped us with the design and advised us how to build those features for our users and determine which weren’t necessary for our case.

Then, we started working with an agile methodology, so we had two-week sprints where they’d develop test versions of the app. We had five months of development, and then we had support. If we need another version or some updates, we have another 5–6 months of development, and so on.

What is the team composition?

We had iOS and Android developers, one person on the server side, one frontend developer for the website, 1–2 testers, a designer, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Appolica?

We were looking for a service company that would support us through the process, and some friends recommended Appolica. We were utterly impressed with the fact that they’d worked with many startups. In our first meeting, they embraced us with their knowledge, and we liked the approach they had — they thought about what was best for us instead of what would bring them money.

How much have you invested with them?

Up until now, the rough estimate for the whole development is around $100,000–$120,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our relationship around September 2019. We have some active development months and support months, but we’re still collaborating with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In the beginning, they explained to us that they wanted to build a quality product. Since we’re a startup, we were thinking about costs, but they assured us that it would save us money afterward. We haven’t had any major bugs or problems with the software, so they’ve kept their word.

How did Appolica perform from a project management standpoint?

All in all, project management is good. Honestly, I was a bit skeptical about them initially, but they’ve helped us see what’s better for us and saved us some cost. We’ve worked as a startup should be working, and their team has helped us through the process. They’ve had some minor delays, but those have been nothing, and we aren’t delayed now.

Our communication is open. For financial and administrative stuff, we use emails. On the other hand, we have channels like Slack or Skype to talk about the product. Also, we can speak directly with the developers when we’re not able to explain what we want or we want to do something different.

What did you find most impressive about them?

First of all, the code quality is outstanding. Secondly, I’ve never seen a company give such great advice to startups. Appolica has really helped us with our product. They’ve gone into the project trying to understand what we want, not just to develop something or make money.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There has been some miscommunication. Initially, we had some differences in the design. We were thinking about something, and their delivery looked different, although it was good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should trust them, open up, and tell them exactly what you want. Otherwise, you won’t be able to build a good product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there?

I’m a co-founder of 15toGO. We're developing a combination between a group travel marketplace and a social network.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appolica?

Our internal team was working on a mobile app for iOS and Android, but we decided to work with an external partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided our initial code and the requirements to Appolica; they then developed the mobile app for iOS and provided feedback to help improve the design and UX, which we worked on internally. The app is intended to help people change how they travel and provides options for travel partners. Some of the basic features include user profiles, where they can share pictures and travel information, such as places they’ve visited.

An algorithm helps users match with others who are a good fit for their travel adventures, and there’s also a marketplace for browsing different trips and providers.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people from their team.

How did you come to work with Appolica?

We talked with several companies, but we chose Appolica because they didn’t just look at the requirements; they thought about user experience and wanted to give helpful insights.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000–$49,999 with them. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2018–March 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had to stop development due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they optimized the app, and it is working twice as fast now.

How did Appolica perform from a project management standpoint?

They spoke directly with our CTO, which worked quite well. Communication was straightforward, and we used Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were easy to work with and gave us many helpful insights regarding UX and design for the platform.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there's anything they can improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to their feedback and recommendations because they're experienced in the app development area.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of an it services company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Shipping software

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appolica to accomplish?

• Mobile app

SOLUTION

How did you find Appolica?

Other

Why did you select Appolica over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

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

Mobile app

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The deliviery, maintenance and subsequent expansion of our mobile app.

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

Their project management is perfect. They addressed all of our needs and were very responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with Appolica?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They understand the project and the way we work and managed to fit in perfectly.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of GoSea Digital, we provide crew management software for the Maritime Industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Appolica, and what were your goals?

Re-build the live version we have of our application.

SOLUTION

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

Portfolio of previous work, incredibly strong and cam personally recommended by a very trusted contact.

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

Rebuilding our entire app in flutter from scratch.

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

Dev, QA, Product Manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within the timeframe they completed the project ontime, constantly updated in regular meetings.

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

Communication was excellent. , and are continunig to use their services now.

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

I was very impressed with their work — I couldn't ask for more.

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

None.