Beetroot AB

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO and Founder of Hospi Housing. Hospi Housing connects international students with local hosts. Hospi - short for hospita; host in english - started from necessity and as a social initiative. The Dutch housing market experiences major shortages for (international) students and starters and prices are skyrocketing.

Hospi Housing builds no houses, Hospi owns no houses, what Hospi does is providing a platform for unused rooms and people looking for a room. Hospi connects people with different backgrounds. With Hospi you don't rent a room. With Hospi you stay at someone's place.

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

Our website was mainly an online advertisement with a lot of manual processing in the backend. We reached out to Beetroot to help us automate our matching flow and bring back the amount of steps needed to successfully match a student with a host. For this we needed a whole backend build.

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

We interviewed 10 different companies, in 3 different countries. For us it was important that the company was not just building what we asked, but also challenged us in our ask and provide consulting along the way. Furthermore, the mission of Beetroot very much aligned with our own, especially the social impact they try to make was a deciding factor for us.

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

We knew pretty well what we wanted, so we already approached them with a detailed list of technologies required as well as a front-end design. We wanted the front-end to be written in javascript with React framework. Backend had to be in python, and it should all run on AWS in a serverless design (lambda functions, dynamodb, SQS) to keep the run cost as low as possible.

For us to achieve this, we went over the design frequently, and together with a project manager, came up with a detailed backlog of user stories that the developers could pick up. Furthermore, cost (and not going over budget) was very important for us, therefore, we have split up the scope of work in 4 deliveries.

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

We had 1 project manager who mainly managed to backlog and was our point of contact the whole time. There was 1 lead developer/architect, and then the team consisted of 1-2 backend engineer and 2-3 front-end engineers.

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

We managed to bring back our manual steps from 27 to 3. The overall engagement from our end decreased from 6 hours to 1 hour per match. This is a huge difference and very important in our growth journey. Without this effort none of our ambitions would have been possible.

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

I had weekly checkins with the Project manager with whom I discussed the process. We deliberately did not participate in the standups, since I believe developers should be able to discuss freely what problems they encounter without the client being present. Communication mostly went via email or Slack, and slack allowed us to talk directly to the developers which was very use-full, especially at the end of the project.

From a time perspective, sometimes they took a little longer than promised, but we also mentioned that time is not an issue for us, but money is. In any case, if time was of essence (which was only true in 1 case), they simply added another developer or 2 to ensure they meet the deadlines.

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

Everyone was very helpful, you could approach the developers direct and ask questions. Changing something throughout the process was never a problem and they always tried to make sure that everyone we required was there. Especially in the aftercare, fixing the last 'bugs' was very fast and they went above and beyond to ensure we were satisfied.

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

Beetroot has build a huge platform and logically it consists of a big codebase. Which is obvious not bug-free. Especially in the cross platform (iphone/andriod) there are minor rendering issues that I would not have expected.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of a Charity foundation headquartered in Switzerland. One of the main goals of Life4me+ is to prevent new cases of HIV and other STIs, hepatitis C, and tuberculosis. We talk about HIV and other diseases: how to protect yourself from them and how to live with them.

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

The Beetroot team developed a website, along with an iOS and Android mobile application. Life4me+ was created as a convenient communication platform for patients and physicians with solid data protection. We wanted to develop a platform and mobile application that could help establish communication between physicians and patients.

Thus, Life4me+ was looking to hire developers who could complete a mobile application for humanitarian HIV work.

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

We found Beetroot by recommendations of the specialists and developers we used to work on previous projects. So our choice fell on this vendor because of the quality of their work, willingness to find better solutions, and price, which was very important for us.

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

Beetroot has developed an iOS app, Android app, and web portal for doctors and patients to connect. After the launch, Beetroot has worked to create new versions and bring the app to more countries.

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

Beetroot assigned a project manager to support us and lead the project. He was the primary contact person in our communication. The team also included frontend and backend developers, a designer, and a QA specialist.

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

We successfully launched the mobile app in 156 countries and counting. It is available in 15 languages and currently has more than 15,000 users. The app allows people to conveniently organize their medication timetables, set concealed and personalized reminders, request a doctor's recommendations, or even schedule blood tests.

Users can also enter test results in the app, always having them on hand. The GPS navigator helps patients find a nearby hospital, clinic, pharmacy, laboratory, peer-to-peer counseling, or an HIV organization anywhere in the world. Life4me+ also lists city and regional hotlines or HIV communities offering emergency assistance.

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

The Beetroot's team was always available and completed projects on time. Their creativity is appreciated, as they are willing to help brainstorm ideas for the projects. As a result, the finished work has been an excellent value for the cost.

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

I appreciate Beetroot for their creativity. I was able to explain my idea and go through a brainstorming process. Beetroot made it seem that it was more their project than mine at times.

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

It would be good to have an opportunity to constantly work with the same development team who knows our project. It would allow us to make the necessary changes faster.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the co-founder and CEO of Gigital. A marketplace for booking DJs and Live Music.

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

We were looking to find a front-end developer that could help us accelerate our product offers for our end users. Our goal was to find a long term teammate who could jump in straight away and help us deliver.

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

We were recommended by investors and friends who have used them before. All the people that recommended Beetroot were people who's oppinions we valued.

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

We had a kick-off meeting and got to know eachother. After that we felt that we were in safe hands and the recruitment process started where they would present candidates to us and we would try and schedule in interviews with the candidates.

After a couple of interviews and case studies for the candidates we found the perfect match and were able to give an offer that was accepted.

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

We have found one new teammember and she works as a front-end developer at the moment.

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

The entire interviewing and screening process was one of the best I've ever had. Beetroot worked tirelessly in presenting us with great candidates and the communication was amazing. Everyone from their team that was in touch with us was super friendly and communicative. We ended up hiring the perfect person for our company which was the only goal we had for the recruitment.

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

We had weekly updates on the screening process per email. They would give us a great summary of the candidates and pros and cons with each one. They would help us in understanding more who would be a good fit and if someone wasn't they would let us know straight away. They are very hands on and incredibly easy to work with.

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

Their communication. They ask us for our birthdays, they send us merch, they communicate with a friendly and personal tone. I've never encountered a company in any field who has customer service down like they do. Honestly we ourselves try to strive to become more Beetrooty in our customer service.

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

Honestly no, I can't think of any.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We decided to open a startup in the field of nutrition. I was the project manager and handled everything throughout this project.

What challenge were you trying to address with Beetroot AB?

We had an idea, but we didn’t have a development team. We needed someone to take our dream and make it a reality, so we asked Beetroot to develop our platform, including backend and frontend. We also wanted the platform to work well on any device.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Beetroot was involved with the company from day one. They built us a web platform that children could open to track their nutrition habits, learn, and achieve a healthier life in the end. That was our main goal. Initially, we gave them the UI/UX that we wanted, as well as the design and features. They took it and developed it into an amazing working platform.

Additionally, we wanted to have an admin panel to control every feature of the platform, such as the content and videos. They did the frontend and backend, building the server, creating video tutorials, and integrating payment processing. They also integrated emails so we could attract and connect with customers.

What is the team composition?

We worked with an experienced team since day one. There was a project manager, a QA engineer, and four software engineers. Additionally, we also had one graphic designer on the team.

How did you come to work with Beetroot AB?

I did a Google search, and I found an article that featured their company. After I read the article, I found online recommendations about them. I emailed them and had an interview with Nick (Business Development Manager).

Everything was swift. Beetroot answered me right away, and we had a meeting one day after I approached them. We felt that they would be 100% committed to our project, and they seemed very professional, so we thought they’d be the best choice for us. Also, the cost was very attractive.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent about $100,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in November 2020, and it was completed in June 2021.

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

Our goal was to get a working web platform with all the features we’d asked for, and we wanted it delivered within 4–5 months. Those were our keys to success, and Beetroot did it. We were extremely happy with it.

They completely exceeded our expectations and played the role of a development partner, not just a vendor. If there were any problems, they suggested solutions and were eager to learn and create a successful platform. I was very proud of their work. At the end of the day, we have a great web platform with all the features we wanted.

In that sense, the quality of their work speaks for itself. We were very impressed with how they managed the project — they were organized and stayed on track along the way. I was in touch with them daily, and they were very committed to the project.

How did Beetroot AB perform from a project management standpoint?

I worked with them remotely, and it worked out great. The project manager was very professional, and the team’s attitude was fantastic. If they didn’t know something, they found someone else internally that could help them, but they also learned very quickly and gave us solutions. Everyone on their team supported each other, and we got a lot of value from that.

We worked in two-week sprints and had brainstorming sessions to decide what our next steps were. I had daily communication with the project manager, and they answered any question that I had, giving me a solution straight away. I was very happy with this process.

We used Slack to communicate, and they also used Trello to monitor and know the specs along the process. We also did a lot of Google Meets. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They had a broad knowledge of all the sectors of development that we needed. Also, they had high management skills and an excellent approach to our relationship — all the way from the employees, project manager, and other managers from Beetroot.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any areas for improvement based on my knowledge and experience with Beetroot. The project was successful.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

From the beginning, you need to establish excellent communication and decide which are your keys to success and goals for the project. Be very clear because those are vital for the success of many things, especially when you’re working with a development team.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of The MVAT Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We support veterans through a variety of programming, most importantly our Heroes Linked web app which connects veterans, military spouses, and active duty service members with citizen sector advisors.

What challenge were you trying to address with Beetroot AB?

We hired them because they provided a cost-effective and high-quality management of labor, in this case, software coders, for the purpose of building out our Heroes Linked web app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Beetroot AB created our web app using mostly PHP with WordPress modules. They also used 7–8 SaaS components to provide services within the app. The team also ensures the app’s performance on a continual basis and adds new features to it. I interface with the Beetroot AB when we require extra labor or when there’s a change in the labor.

What is the team composition?

Over time I’ve worked with different teammates from the headquarters in Stockholm. I now work directly with the coders in Ukraine. Once the web app was built out, we began working with an individual coder who became our full-time contractor.

How did you come to work with Beetroot AB?

We heard about them through the original team that created our web app. Beetroot AB was highly recommended. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $150,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in early-to-mid 2016, and our engagement is ongoing.

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

We’ve been pleased with their performance. Beetroot AB has been excellent, and I’ve enjoyed working with them. The team performs its work as we’ve asked them to do it. 

How did Beetroot AB perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate with them on a daily basis. We use email, Trello, and Slack. Occasionally, we do a couple of video calls to get comfortable with each other. All of our developers have been communicative.

While their spoken English skills are not their best, their written and comprehension skills are excellent, so we’ve never had a problem communicating what we wanted them to do. 

The headquarters’ team and individual coders are very responsive and easy to work with. We didn’t establish firm deadlines because the coders work at the fastest pace they can sustain, but Beetroot AB has always been good about giving us time estimates. 

They are very flexible as well. When we ask them for specific changes, they’ve rolled with those changes, and I never encounter resistance. Additionally, their pricing model is very affordable for what we need to get done. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their level of personalization is impressive. We have a personal relationship with our developer. What shines most brightly about them is the ease of working with both the headquarters and individual developers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no complaints.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Product Manager and co-founder of an online maritime training company. 

For what projects/services did your company hire Beetroot AB?

We hired Beetroot for help with the development of our new Android and iOS apps. The apps help seafarers around the world to take courses in everything from mandatory flag state-approved training, to reflective learning, and customer demanded training. Courses that are required for them to take be able to perform their duties as seafarers.

Now they can take courses when out at sea, all using their mobile phones. The apps allow the users to save courses offline to their mobile devices and perform their training a slow internet connection, when out at sea.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted the apps to companion our web service and increase the performance and reliability compared to the web. The apps needed to feel fast and be easy to use and work well with very slow or no internet connection.

How did you select Beetroot AB?

We selected Beetroot after recommendations from a previous app developer we worked with.

Describe the project in detail.

After selecting Beetroot as developers of our apps, they were very willing and easy to incorporate in our previous codebase and workflows.

What was the team composition?

We hired two app developers. One for Android, and one for iOS.

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

After selecting Beetroot we feel that we have increased the app developing momentum and got a better development velocity.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Beetroot has been very easy communication with and incorporating in our existing workflows.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their speed and their ability to get the job specified done.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We are very happy with Beetroot, the only negative thing maybe their verbal communication skills. Communication with text work excellent.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder, the CTO, and the chief director of the board of Normative. We were founded five years ago. We help large companies with sustainability by taking their data and calculating various things related to sustainability, such as CO2, water, land, chemical usage, biodiversity, and social things, like how a supply chain might affect child labor and other issues. We’re a 15-person IT startup.

What challenge were you trying to address with Beetroot AB?

We were trying to get a small codebase up to par. It had been written by a data scientist who wasn’t very good at coding.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Beetroot AB helped with backend Python development related to data science and data engineering. The project is about calculating impact and scalability, scraping data, and integrating with other services. Beetroot AB helped with writing tests and such. They were mainly raising code quality from very bad to good or great. The team provides ongoing support.

What is the team composition?

There are two members of their team working part-time. Trofim (Team Lead) is my main point of contact. I have also been in contact with other people in charge of management on their end.

How did you come to work with Beetroot AB?

We’d heard from a contact that Trofim in particular was an awesome developer. We had an interview and were really impressed.

How much have you invested with them?

Thus far, the total is about €32,000 (approximately $35,600 USD). We were paying around €9,000 (approximately $10,000 USD) per month initially, and then that went down a bit.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Beetroot AB in September or October 2019, and we have an ongoing support contract with them.

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

I’ve used a tool called Code Climate to check the quality of their code, and it’s very good. It went from being catastrophic to having the second-highest ranking on Code Climate. That was the main goal of the project: to stabilize the code base and improve quality. We haven’t launched it to production, so we don’t have any user feedback, but Beetroot AB has helped us move closer to production.

How did Beetroot AB perform from a project management standpoint?

Trofim speaks very good English and is good at communicating what he sees needs to be done. They presented different options for us to pick from. They have their own project management system, on which we can look at how things are going and plan things. We mainly use Slack for communication, and Jira for the project management itself.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their breadth of knowledge on different frameworks and technologies is impressive. We’re using a somewhat niche or rare framework, and we were struggling to find people who even knew about it. Trofim knew about it, along with all of the popular frameworks.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Working with us to improve the domain knowledge could always be improved. The challenge with our project was that it required a lot of domain knowledge that was more or less impossible to get into in the short period that they had.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

My advice is to just set up a call with Trofim and plan out whatever work you have. I think he will solve the problem.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Engineering at Webforum Europe AB. We’re a Swedish based company with ten employees.

What challenge were you trying to address with Beetroot AB?

We’re a SaaS company, and we’ve been developing our product for many years. This development primarily happens offshore in Ukraine. It’s a never-ending process to build new features and continuously improve our products. This is where Beetroot AB comes into play. We hired them for technical staff augmentation.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Beetroot AB provides full-service IT staff augmentation. They help in recruitment, office space management, and HR services. Their team also handles the equipment that the staff needs including computers, the Internet, and so on.

How did you come to work with Beetroot AB?

They seemed like a really good company to work with. Although they’re primarily located in Ukraine, they have a Swedish founder and a Swedish office as well. We received a good offer and moved our business over to them back in 2015.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $1,000,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in November 2015, and it’s ongoing.

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

Their staff has more or less become an assimilated part of our team. I’m their manager, and we measure success metrics based on internal definitions. Overall, I’m very happy with Beetroot AB’s delivery of top-quality candidates. In our time together, there has been an extremely low level of turnover in personnel which is an important success factor for us.

There’s always been strong ease of integration. Over the years, Beetroot AB has managed to find ideal candidates who meet our requirements and complement our culture. Their team is easy to work with and remains in-tune with our needs. This ongoing project is always moving and progressing.

How did Beetroot AB perform from a project management standpoint?

We are currently not using Beetroot services for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our Beetroot staff have expressed happiness toward their work environment in Ukraine. We find it easy to work with the candidates brought in by Beetroot AB. Beetroot AB’s HR services are also very notable. Their services mitigate our day-to-day HR efforts and allow us to focus on building the product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, their team produces great work.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a genetic AI platform that can create and interpret genetic maps using machine learning and various algorithms.

What challenge were you trying to address with Beetroot AB?

Their team helps us with full-stack development, addressing an array of challenges across the frontend and backend of our web applications.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Beetroot AB team works with all kinds of scientists, including physicians and geneticists to incorporate their work into our machine learning algorithms and then integrate that into the product. We train and onboard their members and then they integrate with our team from there.

They work directly with our team members so that all aspects of the frontend and backend flow smoothly together in the final solution. The frontend is built using Angular and the backend involves Python and a lot of different databases.

What is the team composition?

There was only one member of their team working with us for a very long time, but now we have about 10 individuals in total.

How did you come to work with Beetroot AB?

Beetroot AB stood out from the hundreds of offshore companies who contact me because of their focus on being data-driven and really explaining the process behind their work.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $300,000 total over the course of our work with Beetroot AB.

What is the status of this engagement?

The beginning of our work with them was about 2 years ago, around early 2018, and we are continuing to work together today.

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

The individual performances of various developers vary, and we tend to track those on a more individual basis, but overall our engagement with them has been very productive. Our team has been very satisfied with the quality of their work as a whole.

How did Beetroot AB perform from a project management standpoint?

We handle all of the project management on our side, but they tend to do a good job of staying on top of deadlines and helping us to meet all of our project milestones as a company, which we really appreciate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a great startup culture because of their small team, and that allows them to be very attentive to detail in their work. That dynamic also allows them to have a very cozy feel, which makes them very easy to work with as well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m not sure that there’s anything I think they should do differently. Hiring is something that they will do more of as they continue to grow, but It has not caused us a lot of problems.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of a financial services company that provides financial intelligence software to small businesses.

What challenge were you trying to address with Beetroot AB?

We wanted assistance in developing a product that would help our customers with day to day financial operations such as bill payments and expense tracking.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Beetroot AB used Node.js to develop the software with our desired features. The developer we worked with also helped integrate an American accounting software that we use. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with one developer from Beetroot AB. 

How did you come to work with Beetroot AB? 

The CTO of our company worked with them at a previous company. We interviewed one of their developers, and he seemed like a good fit for this project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in either May or June 2019 and completed the project in January 2020.

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

We onboarded our developer quickly and he helped us accelerate our timeline. He was very motivated and worked hard to produce a good product. This project was very important for the company and Beetroot AB contributed a great deal. 

How did Beetroot AB perform from a project management standpoint?

Beetroot AB provided us with daily updates about the project. We had a designated Slack channel that we used to communicate. I only have good things to say about the quality of their project management skills.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were able to form a strategic partnership. They’re very attentive and try to help wherever they can. They didn’t try to upsell us or push for additional services that weren’t necessary. They did exactly what we wanted. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be nice if we could’ve gotten started on the project more quickly after we first made contact. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s beneficial to make sure that their developers feel like they are a part of your company, even if they are working remotely.