Pharos Production Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a startup in the financial services sector.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pharos Productions?

We were looking for a very simple demonstration of one of the core features of our future platform to show to potential stakeholders.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our goal with the company is to develop an alternative payment method for traditional card schemes based on blockchain and the use of a GDP stable coin passing between participants in our network. The core concept that we wanted to demonstrate in the POC is the ability for a consumer user to have the app installed on their phone and then pay a merchant online through a QR code.

They created the product, which can be downloaded onto android phones and used at our demonstration shop, and an explainer video that goes alongside it to help explain the different features that will eventually exist in the product as well.

What is the team composition?

There were three members of their team involved, but we communicated primarily through one person who then delegated the work to his developers for the majority of the work.

How did you come to work with Pharos Productions?

I was introduced to them through a friend of mine who is very reliable, so I gave them a chance and haven’t looked back since.

How much have you invested with them?

To date, the project is running at about $500,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working on the process in July 2020 and we are essentially completed, although a few final tweaks to the graphics are continuing to be made at the moment.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product works, which is obviously by far the main thing we were looking for. All of the key elements are in there, and we really haven’t had to make many tweaks and changes to what they’ve provided on their first rounds of the development. We really are totally satisfied with the work so far.

How did Pharos Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

Deadlines were all met, and they are constantly on Skype and available to talk through things, so communication has been very smooth. We also never had to worry about coming in on budget, which took a pretty big load off my shoulders as the founder of the venture.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their expertise in the field of blockchain really sets them apart from most of the developers in their industry. He was able to pick up the set of protocols and technologies that we wanted to work with very quickly because of his level of experience and has documented everything he’s done in incredible detail along the way. That’s made it much easier for us to understand the process and have a better handle on what we’ve accomplished and what still needs to be done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I honestly don’t think there’s anything I wish they had done differently.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of DevSlate Group, which is a software development and cybersecurity company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pharos Production Inc.?

We were seeking to develop a casino marketplace platform and were looking for experts that had developed similar solutions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Pharos handled the initial discovery phase, which included the architecture of the Java platform and the design of the business logic. We proceeded with the design and development stages. The platform is completely new, built from scratch. We started with the concept, and Pharos helped us through the entire process.

What is the team composition?

Dmytro (Founder and CTO) is their main point of contact, and the team size for this project is around 10 people.

How did you come to work with Pharos Production Inc.?

I spoke with Dmytro initially, but it was about another topic. He introduced the company as having experience in the gaming sector. I recalled Pharos when we were looking for developers for this project, and we connected again.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost so far is around $4 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Pharos around the start of 2018, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have set KPIs, but I can say that Pharos has been strong with provided timelines and flexible throughout the process. We measure success in the developers’ ability to deliver as promised, and their ability to communicate. Pharos Production has been very good in both of these areas.

How did Pharos Production Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They most likely use project management tools internally, but we usually communicate with them through Skype and Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s their flexibility and fast response times that are most impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. The whole process has been very positive from our side, and I can only say good things about them.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

My advice would be to keep an open mind and trust the experts in the field.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO at Gambitstream, a distributed system for gambling and betting. We provide distributed technologists for our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pharos Production Inc.?

We hired them to develop our software.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Pharos Production Inc. executes software and blockchain development for different distributed betting systems. Specifically, the team does frontend development and integrations. They work mostly with Scala, but also Elixir, J.P. Morgan Quorum blockchain, Hyperledger, and Java.

What is the team composition?

The team includes 3–4 developers, a QA specialist, a project manager, and a product owner.

How did you come to work with Pharos Production Inc.?

We spoke Pharos Production Inc. and saw they had affordable prices. Although they are based in Las Vegas, the developers are located in Europe. That arrangement work as our development and management teams are in Lithuania and Latvia. We can easily visit their office.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $450,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2015 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Metrics aren’t publicly available because we provide backend systems for a closed group of investors.

How did Pharos Production Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is responsive and communicative. They work in agile.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their software architecture capabilities stand out, as well as their expertise with FinTech systems.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could work with a wider range of technologies. But we are happy with their service.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a technology product company focused on multi-factor authentication for small to medium-sized organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Pharos Production Inc.?

We needed to rebuild our iOS and Android apps from the ground up to support both TOTP and Push notifications securely.

What were your goals for this project?

To build a reliable, secure and fully-functional app for iOS and Android with simple, yet rich features.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met via LinkedIn through a mutual connection.

Describe the project in detail.

Pharos built an iOS and Android app that allows users to pair their phone (device) by scanning a QR code. Doing so will pair either a push key or a 6-digit code key.

What was the team composition?

The CEO and his two mobile developers, although it appears they have a larger team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Pharos was great about submitting test builds, which allowed our team to test the apps, make recommendations on UI or functionality, and ultimately use it for an extremely important demo. Everything works great so far.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Pretty seamless. We use Slack and they integrated right into one of our channels. Write easy to work with actually and very succinct and communicative.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were blown away by the speed of execution and understanding of modern design and coding practices. I'm also impressed with their level of communication. We've felt well taken care of throughout the entire process.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing that comes to mind at the moment.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO and the business development manager of Netroad Group LLC. We provide technical design, integrated electronics systems, and software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Pharos Production Inc.?

We engaged Pharos Production for blockchain software development and IoT-based supply chain solutions.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a supply chain system for goods tracking via overseas and trucking delivery.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We considered multiple American and European providers with the necessary skill sets.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Pharos Production created the system architecture and prototyped the solution. Post-launch, the team continues to work on new features and requirements.

What was the team composition?

The team includes middle and senior developers, product owners, and project managers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have successfully implemented the system into European warehouses and now plan to expand into India and China.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The team works in agile. They are very flexible and always deliver on time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are always happy to discuss details and new features.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. I hope Pharos Production will grow fast. They know what they’re doing.