SoftKraft

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

When I worked with SoftKraft, I was the CTO of TMC Group. It's a real estate firm that invests in venture capital.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SoftKraft?

We wanted to build a web application that could process large datasets, so we were looking for a vendor to help us. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave SoftKraft our ideas and they turned them into reality. They used Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch, Apache Spark, and Apache Kafka to develop our application. It's an AWS platform that is used for data analytics. In addition to the development work, SoftKraft provided consulting services and helped us throughout the entire process. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked directly with three or four members of their team. 

How did you come to work with SoftKraft?

They were recommended to us. We were impressed with their depth of knowledge, so we decided they'd be a good fit. Also, I knew one of their team members from a previous project we had worked on.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We worked with them between 2017–2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The application helped us dramatically in our underwriting services. We relied on it quite heavily, so we were able to work more effectively. Everything functioned as expected, and we were able to resolve any issues quickly. 

How did SoftKraft perform from a project management standpoint? 

The project management was very solid and they were able to work through all the challenges. We used Pivotal Tracker, GitHub, and Google Docs to keep track of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a very strong leadership team. Also, they were willing to work with us and accommodate our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

There are some teams out there that are used to the agile approach. While SoftKraft is very good at that, they also really take their time to go through the process and think about the software. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Neutopia is a highly flexible learning experience platform that supports lifelong learning and the many ways that people learn in the 21st century such as social, peer-to-peer and flipped learning models. To increase curiosity and motivation Neutopia is designed like a “Spotify for Knowledge.” It harnesses an Artificial Intelligence-based recommendation engine to provide relevant personalized content based on individual preferences. It combines 3 types of systems: Content lIbraries for self-guided learning, Playlists for guided learning and social networks for peer to peer learning. I am the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SoftKraft?

We came to SoftKraft to develop a machine learning / A.I. based recommendation engine that could create personalized feeds of content and weekly recommendations based on the topics most relevant to each learner. Technology wise, the solution was based on Spark and MLlib - its scalable machine learning library.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to develop the AI-based recommendation to see how we could improve personalization and relevance for the learner. A secondary application was to improve content recommendations for the course designer to speed up the time it takes to construct a course by providing additional up-to-date learning resources.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended by Selleo who have been doing our software development since 2014.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They began the project with research and began testing various solutions early on. Then refining the solutions once we had a sense of the correct direction to move in.

What was the team composition?

Our team consisted of 2 people.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team has completed the work commissioned. Based on early testing we had very good results. We will be returning to collaboration with them when the functionality they attend to reaches the top of our backlog again.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Softkraft managed the project well with weekly updates on progress. They were flexible in their thinking to find the optimal solution to what we were aiming to achieve.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were very impressed with their commitment to achieving a high-quality outcome and their willingness to explore a variety of possible solutions for our goal. They researched several possible approaches using the latest best practices and technologies in an emerging and complex field of AI and ML. We appreciated their openness to a collaborative style of interactions with the client.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The management and team at Softkraft are extremely diligent and committed to high-quality outcomes for their customers. There is very little I can think of that they can improve. Certainly providing as much thinking and pre-emptive research from the client side along with the goals of the business can assist the developers in moving quickly towards solutions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the president of Software Innovation Labs, a consortium of specialized software development houses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SoftKraft?

We have so far engaged SoftKraft to develop five major projects involving data processing and machine learning solutions.

What were your goals for this project?

We have used SoftKraft several times to deliver data processing and machine learning solutions as part of larger projects for our customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

One of SoftKraft’s co-founders provided services to another company I know quite well, and that company was very happy with their work. When SoftKraft was founded, I just thought we might as well try to use their services.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

First, SoftKraft built an AWS and cloud machine learning-based application that processed text for SEO. The team then created image processing software and streaming data-based user analytics for a community service. After that, SoftKraft developed a DevOps infrastructure based in AWS for a video streaming service. Finally, they also added payment features to an e-commerce site. 

As for technologies, they delivered applications built with Java, Python and Go. The solutions were often based on AWS services and included DevOps infrastructure. SoftKraft have skillfully used such solutions as Apache Kafka, NumPy, Pandas, and IBM Watson.

What was the team composition?

It's a small specialized software development house with exclusively senior consultants and developers. They usually deployed two developers to implement a project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients were happy with the solutions delivered. Our clients' satisfaction is the ultimate measure of how well SoftKraft performed on any given engagement.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We found the communications and the collaborative process both effective and efficient.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

SoftKraft’s seasoned programmers always advised on appropriate solutions for any given challenge.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They could offer more capacity so that they can undertake more projects.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO and Founder of Catchkey Corporation

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Mentmii is a childcare marketplace that connects high school mentors to grade school mentees for in-person coaching and training in sports, STEM, art, and music for better short-term childcare solutions and longer lasting connections.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Develop our MVP

SOLUTION

How did you find SoftKraft?

Online Search

Why did you select SoftKraft over others?

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

How many teammates from SoftKraft were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

We needed to stand up a marketplace MVP in six months. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Completion of our key functions:

• Accounts - to provide identity authentication
• Mentor Listings - basic functionality
• Search and Matchmaking - location based
• Messaging - as initial mean of communication
• Reviews and ratings - necessary for reputation building among mentors
• Static pages - important for things like ToS

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

• SoftKraft’s project management was solid and reliable. 
• While not every deadline was met, they were proactive in communicating any potential delays and provided clear explanations for the reasons behind them. 
• They were diligent in keeping the project on track, and whenever issues arose, they were quick to address and course-correct, ensuring that the overall progress remained steady.

What was your primary form of communication with SoftKraft?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What impresses me most about SoftKraft is how close and connected they feel despite being thousands of miles away. It truly felt like I had a team embedded with me, working alongside us every step of the way. Their ability to maintain such a strong and collaborative relationship remotely was unique and made a significant difference in the success of our project.

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

One area where SoftKraft could improve is by being more proactive about addressing potential hiccups before they become issues. Additionally, more transparency around pricing would have been helpful, particularly in understanding how costs might fluctuate as the project evolved. Overall, these adjustments could make an already strong partnership even better.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Founder of nice solutions GmbH

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are specialized in providing software development and consulting services, focusing on creating customized IT solutions that enhance business efficiency and innovation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Migrating shop systems to become MACH compliant
• Create a revolutionary platform for AI-powered content.

SOLUTION

How did you find SoftKraft?

Referral

Why did you select SoftKraft over others?

• Pricing fits our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from SoftKraft were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Migration of Shopware 5 to Shopware 6 with customized system stack (MACH compliant)
• Database Migrations
• Software Migration
• Plattform Development

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A Working Application

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

• good project management skills
• scrum / agile
• on time, as requested

What was your primary form of communication with SoftKraft?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We were particularly impressed with their ability to adapt to changes.

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

You can always improve, but Softkraft was always quick in optimizing their teamwork and asked for feedback to improve any possible topic.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of an education software solution company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Software solution for improving student attendance!

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Software Development

SOLUTION

How did you find SoftKraft?

Online Search

Why did you select SoftKraft over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from SoftKraft were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We contracted with SoftKraft to help us develop new features for our web application, and maintain current features.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to offer a wide variety of new features on our platform very rapidly.

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

Project management has been fantastic with clear communication on how long tasks will take, and when they will be delivered.

What was your primary form of communication with SoftKraft?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What we find most impressive is that SoftKraft treats our company like their own. They are not just providing people to fill seats, they are their to support the company holistically.

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

We have been very impressed with SoftKraft, and have nothing bad to say!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Design of a workforce training platform

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We turn workforce training on its head with custom-fit mirco-learning, designed for macro impact.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Build MVP
• Launch app

SOLUTION

How did you find SoftKraft?

• Online Search

Why did you select SoftKraft over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned
• Solid experience with SaaS backends and mobile apps

How many teammates from SoftKraft were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Summary: Development and launch of an MVP for us, a mobile-first, music-themed learning experience platform designed to optimize the training process for businesses by delivering engaging, micro learning content.

Key Deliverables:

• Platform architecture and design
• User profiles
• Learning playlists and tracks
• Notifications and recommendations 
• Testing and quality assurance

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Launching the mobile app on the Google Play and App Stores! Landing our first clients with our MVP

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

The team was awesome with their project deliverables and adapted well to our needs as things changed within our project.

What was your primary form of communication with SoftKraft?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We love the energy they brought to our startup and the way they feel like an extension of our team.

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

The team listened to our feedback and implemented any process adjustments we brought to their attention.They are already dedicated to improving in the moment - and that's what matters most.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Principal of Bryant Works.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

I help streamline your processes, build marketing campaigns, answer the "How do I do?" questions and more with 1 on 1 training and guidance for you and your team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Building an application to help HubSpot partners onboard clients quicker

SOLUTION

How did you find SoftKraft?

Online Search

Why did you select SoftKraft over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location

How many teammates from SoftKraft were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Developed a web app that provided two distinct user experiences. Enabling clients to quickly add best practices to their own CRM or for partners to add in various templates to their clients CRMs in what would normally take weeks in mere minutes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Stable web application 
• Easy site management 
• Site performs as expected

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

Items were delivered quickly, and revisions were also adapted to easily as well.

What was your primary form of communication with SoftKraft?

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

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

The team was very easy to work with. Language wasn't a barrier at all. They quickly understood what I wanted to do and were able to accomplish it in a timeline that worked for all parties.

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a Co-Owner of a SaaS company. Our primary focus is in the beauty industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our market had serious issues with the platforms that were available. After getting feedback of what the right platform should look like and include, we started working with SoftKraft.

SOLUTION

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

We research and contacted more than 20 companies and after speaking with SoftKraft, we knew we had the right company.

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

The initial development consisted of 2 week sprints. Our beta version only included a handful of major functions and when we would get sidetracked with other features, SoftKraft helped us stay the course.

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

The main team consisted of a project manager and 2-3 developers, depending on our needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project had stalled due to funding but we were able to have our beta version running successfully and love it.

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

The project management was great. As mentioned earlier, they kept us from scope creep which was easy for our company to do.

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

Communication was pretty impressive and of course the product turned out great.

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

I think everything's gone smoothly and we're continuing to work with SoftKraft.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CTO in the company that is developing banking CORE and integrations with SEPA, UK-FPS and others.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SoftKraft?

Part of our solution is using Kafka as a communication channel. For clients with higher scale, our solution was not performing well enough. We hired SoftKraft to review our standard Kafka setup and how our platform uses it.

What were your goals for this project?

To improve performance around communication via Kafka.

SOLUTION

How did you select SoftKraft?

Do now know, SoftKraft was already selected as I joined the company.

Describe the project in detail.

Our setup was reviewed by a senior engineer. Our employees help to explain what our solution is about, how and why we are using Kafka, what our setup looks like. SoftKraft helped to improve the setup. Gave very good insights how to improve ways our solution is using Kafka. Now they are available on constant bases to answer our questions about Kafka usage and setup.

What was the team composition?

A dedicated senior engineer was provided to review our solution and to work with us improving it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Do not have exact numbers but in general, the performance of our platform was increased and the bottleneck moved from Kafka.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very smooth and effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their expertise on the topic impressed us.