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Bespoke Software Solutions for Your Business

4.9
11 reviews

Sparkbit builds reliable custom-made backend systems, web & mobile applications that help companies around the world better their businesses especially in the IoT and Machine Learning domain. We offer assistance at all stages of the project, making sure that the final product is of the highest quality.

 

Sparkbit  has international references in

  • Insurance 
  • Finance,
  • Transportation 
  • E-commerce 

 

Expertise

Backend systems

  • Java
  • Scala 
  • Kotlin
  • Spark
  • Cassandra

Web applications

  • Python
  • JavaScript
  • AngularJS
  • React
  • Node.js

 

READ MORE...
 
$5,000+
 
$50 - $99 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
2014
Show all +
Warsaw, Poland
headquarters
  • Wańkowicza 5/30
    Warsaw 02-796
    Poland

Portfolio

Key clients: 
  • OctoU,
  • Humn.ai,
  • Italist.com,
  • One of the big four consulting firm in Japan,
  • Dear Employee, 
  • Toolbox for HR,
  • CognitionConcept,
  • Edyt.

Dear Employee - platform for mental risk assessment

Challange:

Our client performs online surveys for psychological risk and work-related stress assessment for German companies. He needed a tool which will be used for automated analysis of the survey’s results and knowledge extraction from the available data.

Working closely with the client we’ve turned his needs and vision into the functioning

…
product.

Solution:

DearEmployee is a platform for analyzing and depicting data gathered from psychological surveys.  Its most important feature is providing in-depth insight into the employees’ health and relationships as well as internal metrics such as absenteeism and employee turnover.

Results can be filtered by business units, areas of activity and other target groups. There’s a granular access control - different people have access to different parts of the results depending on their role in the organization.

 

Read more...

Italist.com - e-commerce platform

Challange:

Italist is an e-commerce platform offering 1,000 international brands and 200,000 luxury items for customers from all around the world. It’s a system that has millions of visitors annually. It was originally built as a PHP monolith powered by MySQL database. Over the years the number of users and features had grown to the point where the system became no longer maintainable nor

…
extensible.

Solution:

Our client decided that the system needs to be broken into smaller, more manageable subsystems. This involved also containerizing each new subsystem so they could be easily deployed and scaled. We joined the core Italist team in an effort to make this transition go smoothly (we did it by minimizing risk of regressions) and quickly (we were time constrained by the holiday season). Our team was deeply involved in developing all parts of the system. We’ve worked on implementing individual microservices in Go as well as defining new deployments and services within Kubernetes orchestrated environment. We’ve designed and implemented new gRPC interfaces between microservices. We took part in developing frontend in React driven by Next.js. Along with performing the transition we were also engaged in the day to day maintenance and feature implementation such as integrating feeds from new partners and SEO.

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HUMN – telematics platform for fleets

Challenge:

Our client wanted to include in his offering a telematics platform that would be offered to fleets. The goal was to evaluate driving behavior of users based on data collected from vehicle’s OBD2 interfaces as well as a GPS and accelerometer.

 

Our challenge was to create a horizontally scalable platform that could be also extended to handle other sources of data in

…
the future.

 

Solution:

We have implemented a system based on big data stack: Kafka, Scala, Spark Streaming and Cassandra. To simplify portability between different cloud providers, the system is dockerized and Kubernetized.

The platform also utilizes Ethereum blockchain technologies to transparently and reliably store some vital data of the system.

Read more...

Blockchain Pensions Infrastructure

Challenge:

The classic pension systems most people are currently a part of are inefficient and are not align with the current digital generation. There are places in the world where such systems cannot be trusted as the governments can seize the funds at any moment. The goal of our client was to tackle those issues by creating a platform for ordinary people and pension funds to use with trust and

…
efficiency at the heart of the design.

 

The goal of our client was to create a secure platform for ordinary people and pension funds which will be based on blockchain

 

Solution:

A natural fit to this challenge is blockchain. By using smart contracts implemented in Solidity on the Ropsten Testnet we were able to create an MVU that demonstrated the basic concepts of the future full implementation of the plaftorm. The protocol itself used an utility token for fees.

On the Frontend side we implemented a React dapp that allowed the user to choose a pension fund and invest ETH in them or buy utility tokens. The development process included a full suite of tests for the smart contracts and CI that would deploy the contracts on a test Ethereum-compatible blockchain.

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Investment Fund Management

Challenge:

Our client needed a platform for management of a next generation investment fund. The fund is denominated in tokens on the Ethereum blockchain, invests into other cryptocurrencies and was distributed through an ICO. The system should allow for configuration of the investment strategy, withdrawal of the funds to user’s blockchain wallet and displaying the current fund structure and user’s

…
share value.

The system had to fulfill security-related regulations, thus the identity of the user had to be verified and the ownership of a blockchain wallet had to be confirmed.

 

Solution:

We have delivered a web-based platform that is integrated with the blockchain, external APIs with financial data and internal systems of the client.

We have also helped the client to identify and resolve some security issues in their initial requirements.

Read more...

Timepot

Application to track and analyze time, tasks and profits.

 

Challange:

Timepot MVP released in January 2017, covered basic functionalities of the application – time tracking and reporting.

Having MVP already published we focused on building an advanced financial module that compares various projects’ profits. Its algorithm calculates monthly income and expenses of

…
projects run in different paying models, several currencies with mixed employee’s wages.

 

Solution:

We delivered a beautifully designed and intuitive tool with powerful functionalities that gives the clients insights into their businesses.

The system’s backend in written in Java 8, Spring while frontend in Angular 4 and TypeScript. Timepot offers different access levels attached to specific functionalities of the system.

Its reporting module includes an advanced search engine.

 

Read more...

Patent Examination Support System

System to Manage the Patent Granting Process within the Patent Office

Web Application

Challenge

Every year, patent examiners analyze more than 200 000 patent filings, which results in over 60 000 patents being granted to the applicants. The Patent Office needed to launch a holistic tool to improve and accelerate the granting process. Sparkbit collaborated to provide examiners

…
with a central feature-rich workstation to examine patent applications.  

Solution

The system is designed to analyze, annotate and classify patent applications, collaborate on documents in real time and track the full history of all changes that have been made to the document. The system integrates within multiple other systems within the enterprise. We have built the system using Java 8, Spring Boot and Apache Camel on the backend and TypeScript, AngularJS 2.0 on the front end. We have also created a flexible and fully automated continuous delivery pipeline, using tools such as Gerrit, Jenkins and Docker. Building the system involved vast team collaboration and extensive feature handling. We worked closely with the client to ensure a well-fitting solution.

Read more...

Happy Team Check

Web Portal for Conducting  Flexible Employee Satisfaction Surveys

Web Application

Challenge

Happy Team Check co-founders knew exactly what they wanted - Saas platform that transposes employee satisfaction surveys used by companies like Facebook and Google and converts it into a great tool for small and medium enterprises.

Solution

Working

…
in close collaboration with Happy Team Check we have developed a system that allows defining and conducting customized employee satisfaction surveys. It includes a database of predefined questions that were created and shared by HR experts. Yet, each client can define additional questions. Many types of questions are supported, such as free text, single and multiple choice or likert scale questions. The system helps with question selection depending on the company size, organizational structure and survey goals so each client can build the survey to gather exactly the data that he seeks.

We developed an extensive reporting module with custom data visualizations and configurable access levels. The survey results can be aggregated by organization units or by managers. System's backend is written in Scala and Slick while frontend in AngularJS.

Read more...

OctoU

System for analyzing user driving behavior 

Mobile Application & Analytics Platform

 

Challenge

A large Italian telematics company - sought to build a powerful mobile application to analyze driving behavior of users. Our challenge was to implement the criteria, based on which the system can monitor user driving behavior and put them into a seamless,

…
user-friendly application. 

Solution

We developed a feature-rich app that allows users to measure their driving skills. The system is based on heterogeneous data, such as real-time GPS data, weather and road conditions, traffic congestion, speed limits or drivers' lifestyle information. Each users’ trip is assigned a score that describes how safely the user was driving.The algorithm detects hazardous events - speed limit violations, harsh acceleration, braking, and cornering. The application contains social features, such as commenting and liking friends' trips, collecting badges, receiving tips etc. The system is distributed and is deployed on multiple nodes that asynchronously process the incoming data.

The analytics platform is used to discover correlations between measured parameters (e.g. how the number of detected events depends on the car model etc.). It allows to monitor the driving style of a particular driver. Data processing is done using Apache Spark with Cassandra as a non-relational data storage.

Read more...

Fermi

System to Automatize Recruitment Process

Web Application

Challenge

Sparkbit works with Toolbox for HR to create a user-friendly platform to keep and track data of candidates and campaigns within the system.The goal of the project was to provide recruiters with an easy time-saving tool. This application would eventually remove the need for spreadsheets and cut down on the flow of

…
documents in the office.

Solution


Fermi supports customizable workflows and tracking of everything that happens during a recruitment process. It facilitates overview of the candidate's number during each stage and control recruiters’ appointments. Fermi includes an advanced search engine. Recruiters are able to filter data by candidate, campaigns and recruitment process stage.

Read more...

Reviews

4.9
11 reviews
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Front End Dev Project for IT Services Enterprise

"They were experienced and trustworthy—exactly what we wanted in a partner."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Sept. - Dec. 2018
Project summary: 

Sparkbit developed the frontend of an enterprise mobile and web application for a third party. They also helped build the backend with REST-based APIs. The team used React.js and Java microservices.

The Reviewer
 
5,001-10,000 Employees
 
Italy
Executive Technology Director, IT Services Firm
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The team fulfilled all requirements on time and within budget. Sparkbit ensured high-quality results and a seamless experience. They were knowledgeable and realistic as well. Customers can expect them to deliver on their promises.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive technology director for a group within a large IT consultancy. Our company provides strategy, design, and technology services for clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkbit?

We needed to develop a React.js web application for a client in the energy sector. React.js is in demand and we needed to find a vendor with the right competencies for that specific technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sparkbit helped us build an enterprise mobile and web application. The solution managed the workflows and processes for monitoring energy plants. They developed the frontend with React.js and integrated Java microservices for the backend using REST-based APIs.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one developer.

How did you come to work with Sparkbit?

I had worked with them in the past at a previous company.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around €30,000 ($34,294 USD). We had a time-and-materials contract.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Sparkbit between September–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client was very happy with the results. From our perspective, the engagement was smooth and efficient.

How did Sparkbit perform from a project management standpoint?

Our team used in-house project managers and interacted directly with Sparkbit’s developers. The team communicated clearly and made realistic promises for the timeframe. They ensured all deliverables would be completed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated their level of expertise. We never worried about the quality of the output. They were experienced and trustworthy—exactly what we wanted in a partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I keep working with Sparkbit because they produce high-quality work and respect agreements. If the team maintains those qualities as they scale, I wouldn’t ask for more.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They couldn’t have handled deadlines any better.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They stuck to the agreed budget.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They documented to a greater extent than expected. The team fulfilled all requirements
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I will definitely recommend them.

Platform Augmentation for Business Services Company

“They’re interested in our vision as well as the business side of things.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Feb. 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Sparkbit provides web development services, working on the development of the web-based MVP using Python and React.js. The team has digitized many services, added features, and scaled them up.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Germany
Founder, Dear Employee
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The platform’s development is progressing well, with the team building out the core features and delivering it successfully. Sparkbit communicates effectively and is well integrated into the team, considering both business and technical requirements when implementing features.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of Dear Employee.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkbit?

We needed help with the augmentation of our platform, building out the MVP.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As well as technical input, they’re really helping us to build out the whole system. They’re working our MVP and, within the last several months, they’ve improved the stability and speed of the system, as well as the robustness. They also worked on additional features and helped us digitalize our service as many parts of our service are still offline, which takes a lot of time for us as consultants. With their help, we’ve added more features to our platform and scaled up our services.

It’s a web-based platform that uses Python and React.js. Depending on the user’s role, they have access to the web app after taking our surveys, so it can be called a people analytics platform. Users can also see current reports for their company, and switch between the project and the client to see the latest reports and status of the company’s employees.

What is the team composition?

We work with one frontend developer and one backend developer who we speak to daily. They have full responsibility on the technical side.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in February 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve had a huge impact because they’re building out the core of our product. We really like that they are not only delivering, they’re thinking like a part of our team and giving us great suggestions for building a scalable product. Overall, they’ve had a huge impact on our technical decisions.

The feedback from our client has been positive; he’s more than satisfied with the technical solution, as well as the schedule.

How did Sparkbit perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re pretty happy with the communication with them, and they speak English well. We have sprint meetings at the beginning of each week, speak every day in a stand-up, and then communicate via Jira—all of which has worked brilliantly.

From time to time, their CTO checks in with us to see if the project is going as we imagined, and also gives us feedback on our bigger questions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really act as though they are part of our team, and I never have the feeling they are there just to deliver our requests. They’re interested in our vision as well as the business side of things, and they contribute technical expertise. Beyond that, Sparkbit always delivers on time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If one of our developers isn’t available, it would be good to have someone else that can work on the project. However, it has worked out with the two developers we have.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Dev Partnership for Online Retail Portal

"They’ve made our collaboration effortless and pleasant; we can’t imagine working without them now."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
May 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Sparkbit works with the core development team of an e-commerce platform. They added search filters to the site, upgraded an email client, debugged a legacy PHP system, and improved SEO.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
San Francisco, California
Tim Mansfield
VP Engineering, italist
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The team reliably delivers excellent products on time, leading to more work for Sparkbit. They make the collaboration seamless, providing creative solutions and critical insights while communicating efficiently and keeping long-term goals in mind. Executive engagement ensures a smooth process.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the VP of engineering for italist. We provide an online marketplace for high-end Italian boutiques to sell their goods to customers around the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkbit?

We engaged Sparkbit to provide staff augmentation and supplement our engineering teams in Italy and California. We wanted to work as partners rather than merely delegate difficult or tedious tasks to their team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sparkbit first expanded our product search system, increasing the number of filterable attributes such as sizes and brands. They analyzed our scenario and implemented a solid design that remains active today. Their ability to handle such a substantial project impressed us.

The team also augmented the Golang service that supported our Elasticsearch functions. They set up another Golang service to manages our transactional emails, interfacing it with a third-party mail delivery service and adding features such as email scheduling.

They are now working on improving our SEO. The project requires technical analysis, SEO tooling, and defining specific strategies to address problems reported by feedback and tracking. Their team has fixed several SEO problems and stabilized our Google rankings

On the frontend, Sparkbit demonstrates proficiency in React, Redux, and Node.js. For the backend, they’ve implemented fixes to a PHP-based legacy system and performed work in Python as well.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three software engineers and a Software Engineer in Test (SWET) who works on our end-to-end testing suite.

How did you come to work with Sparkbit?

We were looking for development partners based in Europe who follow an embedded model. We found Sparkbit through Clutch. They demonstrated broad expertise and flexibility in using a variety of tech stacks.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in May 2018, and it is an ongoing partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Sparkbit delivers high-quality products with consistency and timeliness, and we’ve added more projects to our docket to continue our engagement with our team. They’ve made our collaboration effortless and pleasant; we can’t imagine working without them now.

How did Sparkbit perform from a project management standpoint?

The engineering team communicates fluently in technical and non-technical English. Jedrek (CTO, Sparkbit) is exceptionally understanding and adaptive. We have overseen numerous project kick-offs and staff increases together; Jedrek keeps a close eye over every new member’s onboarding and every complex project’s infancy to ensure a smooth transition. Jedrek and I host weekly one-on-one meetings, and the team coordinates with us via Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sparkbit takes initiative while maintaining a team player attitude. They offer ideas, observations, and constructive criticism. They recognize that this is a long-term process with many stages and that we value a solid foundation over delivery. They’ve blended into our team seamlessly and provide excellent value as working partners.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Talk carefully with Jedrek to negotiate what you want out of your project, especially if it has complexities. Sparkbit’s leadership is integral to their success, and Jedrek’s technical and business expertise made him a valuable partner.

5.0
Overall Score I am highly pleased with this engagement.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

IoT Telematics Dev for Consulting Firm

"Sparkbit delivered a new system with superior features and better scalability than our previous vendor."

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
June 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Sparkbit designed and developed an IoT telematics system to track drivers’ GPS data and rate their driving skills. They delivered a stable product under time constraints.

The Reviewer
 
10,000+ Employees
 
Tokyo, Japan
Senior Consultant, Consulting Firm
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The system earned overwhelming praise from internal stakeholders for its functionality and scalability. Sparkbit delivered an excellent product on time and at great value. The team demonstrated responsiveness, in-depth knowledge, and excellent project organization from start to finish.

The client submitted this review online.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a senior consultant for a major management consulting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sparkbit?

We engaged Sparkbit to build a telematics system that would collect drivers’ GPS data and then score their skills accordingly.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to deliver a stable version of the system to the market in a short timeframe.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Sparkbit impressed us with their level of experience and the demo application they prepared for their proposal.

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

Sparkbit first collected our business requirements. The team next created a design that they then implemented and deployed. Sparkbit also conducted their own project management throughout the process.

What was the team composition?

We communicated primarily with their project manager who led a team behind the scenes. The PM worked with us to clarify our project requirements and then liaised between us and the Sparkbit team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before our engagement with Sparkbit, we commissioned a similar system from another vendor. Sparkbit delivered a new system with superior features and better scalability than our previous vendor.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Sparkbit conducted all their project management internally. They delivered the project in a short amount of time and responded promptly to any questions or requests.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They demonstrated excellent technical skills via their comprehensive algorithm and their high-quality final product. The team was also highly accessible to questions throughout the project.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

No, we were highly satisfied with their work. We hope that their company continues to grow and that one day we can build even larger systems together.

5.0
Overall Score They fulfilled all our requirements. We look forward to seeing their operation grow.
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They met all deadlines under significant time constraints.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They delivered superior products at better value than prior vendors we’ve worked with.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    I am completely satisfied with the system they produced and the service they provided.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I would absolutely refer them to colleagues. Their team is very pleasant and easy to work with.

Trading Platform Development for Fintech Firm

"We have very specific guidelines for the platform, but they implemented it as we requested."

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4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Dec. 2017 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Sparkbit built the MVP of a trading platform using Java 8, Spring Boot, and MySQL. They also integrated Ethereum wallets and multiple REST APIs. 

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
London, United Kingdom
Technical Advisor, Fintech Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Although the platform needed to meet rigid specifications, Sparkbit developed a comprehensive development plan and met every requested deadline. The agency's affordable pricing, responsive communication, and advanced programming capabilities kept the project on schedule. 

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the tech adviser at a software company. We’re developing algorithms for trading on different exchanges.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkbit?

We wanted a company from central Europe so they’d be in the same time zone. We also wanted a company with backend Java programming experience. They needed to commit to our deadlines.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We collaborated with Sparkbit to build a platform. They proposed Java 8, Spring Boot, MySQL, and Angular 5. We integrated Ethereum wallets and REST APIs for data exchange.

The first phase for the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) lasted a month. We’re in the second phase and are still testing the final product.

What is the team composition?

They have one project manager who was also a programmer. There’s one backend developer, a full stack developer, and one frontend developer. Our designs cooperated with their designer. Our backend programmers cooperated with their backend programmer.

How did you come to work with Sparkbit?

We found them on Clutch. We didn’t have any specific requirements, so we were open to proposals. We checked which companies proposed Java and they set priority over the others.

How much have you invested with them?

$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their feedback is quick, and they’re very responsive. Our bug checks took longer than anticipated, but we finished them. We’re very satisfied with their implementation.

How did Sparkbit perform from a project management standpoint?

They proposed a Gantt chart objectives for each time interval. We kept to that for the first stage, but the second stage was more complicated. It was harder to stick with the schedule. We mostly communicated by email. We shared and modified our proposals on Google Docs, where they could check them in real time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We have very specific guidelines for the platform, but they implemented it as we requested, which was surprising. They have been responsive during the programming and development processes.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their responsiveness to bugs and fixing of issues wasn’t so good. Final product testing could be improved.

4.5
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They met all deadlines during the first part of our design. 
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They were the cheapest one and still met all our requirements.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

App Development for Telematics Company

“They stood out in terms of product management and architecture.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Feb. 2017 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Sparkbit developed and integrated a complex driving style assessment (telematics; UBI) system. They also developed an iOS and Android app that monitors and records drivers' behavior.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Warsaw, Poland
Piotr Kujawa
Founder, Bacca Sp. z o.o
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Sparkbit introduced features and provided suggestions that reduced the system’s battery consumption. Their technically adept team worked well in an agile environment, delivering promptly and offering an impressive level of scalability. Their team leadership was active throughout.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Bacca. We’ve been operating in the financial area and helping people pay for insurance for the last eight years. We’re a leader in the Polish premium finance and insurtech market and are introducing a lot of fintech innovations in insurance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkbit?

We decided we needed to respond to the insurance market’s current telematics trends—specifically automotive insurance.

Telematics is a term for user-based insurance where the user’s style determines payments in order for them to get cheaper third-party liability insurance. Premiums are higher for riskier drivers than safe ones or those who don’t drive often. The market doesn’t exist in Poland, but the demand for solutions and services will grow rapidly within next 3 years. This scheme already exists across significant markets like the U.S., UK and Italy, and specifically targets young drivers. We decided to be the first ones in our region to develop this kind of advanced system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We approached Sparkbit to develop a full-scale telematics system. We asked them to set up and connect our backend with third-party suppliers of maps, weather systems, and other components that play a role in a driver’s rating. It’s important to track a driver’s adherence to speed limits during normal conditions, through bad weather, and at night. The system gathers road traffic data along with other information and includes both in the rating.

In addition to the backend, Sparkbit also developed an Android and iOS app that tracks driver behavior. It leverages devices’ gyroscopes, accelerometers, and compasses in order to determine if the phone is in the car or not. It can tell the difference between walking, riding a bike, being on a bus, or driving a car. The app turns itself on based on the smartphone’s sensors rather than depending on the user to do so. It can detect sudden breaking and general behavior on the road in comparison to other drivers.

My company has experience with technology implementations, but this type of system is not part of our core business. Sparkbit took over the whole development process and project management, app and web design, development of the desktop version, and AWS implementation. We only provided sponsorship and general guidance.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with up to seven people from their team for mobile, Windows desktop development, and backend integrations. Three of those members worked with us on a full-time basis throughout the project. I was in contact with Sparkbit’s CEO and project manager on a daily basis.

How did you come to work with Sparkbit?

We’re both located in Warsaw, Poland and they happened to have some experience with the crucial aspects of telematics solutions. They knew a lot about needed backend system and the algorithms we required within it. Sparkbit had worked on similar projects for large insurance companies around the world. They’d also worked on a patent execution platform for the E.U. We knew they would be able to conduct the whole project based on all of these factors.

Other local software houses were not able deliver on required quality and time. We considered companies from other countries, but they were too expensive and far away. This was a specialized project with a short timeline, so management would be too difficult for us. We needed to work with a local partner in order to check that the project was going well.

How much have you invested with them?

The overall cost of their work so far has been around 1 million Polish zloty ($300,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2017. The development took nine months to complete and we launched in November 2017. Customers of the platform were given access in December. Having a good experience we’ve recently launched a separate project with Sparkbit.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Insurers began testing our solution in December 2017, but we don’t have a lot of users yet.

The apps successfully manage high battery consumption since they’re constantly gathering data from sensors. We’ve had to balance the data’s precision and when the trip logging should begin (e.g., within the first seconds of a trip, within the first minute). Sparkbit made a lot of self-invented adjustments and upgrades to reduce battery consumption.

Many of valuable features and ideas were implemented during the minimum viable product phase. The first version has been great. Sparkbit also help in production setting up on Amazon cloud.

How did Sparkbit perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered on time for all platforms. Sparkbit’s project managers and co-founder were very active. Once a week we discussed arising issues and developments.

They provided standard reporting and organized meetings when we needed to make new decisions. The process wasn’t information-heavy, but it was valuable for us as project sponsors. Control and our perception of the ongoing work were great.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Finding major IT development companies able to work on products like ours in an agile environment isn’t easy, but Sparkbit was able to deliver. They have top-tier staff with excellent academic and business backgrounds, including architects and designers who are familiar with different development technologies.

They stood out in terms of product management and architecture, making big solutions scalable. It wasn’t a case of creating the system infrastructure, but of optimizing the process and determining why something was important.

The final product was functional and done at a reasonable cost for us. The system has high demands at its peak due to the large amount of data it has to process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. Our money was well spent.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Platform Dev for HR Software Company

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Sparkbit created a custom ATS web platform to streamline candidate management, drafting a full scope and executing it with diverse coding skills. The team continues to add features when needed. 

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Warsaw, Poland
Marcin Smolinski
CEO, Toolbox for HR
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Since Sparkbit joined the workflow, all requested features have arrived on time and ready-to-use. Their attractive price point, ability to suggest wise alternatives, and personal commitment to the engagement’s success consistently impress.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a recruitment company helping technology startups grow their teams with good software engineers, DevOps, UI [user interface] designers, and so on. I am the CEO and founder of the company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkbit?

We process approximately 1,000 candidate applications per week, and we had a problem with the parsing, searching, and management of this data. We were looking to buy a license for an ATS [applicant tracking system] for managing candidate relationships on an ongoing basis. None of the systems available on the market met our requirements, so we asked Sparkbit to build one for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Even though we recruit software engineers, we’re not a technology organization ourselves. We had to describe our business challenge to Sparkbit, and we also pointed them towards a couple of systems that we found to be useful. During the next stage, Sparkbit drafted a scope for our web-based system and built it using Scala, Java, PostgreSQL, and some JavaScript.

Sparkbit built a business enterprise system encompassing all the logic from candidate acquisition to the management of those candidates, collecting feedback at different stages of the process.

Our team size depended on the phase of the project. We initially worked with one resource from Sparkbit and increased our budget to a maximum of three. After the main part of the application was deployed, we scaled back to one person.

How did you come to work with Sparkbit?

One of their founders was recommended to me by both the university where he got his PhD and by one of my former colleagues, who is a senior engineering manager at Google. We did consider other providers, interviewing five or six.

How much have you invested with Sparkbit?

The cost of Sparkbit’s work has been $200,000, more or less.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Sparkbit in Q2 of 2015. The major part of the project was accomplished in Q4 of 2016. We continue to add new features to the platform using Sparkbit.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

I was engaged in the early stages, but I’m currently hands-off in terms of product development. Nonetheless, it’s still a matter of me and my team submitting requests for features, and we continue to monitor the work done around the product. The only measurable outcome I can provide is that the features we’re requesting arrive two to four weeks later, and we can start using them.

I do not have the technical capabilities to verify the work directly, but I’ve heard praises from my team about the functionalities developed by Sparkbit, so I can’t complain.

We are measuring the cost of acquiring one candidate on a daily basis. We have seen a reduction of 25% in that cost since we’ve implemented the system.

How did Sparkbit perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a weekly 30- to 60-minute sync-up with the person responsible for developing our system. We’re pretty much up-to-date with what is happening, what the next steps are, and what roadblocks are happening. We use Trello as a project management system.

What did you find most impressive about Sparkbit?

Our biggest fear was getting a coding monkey that developed whatever we required without questioning it. We wanted people who could think in the broader sense, and Sparkbit didn’t fail us in this regard. They’ve taken a product ownership role and are good sparring partners for us.

I haven’t met the entire team, so I couldn’t comment overall. The five or six people I’ve met, out of Sparkbit’s 12-person team, were extremely well-educated. They graduated from top-tier universities and are extremely strong in their field.

Are there any areas Sparkbit could improve?

If we had any real concerns, we would have definitely moved the work to another vendor. My only comment is that we haven’t developed all the features we wanted, but this comes more from us not spending more money. 

5.0
Overall Score They come to our Christmas parties regularly.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    We spend a lot of money on Sparkbit’s services, but our system was delivered at a reasonable cost.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    We got what we asked for. Any exceptions were due to Sparkbit finding a better alternative.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I already referred Sparkbit to a friend who became their client.

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4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
2012 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

SparkBit redesigned a user interface to reduce bounce rate and simplify the user’s experience. They also collaborated on a separate project, a case management system.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Netherlands
Jan Verbeek
CEO, CognitionConcept
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

SparkBit applied their technical expertise to understanding complex specifications. They worked around the clock to deliver quality products; they offered valuable insights to optimize the solution.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of CognitionConcept, located in The Netherlands. We’ve been doing projects with a dynamic case management system. We’ve been working with Sparkbit on several projects, one of which was for the European Patent Office, and another was for Metronic.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkbit?

We were doing a project for Metronic that was all about the way legal documents were handled online. Different people were responsible for those legal documents, and they all had to be signed-off; there were a lot of rounds of approval to go through. There was a lot of work, and the way it was first implemented had a very high click rate. It took people too long to go through all of it. We wanted to change the user interface to make it more user-friendly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the Metronic project, Sparkbit changed the existing user interface to make it more user-friendly and give it a lower bounce rate. We discussed various solutions with Sparkbit; they’re good advisors on how best to change the user interface. We followed their advice, and they implemented the changes they had proposed. So in essence, they created the redesign and handled the development work.

We also worked with Sparkbit on a project for the European Patent Office. It’s a multi-layered application. There’s a UI layer that is being built by the client, and a separate business layer, the dynamic case management system, which is what we are building. Hooking those two up gives the complete application.

How did you come to work with Sparkbit?

We’ve been in a tender with the European Patent Office. That office asked us to work together with Sparkbit to deliver the final product.

How much have you invested with Sparkbit?

For the Metronic project, it was about €13,000 [approx. $14,000]. The Patent Office project is in the millions, but that office is paying Sparkbit directly.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first project began in 2012, and we continue to work together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Metronic only wanted to take the product into production with the improved user interface, so that project was crucial. Sparkbit was able to understand it in one go. They had a good overview of what was expected from them. They could easily see where things were wrong, and the areas they didn’t have to pay any attention to. There were a number of cycles, so it was very important that they could make a quick determination whether something was okay.

How did Sparkbit perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m very satisfied with them. They are reliable. If they say they will be ready by a certain time, they are, even if they have to work day and night. They’re easy to work with, and they have good technical expertise. They come up with their own ideas if they think it can be done in a better way.

What did you find most impressive about Sparkbit?

If they promise something, they will really come through. They have a very good technical expertise. If they don’t have it, they’ll make sure they get it in a short period of time. They come up with their own ideas and make suggestions to improve the quality of the solution. They are very quality-driven, yet it’s still easy to work with them.

Are there any areas Sparkbit could improve?

They’re very development-focused, and they could sometimes be a bit more commercial and customer-focused.

4.5
Overall Score
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They don’t charge the rates you see in Western Europe. You get good quality for your money.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They deliver good quality up to expectations in the agreed upon timeframe.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I just did.

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Apr. 2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Sparkbit conducts software development and implementation for a highly specialized internet app, meeting the frontend and backend needs of enterprise-level government entities.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
San Francisco Bay Area
Rocky Kahn
CEO, Edyt
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The team successfully deployed the software currently used by a major government customer. Sparkbit’s customizable deliverables adeptly balance complicated tech requirements, professional aesthetics, and evolving end-user demands. 

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Edyt, a San Francisco Bay Area software firm providing enterprise web software which can be further customized for customers. We are initially working with the European patent office and other offices worldwide to provide electronic dossier support, facilitating how the patent grant process works on the patent office side. We have a separate business supporting applicants for preparation and prosecution—preparing the patent applications, submitting them, working through the series of communications for sending something to the patent office, receiving a response, and responding to it through a grant or refusal. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkbit?

We have a complex subject domain. The patent grant process is not for the weak of heart. There is an endless amount of information to be aware of that materially affects requirements, implementation, and customer interaction. Also, the application itself is a complex, rich internet app. It’s a browser standard, and its amount of information is high, along with the degree of aesthetics, ergonomics, accessibility, and eventual responsiveness that will be requested. These two areas are challenging: the domain (understanding the context) and the actual web application. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sparkbit is primarily an implementation team, so they’re not providing full service (e.g. bringing them in, eliciting requirements, building an application, and managing it). Perhaps Sparkbit does that for other customers, but we are using them for the implementation phase. We elicit requirements and develop designs, and then pass things over to Sparkbit for implementation. Due to the complexity of the context and implementation, this phase itself is quite complex and requires a discerning development shop that’s able to take the initiative, have an excellent client-facing ability for raising clarification requests, and deal with technical issues that arise. Sparkbit does this admirably.

On the backend, we are using the Spring Framework. Previously, we used Python, and I believe Sparkbit worked with that as well. On the frontend, we are using JavaScript with the Angular 2 framework, and they seem very capable with that. They are able to deal with database issues, although we have mostly left that to a system integrator. They have excellent continuous integration tooling capabilities.

How did you come to work with Sparkbit?

I was introduced to them through someone at my company, but we have used a variety of development shops before. Sparkbit shines both in their flexibility and ease of working with them and in their technical abilities. Other shops usually do one or the other but not both. Sparkbit is exceptional in this regard.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began in April 2015. The project is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

Enterprise software for government entities, especially large bureaucratic ones, is known to be challenging. As someone who has lived and breathed these challenges since 2010, I suggest that these challenges shouldn’t be underestimated by people who haven’t worked in this field. Despite these challenges, Sparkbit has helped us deploy the software currently used at our government customer. That is rare and exceptional.

How did Sparkbit perform from a project management standpoint?

We run our own project management. However, due to time zones and Sparkbit’s ability to self-manage, they provide their own project management for the engineering subdomain. Our project management spans the entire project, including requirements, product design, and engineering. Their project management focuses on the engineering, working closely with our project management. It works very well. They work with JIRA and other project management tools.

What did you find most impressive about Sparkbit?

They have a wonderful mix of competence and collaboration. Although most government IT projects are relatively simple at the technical level, Sparkbit can also address more challenging requirements. That headroom is very important for our company since we tend to do more challenging enterprise government IT projects—especially in the standard web software domain—in which they excel.

Are there any areas Sparkbit could improve?

They are a small company and have a limited ability to respond to rapid increases or pulses in resource requests. This is understandable, given their size. We’d prefer to have the quality and ease of working with them that we’ve experienced, rather than the elastic resource availability we’ve experienced at some larger providers that usually lack the ease of working with them or technical prowess.

5.0
Overall Score We’re ecstatic to be working with them. For government software, where years of pain are the norm, it’s good to have a partner who’s resolute and keeps a positive, professional, and pragmatic approach to engineering as we navigate difficult clients.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Government software is rife with customer-driven scope creeping and agile requirements within fixed-priced scheduled contracts. Sparkbit does a great job navigating and accommodating this dynamic relationship in terms of schedule.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They’re not cheap, but they’re excellent. We find them well worth their cost. Others who don’t require their excellence could find more economical options elsewhere. For what we are trying to do, they are very well worth it.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    We haven’t yet experienced a better team. We love them. We know that there are better teams, but it’s hard not to put them at the top.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    If this wouldn’t affect their availability to us in the future, then I would refer them.

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Mar. 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Sparkbit expanded a telematics insurer’s mobile app based on a specific client’s requirements. The product includes user validation, detection and recording of driving events, and an explanatory metric. 

The Reviewer
 
201-500 Employees
 
London, United Kingdom
Sr. Manager, Telematics Insurance Firm
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The app functions well in production with no apparent bugs. Sparkbit’s team asked proactive questions and gave factual explanations of the product’s complexity to ensure timely roll out. 

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our firm provides services to automotive insurance companies. We provide information regarding an insured person’s driving behavior and habits, which the insurance company can then use in decision-making processes. I’m a senior program manager and worked on this specific project from the very beginning. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sparkbit?

We needed to develop an app to provide a new technological solution to our customer. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an initial app to start off and specific client requirements to be incorporated into the app. So, the work consisted of adapting requirements to an existing app.

Sparkbit was involved from the very beginning. Once we had the requirements from our customer, they provided the implementation plan. They identified the potential issues we would encounter, and they helped in defining a plausible roll-out schedule based on those issues. We were able to define a plan that satisfied the client’s needs, both in terms of roll-out and overall product development that allowed proper project review. We delivered a prototype and validated most of the requirements.

Like all projects, we did have issues on our end, and the client changed some of their requirements, but we ended up meeting the final deadline. We released the app, and now the app is being rolled out into other areas.

This is a closed app requiring user validation and other security requirements. Once the user logs into the app, it detects and records driving events. Based on the recorded information, we can provide a trip score, which is then used by the insurance company to apply a specific discount.

I don’t have the total number of resources used by Sparkbit. I can say that there were times we needed additional resources, and they were added. For our project, their resources were applied very well.

How did you come to work with Sparkbit?

We had another partner working with us who brought Sparkbit into the project. Sparkbit had done this kind of development before. They had experience working with smartphone technology. It was the first time we were approaching this kind of project.

How much have you invested with Sparkbit?

We spend around $100,000 a year with Sparkbit.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together at the end of March 2016, and the collaboration is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

The app is pretty tricky because every smartphone has different sensors and interprets data in a different manner. We had to share this with end users through discussions, explaining why it behaves certain ways on their phones. Our client was satisfied with the results and the explanation we gave behind the logic. For me, it was very important that Sparkbit provided a metric that allowed us to explain the product to the client and end users. There was a lot of trial and error, but the result is an app that is reflecting the overall requirements.

How did Sparkbit perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve met their deadlines. We haven’t had any issues. They tended to ask for more development time but always delivered ahead of schedule. We used Jira, Skype, and email to communicate. We did a lot of daily calls at the beginning, but fewer as the project went on.

What did you find most impressive about Sparkbit?

They’re very professional and very open in discussions about potential issues. They’re also very forward-thinking. They could see potential issues with the requirements and didn’t hesitate to express concerns. This approach was appreciated by my client. I’m very satisfied with our collaboration.

Are there any areas Sparkbit could improve?

We had some superficial issues, but nothing that was critical to the project. They were always very present and forward-thinking, which compensates for any minor issues we had.

5.0
Overall Score They really met our expectations. I think they also went a bit overboard for us. We developed a good relationship, which is important. They were very helpful when we had issues. I think the experience was very fruitful for both of us.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They did not miss a single deadline during the project.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They’re a bit expensive. They’re good, and they’re worth the money.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They met all the plans we had put together, and the quality of the product was very good.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I highly recommend them.