Product House based in Europe
We are a custom software development and consulting partner for startups. Ready to support founders through the whole Startup Lifecycle process.
Our dedicated sets of services are adjusted to startups’ challenges depending on the stage of development and available finances. Pre-seed, Seed, Series A+ - we’ve got you covered.
Among our services, you will find Product Discovery, Rapid Prototyping, User Testing, UX/UI Design, Web/Mobile App Development, MVP/Rapid MVP, Growth Design and many more.
So far, we delivered over 70 projects across 5 continents. We are certified by the Google Cloud Platform. Startup House is also listed as a Preferred Partner by Startup Grind.
The core standard is keeping customer satisfaction at the highest level - our Northstar is NPS (In Q3 2022 our score was 83). Startup House’s values in a nutshell - helping startups, delivering above expectations, and enforcing a culture of continuous learning.
2 Languages
- English
- Polish
headquarters
other locations
Custom Software Dev for Cyber Risk Analytics Firm
the project
“Their strength is their ability to understand our strategy as a business so they can anticipate our needs.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the VP of operations of a cyber risk analytics firm. I’m in charge of all the aspects of running our business and market strategy.
What challenge were you trying to address with Startup Development House?
We were selling a solution that required manual processing to deliver. We needed to take what we had in the market and transform it into a scalable SaaS application.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Startup Development House has transformed our offering into a SaaS application. The app can understand cyber risks and how to reduce them. They’ve designed and developed it using JavaScript and Figma.
Initially, we had a working prototype. We started the process by doing workshops to work through what we wanted to build. They took our concept and modernized it. Once we completed that process, we started the actual development.
What is the team composition?
We have about nine people on the team, including project managers, frontend and backend developers, QA people, and designers.
How did you come to work with Startup Development House?
We researched a lot and interviewed about a dozen outsourcing companies worldwide. Startup Development House was well-rounded, and they instilled in us the confidence that they could achieve what we needed.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent between $300,000–$750,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in August 2020, and our relationship is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We measure success with the marketplace’s response. Since we released their product version, we’ve tripled our sales pace.
On the other hand, the software performs spectacularly. We had complex proprietary algorithms, and they’ve converted them into a high-performing application. Our customers are always impressed by its clean and modern presentation; we always get comments. Also, Startup Development House is good at taking feedback and constructive advice to improve continually. We have a responsive and engaged relationship.
How did Startup Development House perform from a project management standpoint?
They do well; they’re an extension of our team. They’ve broken up the complex project into segments, and everything has been transparent. Initially, they were uncertain about their projections, but they were very open about it. Now, their estimations and deliverables are very high quality.
We use Jira as a tool and always communicate through Teams and Google Meet. Additionally, we chat and send emails.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their strength is their ability to understand our strategy as a business so they can anticipate our needs.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They weren’t documenting everything in the beginning, so some things slipped. However, they responded and improved a lot in their processes and project management. We’ve gotten to a point where nothing is left hanging.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
If you engage with them and something’s not going well, communicate it transparently. If you provide candid feedback, they’ll address it and get to where you need.
Focus
Portfolio
Siemens, Startupmatcher, Petricore, CHOOOSE, MainDeck, Employment.org, MyFoodOffice, Lawbotics, Toyota, Supple, Magnitt
CHOOOSE
CHOOOSE is a climate-focused technology company based in Oslo, Norway. They provide a network that links people and organizations with the best CO2-offsetting initiatives throughout the world in order to expedite the transition to a carbon-free economy. The platform is increasing access to the adoption of climate solutions across a wide variety of essential technologies, including nature-based solutions, carbon removal, and sustainable aviation fuel.
Following the initial capital raise, CHOOOSE needed to rapidly develop a professional product team. To fulfill the deadlines and expectations of its clients, the team needed to be extremely quick, experienced, and easy to scale up over time. Our objective was to develop a platform that would allow employers and employees of large and small businesses to quickly and easily compensate for their carbon footprint, allowing them to have a positive impact on the environment.
The CHOOOSE team invited us to their Oslo headquarters for three days. This allowed us to engage more directly and learn about their dilemma. We investigated carbon footprint calculations and compensation, learned about mechanics, and were able to focus on a suitable interface design in a short period of time. After confirming our developers, the company decided to form a team with us with the intention of expanding over time. Our business collaborated with the CHOOOSE team as developers and UX/UI designers. The system is still adaptable and adjusts to the company’s growth. Due to our extensive expertise in a range of sectors, our team was able to meet the high expectations of CHOOOSE's clients' projects as well as the internal team's quality requirements. Hiring the whole crew within two weeks after the original approach enabled the business to begin new development fast while continuing its day-to-day operations uninterrupted. Furthermore, joining our team assisted them in lowering development costs while also doing more to battle climate change.
Employment.org
Employment.org is a US-based company that specializes in delivering tools helping its users to search for a job in the US market. Their job search engine has over 200.000 daily users and helped millions of people find a job over the years. Employment.org works with many high profile employers allowing them to connect with potential employees using precisely targeted ads thanks to dedicated ad portal tool.
They approached us with the challenge of building a new web application based on their previous experiences. The application had to be built using cutting edge technologies to match high-quality requirements. The search engine had to be fast, reliable and easy to scale, while also remaining familiar and intuitive for existing users.
We had to rebuild the platform to serve 5M users a month and instantly scale to handle unexpected peaks of traffic. The new application is ready and expected to launch in 2019 after a series of A/B tests that will ensure the best user experience and ad revenue. The platform is expected to match and exceed the current user base. Many new features are already in the development phase and new will be added after the site launches.
Siemens
Siemens is a huge international company in the energy, electrotechnical and telecommunications industries. However, one of its divisions focuses solely on financial services, and this is where our company helps with innovation. A couple of years ago we became a technological partner for Siemens Finance in Poland and we’ve been continuing the cooperation since then. Whenever the company needs to disrupt their processes, their products, or test and prototype their ideas, then eventually develop them into fully commercial solutions, Startup House is the team for the task.
DX
DX is a Norwegian company that offers its clients a full technology solution for event ticket sales, planning, and execution.
DX's major commercial aim was to expand outside of Norway. They needed to drastically improve the client experience. To achieve this goal, the company decided to improve both the technology and the design of its platform. DX has a broad list of clients in Norway and has been in the market for nearly 20 years. However, the majority of their platform's technology is dependent on old code, which can be tough to scale up. Furthermore, since user experience principles have changed dramatically in recent years, not to mention a corresponding change in customer habits and behavioural patterns, the client decided to refresh their product, incorporate the latest technological applications into it, and rebuild from scratch those components most in need of renovation. SDH planned and carried out a proper Product Discovery prior to the design and development process.
The discovery process involved launching the project, conducting in-depth interviews with users, running discovery workshops, prototyping, user testing, scoping and prioritizing the findings. We used several tools to help us complete the process, including in-depth interviews, Service Safari, personas identification, customer journeys, and ideation sessions.
The most critical decisions taken during the process were who we intended to target and what primary challenges we wanted to address with the DX solution. As a result, brainstorming and in-depth conversations with potential customers were crucial. The final outcome was a DX platform custom checkout and client-facing module. It wasn't only user-tested, but it was also based on extensive market research and insightful user feedback. As a result, DX had complete access to all of the elements required for productive product development.
VCLeaders
VCLeaders is an educational program for VC professionals. VCLeaders’ users are current and aspiring VCs, angel investors, fund managers, entrepreneurs, attorneys and advisors who want to improve their understanding of the venture capital ecosystem. VCLeaders’ goal is to educate the next generation of extraordinary investors who would boost the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in CEE.
Venture Capital investors appreciate good user experience, so VCLeaders team hired us to create an intuitive, user-friendly website with a design and user experience of the highest caliber. Our client stressed out that the solution would not have to be technically complex, so the product development process was not a huge challenge in this case.
We decided to dedicate the vast majority of our effort on good user experience and product design. Having agreed with the client on prioritization, we conducted a user story mapping workshop resulting in the top-notch interface design on the website. Also, the workshop enabled us to understand that Venture Capital funds want not only to be a part of the community but also to have access to valuable materials through the website.
We built the website that allows users to join the VCLeaders community and to search for e-books and articles recommended for venture capitalists. In order to make sure that content is up-to-date we created an admin panel for our client. Admin panel enables the client to post blog posts and update e-books available on the website.
Petricore
Petricore needed to design and build a secure-by-design network of cloud services that improves communication, optimizes operations and moves all of the data to the cloud. Making their people’s life easier quickly required hiring a team with expertise and vast technological experience as it wasn’t possible to build complex cloud-based solutions internally.
We designed, proposed and deployed a research and innovation plan. We needed to make the product quick to develop and scalable. We went with Ruby and React for speed of development and hosted everything on Google Cloud Platform to ensure stability and scalability. The apps needed to be capable of handling huge file sizes and complex data visualization to make the tool serve its users as best as possible.
The first tool we’ve built is called CT Viewer and it’s used for handling Computed Tomography scans of rock samples. Building it meant supporting and adjusting numerous versions of calculations for mapping the density of soil samples using Machine Learning. Then we’ve built Petricloud – a research collaboration tool and a cloud repository for lab data to streamline scientists’ communication. We had to understand the whole geo-research process, map out the information flows and find a way to optimize the client’s collaboration processes. The tool we built – PetriCloud – makes scientific collaboration across three continents seamless and lightning-fast.
Toyota
The company wanted to take its mobile app to the next level. The goal was to make the interface clear and transparent and at the same time visually appealing. The app’s users were not very tech-savvy so we had to make it as user-friendly as possible.
We advised the client to redesign the whole app in order to make it more user-friendly. Additionally, we added a new feature - a loyalty program based on the provided mockups. The program’s aim was to increase users' engagement in the product.
SocialHealth
GLP was searching for a tech partner that could deliver an MVP in under two weeks. The main challenge was defining the ideal scope, implementing and releasing the app in such a short time. Even with this time pressure, we started the project with remote workshops to define the user story map and dive deep into the user’s journey. We've gathered everyone involved in the project – from the founder to the development team – so that everyone could bring their viewpoint on board. During that meeting, we've changed the chosen technology and adapted the scope twice to make sure we could deliver on time and the application could be adopted by the Nigerian market. After the workshops, we were sure that everyone was on the same page and we could begin the implementation.
Nöffe (Digipig)
Nöffe approached us with the challenge of designing and building a mobile application integrated with an IoT device and a bank API to manage financial transactions. The application had to provide security and display information clearly. At the same time, it had to present a fresh, modern design and appeal to children’s tastes.
Before we dove into design and UX brainstorms, we needed to learn all about the limitations and challenges that came with the hardware and bank API. We then figured out the most frictionless user flow to make the initial setup as smooth as possible. From this, we created the visual language and started development. The IoT integration part posed challenges we had to handle by closely collaborating with the client’s hardware team.
The resulting MVP application was launched in app stores and users were introduced to it right away. Having implemented analytics from the very start, we immediately started diagnosing UX problems with the onboarding process that were causing users to quit the app at first use. Launching the app and inviting users so early helped us fix critical issues earlier and shorten the onboarding time by almost 75% in the first post-launch update.
MyFoodOffice
MyFoodOffice approached us with the task of building their product declarations app. We sat down with the team, created a juicy design and then focused on creating a database architecture, that would be ready for serious post-launch scaling. We have been with MyFoodOffice from the beginning and we are continuing our cooperation as the product is being developed with new features every few weeks.
Lexolve by Lawbotics
Lexolve wanted to solve everyday legal issues with an easy-to-use online tool that creates, sends, and tracks legal documents in one intuitive and easy-to-use platform. The greatest challenge was to automate the processes to serve the various scenarios and use-cases businesses face day-to-day.
To make the most of this great concept, we went on a one-week wireframing sprint to get a prototype right from the start. Then we merged creative forces with the product owner to provide a sound business plan and top-notch branding. Then we did the coding bit, got some valuable user feedback, and adjusted the result until everyone was happy — both the users and the product owner!
We designed the site to direct as much attention as possible to the easiness of using the service. With the superior, elegant interface, we could focus on presenting the content in a way that allows a visitor to easily understand every step of the process. Making the site clear-cut was one of our top priorities.
Startupmatcher + DNB
DNB NXT with its events, community and the one and only matchmaking tool takes startup accelerators to the next level. Startupmatcher once again teamed up with one of the best banking institutions available to empower the Norwegian and Nordic startup scene. They teamed up with us to make this project first-rate and we were more than happy to work on it.
The bank wanted to help all Nordic startups grow and teamed up with the matching platform to play a significant role in recruiting. “Being able to attract talented individuals that can contribute to growing your company is absolutely essential.” they said. And our team worked really hard to deliver the new features.
MAGNiTT
Due to extensive scaling and rapid development, MAGNiTT faced the challenge of having their platform not fully optimized for further expansion. The company needed someone from the outside to dive deep into the architecture, the database schema, and the code to get the best out of the platform. They wanted to find the best solution for planning their roadmap to meet their business needs and execute their plan in the most efficient way.
We started by getting a good understanding of what MAGNiTT is doing for its users. We wanted to get to the core value of the platform, to evaluate the importance of each feature, and on top of that to analyze if and how they influence users’ behavior and the company’s revenue. Then we decided to focus on creating the roadmap and advice on how to execute features from the backlog in the future. The last part was the most important for the client — the technology. We’ve worked together on how to take the existing platform, plus all the findings from the previous steps, to make it into a better place for MENA startupers.
The result of the first two parts of the cooperation was an exhaustive report on the business, the product, and product development and management, as well as multiple rounds of workshops on tech & product ownership. The final part ended up with the series of consultations on the company’s processes related to development, recruitment needs, technology integrations and further development of the platform. Our goal was to help MAGNiTT become a fully scalable international startup community platform that is exceptional in terms of technology.
Maindeck
With Maindeck, the goal was to build the first ever platform covering the entire dry-docking process, from first inspection to final report. The functionalities would allow ship managers to efficiently collaborate, receive price quotations and manage their dry-docking projects with modern web technology.
Once we teamed up with Maindeck, their goal became our goal. We established a fail-proof roadmap and roll out key deliverables at every step: prototyping, design, MVP, and most important of all: a beautiful, functional platform at the end.
Reviews
the project
Mobile App Dev for Charity Curation Platform
The time difference wasn’t a big issue."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and position.
I am the founder and ceo of lily
Describe what your company does in a single sentence.
We’re aiming to radically modernize how our generation donates to charity. Lily is a mobile app that curates the world’s most cost-effective, evidence-based charities and lets users track their donation results in real-time in a personalized dashboard
What specific goals or objectives did you hire Startup Development House to accomplish?
- Launch mobile app
How did you find Startup Development House?
Online Search
Why did you select Startup Development House over others?
High ratings, Good value for cost, Company values aligned
What was the size of Startup Development House’s team?
2-5 Employees
Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.
Lily hired Startup Development House to define the vision for the first iteration of the product and create a proof of concept to get some traction with the project. My goals were to prioritize the product scope and quickly develop a PoC to test and validate the concept with real users. It’s also a starting point in conversations with investors and stakeholders.
What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
- MVP launch
- Feature quality
Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?
Startup Development House has designed a structured process for delivering products, which consists of two parts: the product-oriented phase and the delivery phase. When working on the product concept we worked on prioritizing the product scope and used Miro to visualize the features and organize the content. Figma was used to create the designs and align on feedback. For the development phase, we used Jira and Google Drive tools.
The team was working according to the SCRUM methodology. The delivery/development was divided into 3 sprints. The communication was smooth, we mostly used Slack. The time difference wasn’t a big issue. The project team was supported by the Account Manager as well as the SDH co-founder. (Tools: Google Drive tools, Miro, Jira, Figma, Slack, AppCenter)
What was your primary form of communication with Startup Development House?
Virtual Meeting, Email or Messaging App
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Speed. Learning curve. Style. Communication
Are there any areas for improvement or something Startup Development House could have done differently?
No
the project
Mobile App Dev for Productivity Solutions Company
“Startup Development House understood our requirements brilliantly, and the delivery was flawless.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the frontend team lead, UIUX designer, and project manager at Aiforsite, a Swiss company founded in 2016 and headquartered in Finland. Our company's mission is to tackle productivity issues in the construction industry, so we improve productivity using different AI tools, IoT, and other productivity solutions.
What challenge were you trying to address with Startup Development House?
They helped us develop a mobile application. Our main challenge was that our engineers had to do everything manually. They had to go to the construction site, take a GoPro camera, record there, bring the camera back, put the SD card on their computers, access the material, and upload it. This process was hectic and time-consuming, so we wanted to build a mobile app to optimize it.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Startup Development House helped us develop a mobile app that allows our engineers to record on-site easier. This app does three things; it records, transfers, and uploads data onto the cloud. Additionally, it is compatible with Insta360 devices.
Initially, we provided Startup Development House with documentation detailing all our specifications, including designs, prototypes, and other assets we already had. Then, they developed the software behind the app using React Native. We created the Android version of this app to start with, but we’ll collaborate with Startup Development House to build the iOS version in the future.
What is the team composition?
We worked with two people from Startup Development House: a lead developer and a senior developer.
How did you come to work with Startup Development House?
We found their profile on Google when searching for software development agencies in the Baltic region.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent around €72,000–€80,000 (approximately $77,000–$86,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
This project started in January 2022 and ended in January 2023.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Thanks to the mobile app that Startup Development House helped us build, our engineers can now record and upload content onto the cloud seamlessly, so the documentation happens faster. In the last month, we have done internal testing in Finland and London, and two things have stood out.
Firstly, the app has improved our business process, reducing the waste of time for our engineers. This improvement has contributed to our company’s carbon footprint, reducing carbon emissions because the engineers use less fuel.
Secondly, the app has given us a competitive advantage. There are many competitors with different solutions to document construction work. Still, this mobile app has given us a more competitive edge.
How did Startup Development House perform from a project management standpoint?
Startup Development House’s communication was awesome, and they delivered everything on time. Throughout the project, the project manager constantly asked for feedback on how the developers were performing. Additionally, we asked for many revisions, and they didn't hesitate to do them. As for collaboration tools, we used Slack for communication, as well as Jira for project management, ticketing, and backlog management.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Startup Development House understood our requirements brilliantly, and the delivery was flawless.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There was nothing they could have improved on.
Any advice for potential customers?
I highly recommend working with Startup Development House because they're professional, and the way they handle projects is top-notch.
the project
Mobile App Prototype for Blockchain Authentication Startup
“They over-delivered for the cost.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m an executive at a startup that uses blockchain technology around authentication for inventory items.
What challenge were you trying to address with Startup Development House?
We were getting to a point where we wanted to bring a working prototype, answers regarding user testing, and technical recommendations to investors.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Startup Development House developed a working prototype of our iOS mobile app. The purpose was to demonstrate our core business attributes around use case scenarios. The prototype also demonstrated user workflows, how the app would display inventory, and how those inventories could be transferred between users. The team used Figma to build the prototype.
What is the team composition?
We worked directly with a project manager, a product designer, a product manager, and a mobile app developer. In total, 10–12 teammates from Startup Development House were involved in our project.
How did you come to work with Startup Development House?
I was at a conference in Austin, Texas, and Startup Development House had a booth there. At the time, I was searching for a development company, and a relative had suggested I look at Eastern European options because we were trying to manage the cost factor. Although we entertained some other development companies, Startup Development House’s approach to the solution was a deciding factor.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent just under $30,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from June–September 2022.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Startup Development House had a great approach to the process and communication. Ours was a very unique project that was hard to translate and understand using existing technologies. I appreciated the team’s way of uncovering the solution, breaking it down to its core elements, and translating them. They helped us clarify our goals by forcing us to articulate our user workflows and what the product does and doesn’t do. Moreover, they over-delivered for the cost.
How did Startup Development House perform from a project management standpoint?
They stayed 100% on budget and met their deadlines. We never had any issues with their time management; I was more worried about our side staying on track. The team was always there for meetings and on top of scheduling. We mostly communicated through Google Meet and phone calls. We also used Google Drive, Miro, Slack, and email.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I was impressed with Startup Development House’s collaborative tools and communication. Every member of their team added and participated in understanding what we were trying to do. This was the first time we presented our idea to that large of an audience, and I had concerns because of the distance, timeframe, and possible language barrier. However, we had no communication issues at all.
Are there any areas they could improve?
The only thing they could have improved was understanding our boundaries of what they were asking us for to avoid mission creep. Sometimes, their team got off task figuring out those boundaries. However, I circled back with them, and we resolved the issue.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
What we found helpful was not holding back feedback, questions, or hesitations. The earlier you get those aspects in front of them, the quicker their response. Early on, we second-guessed guessing ourselves and didn’t say things as early as we should have. Once we shifted that approach, we had no issues with Startup Development House.
the project
Custom Software Dev for Cyber Risk Analytics Firm
“Their strength is their ability to understand our strategy as a business so they can anticipate our needs.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the VP of operations of a cyber risk analytics firm. I’m in charge of all the aspects of running our business and market strategy.
What challenge were you trying to address with Startup Development House?
We were selling a solution that required manual processing to deliver. We needed to take what we had in the market and transform it into a scalable SaaS application.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Startup Development House has transformed our offering into a SaaS application. The app can understand cyber risks and how to reduce them. They’ve designed and developed it using JavaScript and Figma.
Initially, we had a working prototype. We started the process by doing workshops to work through what we wanted to build. They took our concept and modernized it. Once we completed that process, we started the actual development.
What is the team composition?
We have about nine people on the team, including project managers, frontend and backend developers, QA people, and designers.
How did you come to work with Startup Development House?
We researched a lot and interviewed about a dozen outsourcing companies worldwide. Startup Development House was well-rounded, and they instilled in us the confidence that they could achieve what we needed.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent between $300,000–$750,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in August 2020, and our relationship is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We measure success with the marketplace’s response. Since we released their product version, we’ve tripled our sales pace.
On the other hand, the software performs spectacularly. We had complex proprietary algorithms, and they’ve converted them into a high-performing application. Our customers are always impressed by its clean and modern presentation; we always get comments. Also, Startup Development House is good at taking feedback and constructive advice to improve continually. We have a responsive and engaged relationship.
How did Startup Development House perform from a project management standpoint?
They do well; they’re an extension of our team. They’ve broken up the complex project into segments, and everything has been transparent. Initially, they were uncertain about their projections, but they were very open about it. Now, their estimations and deliverables are very high quality.
We use Jira as a tool and always communicate through Teams and Google Meet. Additionally, we chat and send emails.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their strength is their ability to understand our strategy as a business so they can anticipate our needs.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They weren’t documenting everything in the beginning, so some things slipped. However, they responded and improved a lot in their processes and project management. We’ve gotten to a point where nothing is left hanging.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
If you engage with them and something’s not going well, communicate it transparently. If you provide candid feedback, they’ll address it and get to where you need.
the project
Custom Software Dev for Construction Solution Tech Startup
“It’s been a pleasant experience — having a complete team has been really reassuring.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the CEO of Proptly, a Norwegian tech startup. I started the company with a former colleague in Oslo; we both had a background in data science.
What challenge were you trying to address with Startup Development House?
We intended to create a software platform for the construction industry, but we didn’t have the required development competencies.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Startup Development House has built the platform from scratch. Initially, my colleague and I spent 7–8 months doing wireframes in Figma. We did 7–8 iterations on how the application would look, and Startup Development House has brought it to life. They’ve given us liberty on the color palettes and design elements, but they’ve helped us find the best solution. We use several technologies, but the main ones are React for the frontend and Node.js for the backend.
Additionally, they provide maintenance and hosting services.
What is the team composition?
We’ve worked with six people: three developers, one designer, one QA engineer, and a project manager.
How did you come to work with Startup Development House?
We searched on Clutch, spent time reading the page on different vendors, and interviewed 12 companies. Startup Development House had a good rating and was the best company we talked to, so we chose them.
How much have you invested with them?
So far, we’ve instead $55,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in April 2021, and our relationship is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Delivering on the deadline we’ve communicated to our investors is crucial for us. We’re aiming to have the pilot ready on October 1st.
How did Startup Development House perform from a project management standpoint?
We’ve set up sprints since the beginning, and they have transparent pricing. We know what resources we get and how much capacity they’re assigned. On the other hand, we use Jira for the development and project management phases. Our chief product officer constantly communicates with their project manager. Also, we use Slack as our main tool to discuss minor issues.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We have a designated team working with us. Several other vendors presented options where they’d do the final product in-house. However, we have a team that works as an integrated part of our project. So far, it’s been a pleasant experience — having a complete team has been really reassuring.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We thought they’d spend more time communicating with us. Maybe they could have a customer success person to check in constantly and ensure everything is alright.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be clear on your expectations. They communicate directly and are able to deliver.
the project
Web Dev & Design for Product & Service Deals Company
"The quality of the team and their thinking were superior."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the founder of NegotiateNow, a platform which helps people get better deals on products and services they want for themselves and their friends (social commerce) through matching these people with professional negotiators.
For what projects/services did your company hire Startup Development House, and what were your goals?
Product discovery iteration and process, as well as website development.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
Referral. Very impressed by the team as I compared and met with potential vendors.
Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.
Startup Development House provided a full Product Discovery, Design and Delivery service to understand, research, challenge and build my business idea. During Product Discovery, they helped me to understand the lean start-up way of product development with initial research, discovery workshops and many hours of discussion and iteration. After Discovery workshops they helped me to build a high-level user flow, prioritized product roadmap and created production ready Hi-Fi designs which is our guideline in the ongoing rapid MVP development. We choose a no-code / low-code technology for delivery as this provides us the maximum speed and efficiency.
How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
Product discovery phase:
- 2 Product Manager
- 1 Product Designer Product
Delivery phase:
- 1 No-code / Low-code developer // Product Manager
- 1 Front-end Developer
- 1 Project Manager
- 1 Quality Assurance engineer
Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?
We aimed for a rapid MVP process which gave us the possibility to deliver the desired MVP in less than 4 months in which we also did a full Product Discovery, Scoping and Design.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.
For Product Discovery we used: Google Drive tools, Miro, Loom For Delivery: Google Drive tools, Miro, Loom, Jira For Communication: email, Slack, Google Meet and phone
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
The quality of the team and their thinking were superior. They are thought/strategic partners. Very experienced. Very easy to work with. Very efficient.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
No, I have been truly happy and pleased with the work and quality.
the project
Web Design & Development for Migration Marketplace
“It is remarkable how genuinely committed they are to the project, offering a custom-tailored approach.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the founder and CEO of an independent marketplace for global migration.
What challenge were you trying to address with Startup Development House?
We wanted to partner with a software development firm from the very early stages of our company to build out and conceptualize a prototype of our platform. Eventually, our goal was to develop an MVP product.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Initially, we worked with Startup Development House on very intense workshops. We met for two weeks, three days a week, for eight-hour product workshops to figure out how to develop the MVP and define the main aspects of the product. Their team was instrumental during these early stages in defining the value proposition of our company and our product.
During these workshops, Startup Development House also helped us map out the phases of the development process. Then, they built a prototype of our platform, marking the end of our initial engagement.
After the initial engagement, we decided to work with Startup Development House on the actual development of our site, so they’ve been custom coding our platform since then. Although we already have a working product, the more complex stages of this process are yet to come. As for the technology stack, we use Strapi as the CMS and SendGrid for email automation.
Our product is a marketplace capable of hosting an indefinite number of members, and it has several dynamic features. For example, members can reach out and connect with other members individually. It also has a main page for easily filtering our several destinations and a dynamic content creation and display feature for showing migration-related articles where we need them to appear.
What is the team composition?
At any given time, six people from Startup Development House are working on the project. Their team includes a UX designer, frontend developers, and backend engineers.
How did you come to work with Startup Development House?
We found them on Clutch. I did my due diligence and called and compared different engineering firms from around the world. In these comparisons, the cost, the reviews, and the firm’s areas of expertise were my main focus points. I had an idea, a concept, and a vision on a Word document, and I was looking at who was in the best position to transform that input into something real.
How much have you invested in them?
We’ve spent around $100,000 so far.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them around April 2021, and it is an ongoing engagement.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The platform that Startup Development House has developed speaks about their quality work by itself. It is custom-coded, and the source code is of high quality. We now have exactly what we need from a basic product, and its design is incredible because the platform integrates our brand seamlessly on its frontend.
After we launched the working product, we were able to activate members immediately, which has helped us build upon our membership base and grow our marketplace model. Additionally, we will retain the intellectual property after the project is done, which is very valuable.
How did Startup Development House perform from a project management standpoint?
Startup Development House has delivered on all fronts within the timelines they’ve set. From the start, they were very diligent in creating a development roadmap, being very clear and upfront about the hours they would dedicate to each phase of the project and defining each phase’s deliverables. We use Slack for communication.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Startup Development House’s dedication and commitment to the project are impressive. They’re very professional, but it is remarkable how genuinely committed they are to the project, offering a custom-tailored approach.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Get to know them and see if they’re the right fit for you. What they lay out in an engagement proposal is what they stick to, so be sure that there will be no surprises.
the project
Product Discovery Research for SaaS Company
“Startup Development House’s project management is impressive — they run a tight ship.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a department head at a SaaS company that delivers a platform for cinemas and concert venues to organize their operations.
What challenge were you trying to address with Startup Development House?
We were building a new platform with modern technology for cinemas specifically, and we hired Startup Development House to help us with the discovery phase.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Startup Development House is helping us with product discovery regarding what cinemas need and want from their websites. The team collaborates with two of our product managers for this project. The goal is to help us get from the MVP to the product market and to integrate their work into a larger platform that we’re building.
They’ve helped us organize user personas by doing interviews with both our B2B customers and ticket buyers. The team has created mock-ups and prototypes to use for testing during the interviews. From there, they compile the information into reports, Miro boards, and sketches.
What is the team composition?
We’ve worked with 4–5 people from Startup Development House, including a product manager, a designer who creates mock-ups, and a developer who makes prototypes.
How did you come to work with Startup Development House?
We’d had a collaboration with Startup Development House right before the COVID-19 pandemic started, and we were very happy with the results. When this project came up, we reached out to them again.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent around €50,000 (approximately $54,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in October 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We appreciate Startup Development House’s process; they have strong project leadership and good product managers. Overall, the team is really good at project research. Thanks to their work, we’ve discovered possible new features we can implement to make it easier for consumers to buy tickets, specifically for groups. We’ve also reinforced some assumptions we had beforehand. With data to back up our ideas, we can confidently move forward.
How did Startup Development House perform from a project management standpoint?
They’re way better than us at meeting deadlines. If they can’t meet a deadline, they’re very upfront about it and have conversations well in advance. Their communication is great; we’ve connected on Slack, our primary tool, and we send the occasional email. The team uses Jira and Miro for project management.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Startup Development House’s project management is impressive — they run a tight ship. They hire out entire product teams so that any business can go to them with a product idea, and they can develop it. The team does their work well, ranging from product discovery to implementation. Startup Development House is also really efficient; the amount of work they can do with a few people on each team is outstanding.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There isn’t anything they need to improve about their setup. We’re trying to integrate them into our team, which has been hard because they’re optimized for having an entire product team and not being part of a platform. However, that’s on us and not them, to be honest. We knew it would be hard beforehand, and we’re trying to make it work.
Additionally, we have cultural differences, and we’ve had some friction in that area. If they should improve something, it’s the cultural fit when working with companies in other regions.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Let Startup Development House run the project! Don’t try to do project management because they’re really good at it.
the project
E-Commerce Web App for Home Equipment Rental Company
"They’re highly engaged and willing to understand our problems."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there?
I’m the CEO of LEID.NO, a self-service rental platform for home equipment.
What challenge were you trying to address with Startup Development House?
We needed help in creating our e-commerce web app where our customers could book and pay for objects they want to rent.
What was the scope of their involvement?
During the discovery phase, they helped us create our customer journey map, user profiles, and more. After that, they built the MVP on React, and they integrated an inventory system so that we could have control over our stocks. Customers could rent our products, and they could also buy accessories. In addition, we wanted them to integrate a smooth customer experience. Currently, they provide maintenance and development work as needed.
What is the team composition?
The team changes over the different phases of the engagement, but we've had two project leads, a front- and backend developer, and a designer working with us for the majority of the project.
How did you come to work with Startup Development House?
They emailed us, and we set up a meeting. One of the main deciding factors for us was their approach to startups. We also felt that they were the right choice based on what they presented and the impression that we had about them.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent €150,000 (approximately $170,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working together around April 2020, and we continue to collaborate.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We now have a functional platform and we now own the code of our e-commerce app, unlike before when we had to rent another platform from someone else. We definitely chose the right company to create our MVP.
How did Startup Development House perform from a project management perspective?
The MVP development project has been extremely smooth. They’re highly engaged and willing to understand our problems. We communicate via Slack and we use Jira.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re consistent, and they deliver what they promise and match it with our budget.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They could improve their process from the development phase to the maintenance phase.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
They’re an awesome team to work with if you're a startup. They’ll make you feel like your team has expanded.
the project
Mobile & Web App Dev for Marine Agriculture Company
"I’m very happy because they quickly respond to our needs."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the CEO of Qnappen, an IT company based in Norway that provides B2B services. I look after the day-to-day operations of the company. I'm also very involved with the product we're using and with gathering user feedback.
What challenge were you trying to address with Startup Development House?
We needed someone to help us with mobile and web app development.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Startup Development House built a task management mobile and web app for the salmon and fish farming industry using PostgreSQL. Users can give feedback if they encounter any problems or issues with our platforms. We’ve been using the platforms for six months since the completion of the MVP, and we’re currently making sure that it works in our industry and that the functionality that we want is reflected on our platforms.
We’re collecting company-wide feedback since all levels of the organization are benefitting from the platforms. More importantly, we plan to add more features once we collect sufficient data from users. Our company is also looking for new customers that can benefit from the platform.
What is the team composition?
We’re working with a frontend developer, project manager, product manager, product designer, full-stack JavaScript developer, a senior Ruby on Rails developer, and an engineer.
How did you come to work with Startup Development House?
We were looking at some developers in Norway and other places. During that time, a consultant agency that we had been in contact with and one of the advisors there talked about Startup Development House and recommended them. We did interviews with several companies, but we felt like Startup Development House was the right choice for us based on what they presented and the impression that we had about their team.
How much have you invested in them?
We’ve spent €100,000 (approximately $115,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in June 2020, and it’s ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The user feedback has been very positive because our users are able to utilize our platforms in their job. In fact, our platforms help our external stakeholders to organize their day. Startup Development House has also been able to identify a bug, and they’ve been able to fix it. Overall, they’ve done very well in all areas.
How did Startup Development House perform from a project management standpoint?
Their project management process has been excellent. Startup Development House has a structure in place, and we follow it. The team has a vision of how they will accomplish things to help with cost estimates and other details of the project. Usually, they finish sections of the project and recheck it. After that, they proceed to the next part.
We use email about 80% of the time, and we use Zoom for video conferencing. On top of that, we have telephone calls with them, and they have a platform for sharing information that we’ve used at the beginning for project development.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They have good communication skills, and I’m very happy because they quickly respond to our needs. When they set up meetings, they seldom change them. If they do change it, usually because it’s the right thing to do and it makes more sense to have a meeting later on.
I also like that I could meet their whole team when it’s necessary. Instead of me repeating things or a project manager relaying our needs, there are often several people involved in our meeting. Above all, they consistently follow up.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They should just keep on doing what they’re doing because it works for us. Our experience has been very good so there are no areas that they need to improve.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Based on our experience, I’d highly recommend working with Startup Development House. They’re very knowledgeable and professional, and they understand their customer’s needs because they’re good at listening.
Thanks to Startup Development House’s efforts, the client has tripled their sales pace. Also, internal and external stakeholders are impressed with the application's quality — it performs exceptionally well and looks modern and clean. Overall, the team leads the project and works as close partners.