Vinnove

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of an app-based service. We connect student-athletes with recruiters in the hopes of achieving scholarships and gaining college admissions.

What challenge were you trying to address with Vinnove?

We needed help with app development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped me build my iOS and Android app. There were five different phases in the project. They were involved from the initial design phases to the production stages. We’re currently doing testing.  

What is the team composition?

We work with their CEO and their team lead. 

How did you come to work with Vinnove?

I found them on Clutch. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $15,000–$20,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2021, and our work is ongoing. 
 

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

We don’t have any metrics yet since we just launched. The team was very attentive in listening to what my vision was and translating it into a workable app. They do a great job of focusing on the UI and aesthetics. We haven’t experienced any bugs or crashes.

How did Vinnove perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent. The team meets all their deadlines, they stay within all of their budgetary restrictions. They’re very easy to communicate with, and we have frequent meetings. We use Trello, Google Meet, text, phone calls, and emails to stay in touch.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very personable. We don’t feel like we’re working with a super large company that might not have our best interest in mind.

They’re very attentive, no matter how big your company or project is. They always treat my project like it’s the most important one they have.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No, Vinnove will handle it all.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I have an application that allows people to post animals for rehoming and look for pets they want. I’m the founder of this pet locator application. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Vinnove?

I needed help fixing my app so that it could get launched on the App Store.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They redeveloped the app in order to make it meet the app store requirements.
It was developed completely from scratch, so they deleted the old one. They also designed the app and handled both front- and backend development. It's natively built for Android and iOS.
The app is social, allowing users to post animals they wish to rehome. Others can search for pets in their area, using their zip code. The app’s features include direct messaging, as well as the ability to post photos and descriptions, and share posts to Facebook and Instagram. They currently provide maintenance and support.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Claudia (Co-Founder). She oversaw their developers.

How did you come to work with Vinnove?

I found them on Clutch. I felt confident they were the right team after speaking to Claudia. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2019–January 2021 on development. They are still doing maintenance.

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

The initial redevelopment of the app took roughly two months, and the new app development took three months. They made the app more appealing and user-friendly. Ratings have gone up since the new app launched.

How did Vinnove perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Innovation, which allowed me to see the development process before the app was actually developed. They provided bi-weekly updates regarding the prototype, which was on my phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The engagement with them was far superior to the experience I had with the previous developers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There isn't anything I can think of right now that they need to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give specific direction, and don’t be afraid to tell them if you want something different. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a small tech startup that operates in the community development space. Our tool empowers individuals to meet and get plugged into their communities. We target the young adult population with the 21–40s demographic in mind.

What challenge were you trying to address with Vinnove?

Vinnove has supported us with product development. We had a prototype ready to go, and we brought Vinnove on to transform it into a full-fledged product.   

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vinnove deepened our initial prototype to develop web and mobile apps. They laid out their technical action plan before building out the apps from scratch.

The project is still underway. We’ve worked with them for every step of the way, and we’ve given them some creative flexibility. They’ve provided us with recommendations, which have really benefitted us.

They used InVision for the prototyping process and Flutter for mobile app development. I’m not sure what they used for the web component.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked directly with two people.

How did you come to work with Vinnove?

They were recommended to me by a friend. We’d talked to several other developers in the area, but we were drawn to their strong portfolio and their kindness. They seemed to quickly understand what we wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

At this point, we’ve spent over $5,000. The total amount will be a little higher.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around September of 2019, and it’s an ongoing engagement.

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

While our project is too early to have yielded metrics, they’ve been phenomenal to work with. They strike the delicate balance between achieving our desired end product and laying out all the different options we have. They’re communicative in allowing us to pick what would be best for us.

How did Vinnove perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re fantastic. They’ve been incredibly responsive and proactive about reaching out to us and providing us with status updates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re fun and easy to work with on top of being very effective in their delivery.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everything has been very smooth so far, so no, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They handle themselves and their relationships very well, so I can’t imagine there being any problems for anybody.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Carpet Management, a commercial floor covering company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Vinnove?

We were interested in creating an app to help our business. We wanted to have a download of every project that we had going on. It needed to list all the correspondence, purchase orders, plans, proposals, and invoices. It was also important for us to see everything out in the field while we were on a job site.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed our iOS app from scratch. It’s an app to be used internally.

What is the team composition?

I work with the owner directly. I don’t know how many people were working on it.

How did you come to work with Vinnove?

They were recommended to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent under $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from summer through fall 2019.

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

It’s gone very nicely. They’ve been awesome to work with and very responsive. If I’m out on the field, I can pull the project up and look at everything right then and there. It’s a virtual file. If I’m in a meeting with a contractor who's asking questions, I'm able to provide immediate answers.

How did Vinnove perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was handled via email with the owner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very responsive. Whenever I’ve needed anything, it’s been a quick response. I don’t have to wait a day or two or follow up with them about communication.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, it was a wonderful experience. We’re going to use them on several other projects in the future.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Think about what you need ahead of time. That way, they won’t have to figure out what you want. Having your ideas set will make the process a lot easier.

When we told them how and what we wanted, they were able to adapt and build solutions we didn't think of before. Having a full grasp ahead of time really helps things move along.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the founders of a startup called GroundUp. We’re involved in the creation of a  technology-based communication platform geared toward buyers and suppliers for construction material purchases. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Vinnove?

I was looking for a company that could help us create buyer and supplier side apps. We also wanted a partner that could help us with marketing the product after launch.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’re developing an app used by buyers and suppliers. The two separate apps, one for each party, were created using a hybrid approach to make them available for iOS and Android users. On the app, buyers can make lists of construction materials they need to purchase, and it will be sent out to the suppliers in the area.

After receiving that material request, they respond with pricing. Then, the buyer can sift through the pricing options and select an option that best suits their needs. They can complete the final transaction in-app, too. 

The logo, colors, and basic designs were provided by our team. However, the end designs, layout, and code is entirely their work. 

How did you come to work with Vinnove?

We originally found them on Clutch. After talking to several companies about the development, it was difficult finding a local company within our budget. Vinnove was on Clutch and seemed like a perfect middle ground. I reached out with them from there. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them In May 2019, and the project is ongoing.

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

We have a finished prototype that our salespeople have been showing to suppliers. In order for this model to work, we need to get them on board first. Of the 80 companies we’ve engaged with, the vast majority are fully on board with the idea and are excited about the launch. They’re signed up for updates, so they’re notified when we’re ready.  

How did Vinnove perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re actually pushing us to complete tasks, which is exciting. Seeing the constant progress being made and their level of commitment has been encouraging. We meet weekly and discuss our progress between teams. That’s been phenomenal. We meet in-person for the most part, but use Skype as a remote option. I can’t say enough good things about their ability to communicate. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They showed initiative and a willingness to go above and beyond. We have a contract that details what they’re offering us. They’ve greatly exceeded what was proposed in their offerings and services. They’re willing to go outside the scope of work and make the extra effort to be successful. For instance, they research, get physically involved, and meet with people on their personal time. We appreciate all of that.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. We’ve been very happy with the experience so far.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company has a notification app. Once it’s set up, users can check in once a day. When users don’t check the app, it sends out free texts to people. It’s the only app that does something when the end users do nothing.

What challenge were you trying to address with Vinnove?

We hired Vinnove to build our notification app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Before we started the programming phase, we figured out the design, colors, and images we wanted first. They also gave us a form to fill out to kickstart the creative process. After that, we had brainstorming sessions where they asked questions to understand what we really wanted and how to condense our big and vague idea into something good.

Then, we proceeded to the development phase where they did eight different wireframes to see how our app was going to look like. Once we agreed to what they produced, they created the code. We weren’t closely involved in the project until they published the app on App Store and Google Play Store. Once that was done, they asked us to ensure the text they placed was good.

The Vinnove team successfully finished our app. They also gave us free technical support for a month. They now continue to provide technical support and implement a lot of fixes. They also create features we need in the app. So far, they've helped us integrate new languages into our platform.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with Claudia (Managing Director) who serves as our project manager and James (Co-Founder & CTO) who serves as our creative director.

How did you come to work with Vinnove?

We spoke to a couple of companies, and they were out of our price range. Then, I found Vinnove recommended on another website. We reached out to them because they were local, and they weren’t a big company. After our initial phone call, engaging with them sounded promising. They also had a sense of urgency that we didn’t find with other companies. In the end, we found them very easy to work with.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $32,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2020, and we continue to collaborate.

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

The team asked intelligent questions that have helped us identify what we really wanted to see on our app. Thanks to them, we now have an app that’s extremely simple, attractive, and easy to use. However, it's also an absolute monster on the backend because of its great technologies. We’ve also received positive comments from our end users.

I also like that they won’t work on things that they aren’t passionate about. Rather than doing that, they’d suggest going to someone else if they don’t think that they can give justice to our project.

How did Vinnove perform from a project management standpoint?

Vinnove has been great at telling us the project’s stages and how they can affect our timeline. On top of that, they’ve been very responsive. We usually get replies from them within the same day. Moreover, they haven’t missed a single deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re always available no matter what time of the day. In addition, they’ve made us feel like they have our back. We don’t feel insecure or feel like nobody cares about what we want. Above all, they’re excited about our project and they’re not just in it for the money.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve had communication problems before, mainly because we didn’t fully understand each other at times. As a result, they’ve gone completely off the rails in another direction during those times. However, I don’t think the person who didn’t get us is still working with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communicate and list all your questions so that you’re not constantly interrupting the project’s workflow. The more you can figure out what you want, the less they have to work on finding what you want. Furthermore, when they submit something, respond quickly so that the project will go faster.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own a sneaker company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Vinnove?

I needed someone to develop a mobile app for me.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vinnove has developed a mobile app, which is available on Android and iOS. It has e-commerce capabilities. The apps are live, and the team continues to update them.

What is the team composition?

I work with James (Managing Partner) and Claudia (Managing Director).

How did you come to work with Vinnove?

I found them when I was looking for local web developers on Google. I chose Vinnove because they seemed really professional.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in April 2020, and it’s ongoing.

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

A lot of people have downloaded the apps. They’ve done a fantastic job and exceeded my expectations. I love how they’ve gone about the entire process. 

How did Vinnove perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is outstanding. Vinnove is very professional and communicative.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Vinnove is a team of genuine people who actually love what they're doing. Additionally, their processes are efficient and effective.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything critical to say about their work — they’ve done an awesome job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work closely with the Vinnove team, and be responsive and open to collaboration.