Kamino

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CTO of 28labs Inc. We work in the healthcare industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kamino?

We needed additional help for mobile iOS software development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the project with a kickoff meeting. They’re developing an iOS mobile application that provides AI-powered health coaching. They’re building the app based on designs that we provided them.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with one developer from their team.

How did you come to work with Kamino?

I originally got their info from colleagues. Then, I went to Clutch and read a lot of good reviews of them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in May 2018 and work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still in development so we don't have any data yet, but they're a really great company. They focus on solving problems. If we ever have any bugs or other issues, they address it right away.

How did Kamino perform from a project management standpoint?

They use a project management tool to track everything. We use Slack to communicate, which is really convenient.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of work stands out. They specialize in mobile development and they’re really good at what they do.

Any advice for potential customers?

Don't waste your time with freelancers or other agencies—go with Kamino.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Head of App Development at GenLan, a Slovenian company specializing in two-factor authentication solutions. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kamino?

We already had a working product but we wanted to expand to a mobile app based on customer feedback. We don't have in-house engineers for mobile development so we had to search for outside vendors and landed on Kamino. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to build a mobile app for iOS and Andriod.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

When we were searching for vendors we felt that Kamino had the most competitive pricing and skill level. In our first few meetings with them, we found Kamino to be serious and knowledgeable, which was what we needed.

Describe the project in detail.

In our first discussions, we laid out what app functions we wanted and how it should look. Based on those talks the first designs were developed and we established our workflow. This was our first time developing a mobile app and Kamino was great at giving us feedback that helped us solve some design flaws we would have otherwise missed.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with the project manager and the developer. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The application was just launched and we are still waiting for our first metrics, however our existing customers and partners have responded positively to its functionality and modern look.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was great. They really know what they are doing and were able to almost always keep to our timeline.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The company is small, but really young and friendly. They have a lot of knowledge that was particularly helpful for creating this kind of app. Being able to work directly with the developer was really helpful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Melon & Lime, which is a startup company making designer yoga mats. Through the course of a three-month acceleration program, we developed a connected yoga mat that tracks different aspects of a user’s practice.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kamino?

We had to make a proof-of-concept prototype—both the hardware and software—in a short period of time. The challenge was to create a simple yet functional app that responds to commands and signals coming from a physical product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope of the project was rather small but Kamino developed the app from scratch. Since it was a proof-of-concept app, we never released it. The app works in connection to a hardware product that uses BLE [Bluetooth low energy] to connect to the app. Their task was to develop 4 screens: the home screen showing the number of minutes the user has spent on the mat, two call-to-action buttons, and an overview of past sessions; a simple tracking screen; a tracking screen with a guided video exercise; and a debug screen.

How did you come to work with Kamino?

It was very important to us that the company we chose had the necessary IoT [Internet of Things] knowledge, and were able to execute the project in a very short time and within our budget estimate.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested approximately $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in May 2017 and ended in June 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There are no numbers to share yet since the hardware product is still in development. The purpose of our collaboration was to have a prototype that we can show to our partners and potential future investors. The product received great feedback and we might continue working with Kamino if we get an investment.

How did Kamino perform from a project management standpoint?

They are very professional and responsive. They were very fast at fixing minor issues and delivered everything on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m glad that it was very easy to communicate with them and that they were fast at informing us of any additional time or costs caused by changes. Effective communication, I think, is often a problem with developers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing really, except from the general impression that development work is overrated in comparison to other types of work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a company that is developing a game similar to Pokémon GO. It motivates kids to go outside and be active with the use of technology. We have six FTE [full-time equivalent] and about ten outsourced employees. Our company is based in Boston, and we have a strong partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kamino?

We needed a strong and reliable partner who would be able to provide the full solution for our game in Boston.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope of the project was to develop the iOS augmented reality game. It works via various interaction options: iBeacons, GPS locations, and the object recognition technology that we developed together with MIT. Kamino helped us to develop the full project from UX [user experience], connecting us with a graphic designer. They also tested the product and published it on the App Store. Kamino managed the communication with MIT and the graphic designers.

How did you come to work with Kamino?

Kamino employees have been supporting us from 2015, so it was natural for us to select them for research and development.

How much have you invested with Kamino?  

We’ve spent $50,000 for 2–3 FTE.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in November 2016 and was finished by February 2017. We are still working with Kamino on our new games.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Kamino delivered the project within the agreed budget, timeframe, and quality. They were hands on with product testing and published the product on App Store. The new product gave us visibility in the Greater Boston area. We were selected by the New England Venture Capital Association as one of its top 80 promising startups.

What did you find most impressive about Kamino?

They were able to provide us with the strategic view on technology trends and user needs. They have a large pool of freelancers for game design, UX, illustrations, and user testing. They can manage these resources in projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of 4D Media Limited, and we’ve built a social networking app called GardenTags for Android and iOS. Approximately seven people work at my company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kamino?

We worked with Kamino to develop an Android version of our social networking app. We already had an iOS version. Kamino provided that development sprint, which took us about three months to complete.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided the designs, and Kamino did the backend work. As far as I'm aware, the app was developed in native Java.

How did you come to work with Kamino?

We found Kamino through a personal referral from someone I know who knew their CEO. We then did due diligence on them and spoke to their clients. Their clients had good responses, so we decided to employ Kamino.

How much have you invested with Kamino?

We’ve probably spent about £120,000 (approx. $149,300) with Kamino.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Kamino in November 2015, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We initially employed Kamino to create an Android app to match our iOS app. We gave them a deadline for that, which they hit to the date. They’re probably the only company I've ever worked with that has done that. We were impressed with the speed of their development and the quality of what they produce. For instance, when Kamino produces a release for us, there are usually very few bugs in it. Their internal project management and QA is strong. The Android app has 4.5 stars and all positive feedback, and it’s had about 90,000 downloads, and that number continues to grow.

How did Kamino perform from a project management standpoint?

The team Kamino gave us ranged in size from two to four people. They’ve also provided project management and QA on their side, which has been very good. We have weekly stand-up meetings with them, so I know exactly what they’re doing, and I'm in constant contact with their developers. They’re communicative and professional, and they’re good English speakers as well, which is helpful for us. We use JIRA as our internal project management tool, which they joined us on and used as well. We also had contracts in place for the beginning of the relationship and the piece of work they delivered for us initially, and then we have an agreed budget and deadlines on the ongoing work.

What did you find most impressive about Kamino?

Honestly, we’ve been most impressed by Kamino’s project management and the quality of their QA. Of all the suppliers we work with, and we do work with a few, the quality that we get out of Kamino is the highest. There are fewer bugs in what they produce than what we see with our other suppliers, and they’re always on target with their deadlines.

Are there any areas Kamino could improve?

The only thing I'd say they’re a little bit weak on is their UI [user interface] and design. That’s the only fault we can ever find with their work. They’re not perfectionists regarding the way things look. I’d say they have strong backend developers, but their UI developers may not be as strong. That’s the only thing we ever find wrong with their work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are developing an e-assistant. It’s an important solution for the education sector; its daily role is to aid teachers with their classwork, to help the school guarantee effective management, to support student learning, and for parents to monitor and ensure that their child is learning effectively. Around 90% of all Slovenian schools are already using our solution.

I am CEO and founder of eŠola Ltd.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kamino?

The goal of our partnership was to develop a native application on iOS and Android for the e-assistant, especially since we are expanding our business into other countries of Europe.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have worked with Kamino for a year. They’ve provided development, user experience design, and product management.

How did you come to work with Kamino?

Other companies recommended the Kamino team. From the start, they looked very professional and it has been confirmed that they are the best mobile development team in Slovenia.

How much have you invested with Kamino?

We have invested $180,000 until now.

What is the status of this engagement?

It has been a year since we started working together, and the project is still ongoing. Despite that we have 28 developers of our own, we decided to use Kamino for the mobile development aspect. They are our partner in that regard.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Slovenia has a population of 2 million, and 500,000 are using our e-assistant; 98% of our users are satisfied with our service and 90 % of all Slovenian schools using the app as well.

How did Kamino perform from a project management standpoint?

They really are experts and they are very good with project management.

What did you find most impressive about Kamino?

Their professionalism is most impressive. They really know what they are doing and how things should be done.

Are there any areas Kamino could improve?

Honestly, I have no criticisms so far. We are very satisfied with their service.

BACKGROUND

Please provide us with a brief description of your company.

I am a serial entrepreneur. I had the pleasure to work with Kamino team in our Fancore startup. It is a mobile platform that connects athletes and their fans. I was the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kamino?

I needed an experienced mobile development team. One that can produce fast, reliable, and high-quality results.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were responsible for the UX and development of the iOS and Android apps.

How did you come to work with Kamino?

They came with great recommendations from other Silicon Valley and local Slovene companies.

How much have you invested with Kamino?

Around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Approximately three months. The startup ran out of budget and is currently on hold.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The average rating was 4.8-plus on both platforms.

How did Kamino perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed without a glitch – on time as well as on budget. They even included one of our own juniors in the learning process (that is – for our own project).

What did you find most impressive about Kamino?

It would be, by far, the reliability (time- and cost-wise). I've outsourced different parts of my business before. I was quite afraid of what would happen but tried them out because of the recommendations.

What I also appreciate is their commitment to the results. On several occasions, they made recommendations that reduced the workload and their own pay while the solution proposed was even better than the one we have planned for.  

Are there any areas Kamino could improve?

I would prefer if they didn't focus only on mobile development. I would love to work with them on other platforms, too.

The size of the team might be problematic – at least in the short term if you are considering using them for huge projects.  They are more expensive than some of the local competitors but well worth the money.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company builds security software for mobile phones. I am the vice president of engineering.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kamino?

When we started working with Kamino, they were a part of Dlabs, and we initially started working with Dlabs because we didn't have in-house expertise for building our web portal. We gradually expanded our involvement to have them build our iOS app, and then an Android app for the program. They worked with us for three years building a number of iterations of both of those apps. Earlier this year, the team broke off from Dlabs to form Kamino.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the web portal, they built it with a Symfony PHP back-end, JavaScript backbone, and Bootstrapped KS front-end.

How did you come to work with Kamino?

I joined my company after we started working with them. I would say that when I joined, which was three years ago [2013], we were working with them in a relatively limited capacity. They provided the web development and one iOS developer. I expanded their involvement, so I was responsible for deciding to use them to build the Android and our Windows phone app. That decision was largely based on the experience that we'd had to date being very positive. They knew our platform very well. They were delivering high-quality code, and we were very happy with how it was going. They seemed like the natural choice to build other platforms.

How much have you invested with Kamino?

It was $200,000 a year at its peak. We've been working with them for three years now. They weren't always working as many hours as they were at the peak, which was $20,000 a month. It would be between $200,000 and $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We are still working with them, but in a much more limited capacity. As a company, we've grown significantly from when we first started working with them. We decided that strategically it was right to bring the development of the mobile app in particular in-house because the apps are strategically central to what we do. We have started building our own in-house development team and reducing the amount of hours we use Kamino.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We feel that we have a very modern sleek web portal now as well as with the apps. We feel quite proud of the products they've built for us.

How did Kamino perform from a project management standpoint?

Their strength initially was as outsource developers rather than project management or QA [quality assurance]. During the duration of us working together, they made significant improvements to the QA side of things. We haven't really used them for project management because we have our own in-house project managers. Essentially, it was our guys managing their developers.

What did you find most impressive about Kamino?

There were a couple of things that I would call out about our projects that we've done together. Our platform is pretty complicated, and the apps they built for us were quite difficult to build. Having built apps in previous companies and spoken to other people in the industry, I know what we're doing is by no means mainstream, so we're getting a lot of background processing, which is quite hard to achieve on iOS. They were able to rise to that challenge and help us work out how to do things. I was impressed with their ability to do that. I think overall, in terms of the quality as well, I was impressed. We had relatively few, if any, major production issues. I guess one of the main things I have enjoyed while working with them is they've felt like part of our team. We had morning calls with them. They were nice people to work with. That goes a long way to making a relationship successful. We formed quite strong personal relationships with everyone on their side. That helps them stand out. They're passionate about what they do in making an app.

Are there any areas Kamino could improve?

There's always things you can improve on. During the course of us working with them, they stepped up their game in terms of their QA practices. There were some areas that were not as good as we wanted. In the course of 2 1/2 years, they upped their game and, by the end of it, we were happy with how things are working.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO of a digital health startup headquartered in Pennslyvania.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had already developed a web app for our product, and wanted to develop a native app to run on iOS and Android. We wanted to ensure that audio recording was properly captured on the app.

SOLUTION

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

We got a reference. We liked their technical expertise

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

We had an intro meeting. We provided the team with wireframes. We got an initial version within a few weeks. We gave them feedback, iterated on the product and got the final version within a few months.

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

A project manager was assigned as the main point of contact. Additionally, we worked extensively with a lead engineer and briefly communicated with a tester.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Yet to be determined.

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

We thought the lead engineer was outstanding. He delivered above and beyond in a very timely fashion.

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

Their engineers.

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

N/A