Why We Love Working with Startups
Over the years here at Elemental, we have worked on numerous different types of web based projects. We’ve been fortunate enough to work with clients with whom we’ve developed these solutions that vary from big corporates, world famous brands, SMMES (Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises) and startups.
Interestingly it’s the startups that we’ve been working with more and more in the recent past few years. We can’t hide from the fact that we have really loved collaborating on their web development projects.
You’d think that we’d prefer to work for a big brand over a small unknown up and coming start up but that’s not the case. This isn’t to say we don’t like working for big brands, in fact, we love working with established brands and we still continue to do so but there is so much more of an impact that we can make, and quickly by designing and developing custom web solutions that allow their businesses to take exponential leaps forward.
STARTUPS NEED VERY CUSTOMISED DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS
Most startups have very unique ideas and solutions to very niche problems that they’ve identified. This is quite frankly exactly why they have launched the start up in the first place - to provide an innovative and specific business solution to a real world problem.
As these solutions are highly unique and often first of their kind, a generic or templatised approach definitely won’t work. These startups need bespoke designed and developed websites, web apps or platforms to allow for engagement with their target audience and custom functionality and features to achieve whatever it is their solution sets out to conquer.
This is where our ears prick and we really start to get excited. We’ve got a strong track record for the development of highly custom web solutions based on the unique requirements of the start up.
Not only are we able to conceptualise, design and develop these tech solutions, we also think to the future and what future possible requirements might arise and potentially incorporate these to ensure that these solutions are future proof and able to scale.
THE APPROACH NEEDS TO BE FLEXIBLE AND AGILE
With most startups the concepts and tech solutions that we develop are completely new and unproven. This means that they may not work 100% out of the box. There is a copious amount of trial and error, whereby new versions of the digital products are released and the new features are tested and feedback gathered.
This is natural in the evolution of any startups product and often what was initially envisaged compared to what the final product looks like there is a stark difference.
Bearing this in mind, we need to be cognisant that we need to be agile in the development of the product and there will be often times when we need to pivot and change direction and fast. Features we thought that may work, will need to be altered. Functionality destined to only be launched in the future may need to be developed and launched much sooner.
Sprints of 1 or 2 work segments are a great way to execute work in smaller batches. Making planning a much easier task, its also a simple way to segment work (with little chaos) that allows for a rigid structure that the team can adhere to.
The point we’re trying to make is that these digital products and platforms are ever evolving and we need to be flexible in our approach and management of the project in order to be able to develop solutions that are going to enhance the product and the user’s lives, making as big an impact as quickly as possible.
STARTUPS RELY ON US FOR TECHNICAL GUIDANCE AND EXPERTISE
Certain startup founders have an in-depth knowledge of technology, the processes involved with the development of web applications and the general ins and outs. However many founders have very limited knowledge when it comes to the technical side of web development and how projects are run, how long they take and everything that needs to be considered when embarking on this journey.
For both types of founders, there is a heavy reliance on us as the web development agency to provide valuable input on the entire project life cycle, to offer guidance and scoping services when it comes to design and understanding of the project’s requirements. Finally, to offer technical expertise to ensure that many considerations are accounted for.
We love this part of the relationship as this allows us to give expert advice and really add value which has a profound impact on the overall project and success of the startup as a whole.
It’s important to state that this is not a once off activity but an ongoing process that continues indefinitely as the project grows and the digital product evolves. New features and major functionality changes need planning and design from a structural point of view and how they integrate into the existing product.
Being able to guide our clients and provide this technical expertise gives our client’s confidence that they’ve got a tech partner that they can trust and a team that can give technical advice that can make their product better and ultimately successful.
WE'RE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
As highlighted in the previous point, through highly collaborative interactions, we form a bond and build a powerful relationship that sees us becoming a tech partner / product owner to our clients.
We’re deeply immersed in our client’s projects and have a solid understanding of where they are currently and what they are trying to achieve going forward.
Being so entrenched into our client’s business and digital products allows the relationship to blossom and grow as time lapses. We’re acutely aware that we play a big role in our client’s success and we’re determined to be that tech partner that our clients can rely on and turn to when needing custom development solutions.
We love seeing our client’s businesses grow from strength to strength and we ultimately embark on a long journey together that spans years.
EVOLUTION IS NATURAL FOR STARTUPS
Startups will never have a project developed once and then it’s done. On the contrary, digital products are constantly evolving and maturing.
Part of the evolution includes improved User Interface (UI) designs which include the latest and greatest design trends and usability techniques, as well as the addition of new nifty features and powerful functionality.
What we’ve found with many of our startup clients is that the project will start as a web based project, typically a complex website or web application. Once the concept has been proven and there is traction in the market, with an increasingly growing user base, in time the next step of the evolution is to create a mobile application (app) version of the product. This isn’t applicable to all products but in many cases it is.
It’s a big step which requires further design, development and maintenance but if done right it can add significant value to the client, which allows them to further entrench themselves with their users.
STARTUPS ARE INNOVATIVE AND FUN TO WORK
Startups often identify a gap in the market, typically in a very niche area or in a specific industry. Their ideas often stem from problems they’ve experienced and identified over time and there has been no solution to this.
Some of these solutions can be extremely innovative and even bordering on far fetched. But we all know how the famous quote from Nelson Mandela goes “It always seems impossible until it’s done” - we’ve seen this first hand where startup founders take the bull by the scruff of the proverbial horns and run with ingenious ideas and make real world products that others would have laughed at (and make a success of them too).
Picture it: a super passionate founder or founders, a highly innovative idea and the challenge to develop this new piece of tech that will change an industry. This sounds like fun to us, being put through our paces and having the opportunity to develop tech solutions that can have a massive impact.
Most of the startups and projects we’ve worked on have been highly specialised and really fun, which makes the job much more enjoyable but this doesn’t mean that projects that are not as fun and attractive we shy away from. Any project that has custom requirements is what we strive to be involved with, regardless of industry or the scope of the project.
OUR WORK IS IMPACTFUL
Many startups model their business on their tech platform which is at the core of their offering. What this means is that the platform is the primary driver of their operations, growth and sales.
As the developers of these custom platforms and web based applications, we have a direct impact on our client’s success and growth. It’s great to see how tech can be so fundamental in how these startups scale and how the end users engage with the startup.
Naturally we’re motivated to make every project a success but seeing how our work allows startups to become successful is a further reward that we take great pride in.
We always want to create innovative and future focused systems that add high value and working with startups allows us to do this and for the startups to benefit from our expertise and experience.
THAT'S A WRAP FOLKS
It’s clear that we love working with startups and we’re a great match for each other. We don’t just see these as another project, to us, its so much more.
Do you have an idea in mind and considering starting a new platform or digital product? We understand it can be a daunting task not knowing how to kick off? So if you’re in need of a tech partner, we’re here to help, get in touch!
