Case Study - SaaS Innovation Hub - cloud journey assistance platform

About IBD Consulting

IBD Consulting specialises in helping technology companies grow their business in B2B markets through go-to-market strategy planning, marketing campaign execution and training. The company was founded in 2016 in Riga, Latvia, by former Microsoft executives and serves customers all over Europe.

The challenge

In spring 2024, IBD Consulting was working on a project that required the development of an online platform for the SaaS Innovation Hub, an initiative sponsored by Microsoft that aims to provide ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) and Startups with everything they may need to succeed with the latest Cloud and AI technologies. IBD Consulting needed to launch the platform in as little as four weeks.

While they had extensive experience implementing various marketing technologies, the technical complexity and challenging timeline made it clear that they needed to find a reliable partner.

They chose to partner with Code of US for this challenging project.

Solution

To meet requirements, a responsive web application was developed that users could access easily and use virtually on every device, even those with rudimentary browser capabilities. The development process was divided into three main parts:

• Prototype Creation: The initial step involved creating a prototype for all the client's requirements. This prototype was crucial for validating the requirements and providing a clear picture for further development.
• Technology Stack Selection: The next phase focused on selecting the right technology stack, which included significant client and internal team discussions.
• Development and Implementation: The final phase was the actual development based on the previous stages, integrating both frontend and backend components.

The core tech stack consisted of three technologies: Next.js, Strapi, and Microsoft Azure.

• Next.js: Utilized for the frontend part of the application. Next.js provides features such as Static Site Generation, Incremental Static Regeneration, and Server-Side Rendering, which offered speed and performance optimizations out of the box. Calendly integration and reporting was critical for the success of the project. Built on top of React, Next.js offers a plethora of integrations, one of which is Calendly, providing a solution for tracking and scheduling meetings on the platform.
• Strapi: Used as a flexible Headless Content Management System (CMS), Strapi met the need for having a GUI for a relational database, allowing admins to view and manipulate data easily at any time.
• Microsoft Azure: Employed for moving and deploying everything to the cloud. As one of the largest cloud providers, Azure provided all the necessary resources to deploy and scale from development to production stages. Services used included Web App, PostgreSQL Flexible Server, and Front Door.

Implementation

In early 2024, in anticipation of the project, IBD Consulting contacted several web development agencies in Latvia.

First, we looked for a specialist agency in our home market. However, it was challenging to find a company that we could trust to deliver the project within a short timeline, says Rolands Ozoliņš, cofounder of IBD Consulting.

After a few iterations in the home market, the other co-founder, Andrejs Jusčenko, had a call with Sandi Slonjšak, CEO of Code of Us. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Both teams quickly got down to work. To maximise efficiency and speed up the feedback cycles, they scheduled daily status review meetings and kept communications open at all times through Microsoft Teams chat.

As the first things, they reviewed requirements, information architectures and user journeys and used Figma to prepare and confirm design wireframes.

I was impressed with the speed and efficiency with which we progressed, says Andrejs Jusčenko, cofounder of IBD Consulting. The Code of US team showed up for each meeting fully prepared and totally committed to the project, and, as a result, we were able to move very quickly from requirements to wireframes, design proposals and prototype creation, he continues.

Some may find it risky to choose a partner for a critical project from the other side of Europe. For us, it didn’t matter at all, as we are used to working in a truly international environment, and the Code of the US presented itself in a truly professional way from the very first call, Andrejs concludes.

Impact

In less than four weeks, SaaS Innovation Hub website was ready.

For us to launch the website in four weeks was critically important and even more so because Microsoft sponsors the platform, notes Rolands Ozoliņš.

This first milestone served as an important starting point to continue expanding the platform. Today, SaaS Innovation Hub provides free access to schedule consultation calls with around 50 technical and business experts and features a partner content library, case studies and showcases of top solutions. It is increasingly becoming a go-to resource for all types of companies looking to use the latest AI and Cloud technologies.

About Code Of Us

Code of Us founded in 2019 by a software engineer with over 10 years of experience in development. Code of Us specializes in a range of areas, including product design, web development, mobile development, and DevSecOps.

With a dedicated team of 12 professionals, Code of Us has successfully delivered over 20 projects for the clients such as Deutsche Telekom, Rimac Automobili, Codility... participating in the full lifecycle of each project from start to finish. The company has demonstrated a consistent growth trajectory, achieving a 50% year-on-year increase in both personnel and revenue for the past three years.