What <span id="docs-internal-guid-1589b7f8-7fff-bd47-5af1-3962569c8350" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fintech solutions<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? How can they help your business grow? Follow the link to get all your answers.

What are fintech solutions? How can they help your business grow? Follow the link to learn all about the fintech industry and the best ways to interact with it 🎯

Digital financial services | What is financial technology?

There are different ways to approach the Discovery phase in a project. And we&rsquo;re covering the most popular options in our new blog piece.

Discovery is the best way to start a project and make it successful 

Waterfall vs Agile Approaches to the Discovery Process

The launch of a thought-out mobile application is a proven way to speed up the development of your business and make it stronger. Let&rsquo;s assume you realize the urgent need for creating an app. So, where to start? Don&rsquo;t waste your time on the planning process. Start the implementation by trying to find an app development company, which would help you analyze your market and figure out the necessary features of the future product. In this article, we are going to consider different approaches to cooperation and find out which one is better.
<h2 dir="ltr">In-House Team vs Freelancer vs Outsource Team</h2>
There are three options in project implementation.
<h3 dir="ltr">IT department as part of your company</h3>
In other words, hiring mobile app developers into your team. The vast majority of businesses avoid the option because drawbacks exceed its benefits.
Pros:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
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Full control over the development process;
</li>
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Easier communication (opportunity to convey thoughts, ideas, and requirements during the development process);
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Protected data. 23% of entrepreneurs are concerned about information leaks. To be honest, the problem is relevant if you cooperate with low-cost project executors.
</li>
</ul>
Cons:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
High costs. In outsourcing, you can find mobile app developers with greater experience who cost less. Moreover, you are able to save up on office rent, software licenses, and so on;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
The need to ensure the &ldquo;right&rdquo; environment. It&rsquo;s a well-known fact that the labor market experiences a lack of talents. So, in order to get the desirable results, you have то make sure your employees take an advanced professional training from time to time.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Time-consuming process. Sometimes hiring an app development team takes weeks and months, not including the preparation and resolution of emerging difficulties (sick leaves, layoffs, and suchlike).
</li>
</ul>
The in-house approach is suitable for IT and Telecom companies with continuous tasks and decent time reserve.
<h3 dir="ltr">Freelance services</h3>
Freelancing seems to be a wonderful cost-effective option. However, the reality is going to be different.
Pros:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Fewer expenses. Freelancers don&rsquo;t have as many expenses as companies, so they offer a good service price. Moreover, paying for vacation days, social security, and other stuff is out of the question;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
The ability to order exactly what you need from different specialists.
</li>
</ul>
Cons:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
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Freelancers aren&rsquo;t interested in the success of your company, so the work result may be insufficient;
</li>
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The necessity of thorough control at every stage of product implementation that is going to take a lot of your precious time;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Delays and disruptions of plans. You are not able to influence the situation when your executor disappears. The question &ldquo;How to find an app developer quickly?&rdquo; arises in such cases.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Risk of the budget increase. Let&rsquo;s assume you aren&rsquo;t satisfied with the freelancer's work. Sometimes finalizing a project is impossible: it&rsquo;s easier to start implementing an application from scratch than to make improvements to the existing one. It extremely increases the budget. In addition, the time to market is shifting causing additional implicit costs (lost profit).
</li>
</ul>
Thus, freelance is good for small projects and short-term solutions.
<h3 dir="ltr">Outsourcing</h3>
It is the most common approach even if you are working on a large continuous project. The main benefits we would like to list are:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Cheaper development. You may be sure about getting a professional solution for an adequate price (our team always tries to offer discounts and find ways to reduce costs by avoiding certain expensive technologies);
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Working with high-qualified developers. Freelance is usually about middle developers while IT companies include senior specialists. They conduct some studies to provide your clients with the best user experience;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Availability of a contract. Working with an app development company requires the conclusion of an agreement. It guarantees you&rsquo;ll get what you need;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
The possibility of long-term cooperation. You interact with a company, not with one specific executor. So, you can count on maintaining your product after its launch all the time while the company provides services;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Scalability. You are able to expand or lessen the size of the team to fit the exact needs of your project.
</li>
</ul>
Cons:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Price is higher compared to the freelance option.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Possible difficulties with money transfers. Freelance exchanges usually provide users with convenient and cheap ways to send and receive money. Unfortunately, you will have to find such methods independently.
</li>
</ul>
Every entrepreneur tries to implement his project inexpensively, fast, and qualitatively. Outsourcing allows you to come to a compromise.
<h2 dir="ltr">What to Consider When Choosing Mobile Developers?</h2>
The main tips on how to find app developers are as follows.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Check a portfolio. Figure out if the chosen company has examples from your particular industry. Estimate such works and determine whether they solve business problems and cover users&rsquo; needs or not.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Analyze reviews on independent platforms. Or contact former clients of the company.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Assess the company&rsquo;s experience. Find out how many years the team has been operating and what industries it has dealt with.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Look at prices. They are usually not final, so it is very important to describe your project in detail to a manager.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Focus on communication. If the first discussion of your future product didn&rsquo;t satisfy you, we recommend choosing another executor. The poor relationship causes misunderstandings and predicaments.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Ask for approximate shipping time. Sometimes the extra charge is necessary to fulfill your task on time.
</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr">Where to Look For?</h2>
Unfortunately, hiring an app development team requires time and patience. The common ways and web resources are:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Freelance exchanges. It&rsquo;s worth mentioning the platforms always take some fees for their intermediary services.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
IT blogs. The main advantage is they allow you to see the author&rsquo;s qualification in a specific topic.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Communities. There are special sites where designers and developers present their works (an example is Dribbble).
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
B2B directories. In such catalogs, you can find information about different companies and their ratings.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Networking. Ask your partners, colleagues, friends, and so on.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Search results. Top positions in the search results indicate the reputation of the web resources. It means they invest in long-lasting SEO promotion and aren&rsquo;t one-day businesses. However, be careful on the Internet.
</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr">How to Find Your Mobile Development Team?</h2>
Below, we have cited a rundown, which is going to help you hire mobile app developers.
1. Setting goals. Be clear about your business purposes and app concept. It will allow managers to understand what expertise you really need.
2. Choosing a type of cooperation, tools, and platforms where executors offer development services.
3. Listing appropriate candidates, comparing them according to the following criteria:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Experience;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Development approach (agile is preferable to waterfall);
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Specialty;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Programming tools;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Reviews;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Availability of contracts;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Quality of communication.
</li>
</ul>
Don&rsquo;t hire a jack-of-all-trades &ldquo;expert&rdquo; because you risk failing your entire project. Most professional developers specialize in creating a certain type of apps.
4. Seeing if you are able to find some common ground with the leader of the chosen company. If everything is alright, you can move forward.
<h2 dir="ltr">Agilie Mobile Development Team</h2>
In the USA, users spend more than 5 hours every day staring at the screens of their mobile devices. Despite that fact, the list of applications being used isn&rsquo;t wide. It says one thing: you have to fight for attention by launching a top-notch solution. Finding mobile app developers in outsourcing is an approach that would allow you to implement your ideas efficiently and for adequate money.
We at Agilie have been operating since 2010, so we have all the necessary resources and expertise to create modern digital products. In addition, our services don&rsquo;t cost an arm and a leg. Get hold of us by using the following link when you&rsquo;ll be ready: <a href="https://agilie.com/contacts">agilie.com/contacts</a>
&nbsp;

<span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: S&ouml;hne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Noto Sans', sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve; background-color: #ffffff;">What to choose: An in-house team, Freelancing, or an outsourced team? Let&rsquo;s find out together.

There are three approaches to hiring mobile app developers. We have compared each of them and found out the best one 

How to Find and Hire The Best Mobile Development Team

When you are running a startup, many things about its implementation are unclear and blurred. In order to prevent an unexpected result and make a launch map, specialists conduct <a href="https://agilie.com/blog/project-discovery-phase">the Discovery phase</a>. The working group includes different experts, and one of them is a solution architect. Let&rsquo;s find out how he can help you in website development.
<h2 dir="ltr">Basics about the Discovery Project</h2>
The Discovery is the first stage in project implementation. It helps to ascertain the necessary technologies and actions to successfully create and then promote your web resource. In fact, the Discovery phase of website development is an analysis with different approaches to research. It is a more agile solution that is perfectly suited to the ever-changing IT market.
The analysis at the very beginning of project implementation will help you find answers to the following questions:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
What part of the market are you going to engage in?
</li>
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Who are your competitors?
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
What are your purposes and wishes in conjunction with your resources?
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
What do you need to create an MVP (technologies required)?
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
How much will it cost?
</li>
</ul>
Moreover, you&rsquo;ll get a clickable prototype and a carefully thought-out business model. UX/UI designers and business analysts are responsible for that. However, in this article, we are going to look at the work of solution architects during the Discovery phase of web development.
<h2 dir="ltr">Who is a Solution Architect?</h2>
One of the Discovery stages is a technical analysis performed by a solution architect who is usually a senior developer. He helps to release the product on time and on budget. In addition, he is responsible for ensuring that your website solves all the problems assigned to it. Take a look at other tasks of solution architects:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
preparing descriptions for every feature;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
cooperation with a business analyst to find the best implementation approach;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
developing a structure for the whole project;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
conducting research to find appropriate solutions for solving certain problems;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
finding ways to avoid technical risks;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
scheduling the process of product implementation.
</li>
</ul>
So, during the Discovery phase of website development, a solution architect encompasses business, system, information, security, application, and technology architecture.
<h2 dir="ltr">The Necessary Skills of a Solutions Architect</h2>
To align IT solutions successfully, it&rsquo;s not enough to have strong technical skills. No less important are soft skills, namely leadership. The specialists who are usually senior developers communicate with leaders, managers, and employees across every business unit.
Concerning hard skills, a solution architect should sort out specific IT areas, such as networking administration, development, customer service, or other relevant fields. A bachelor&rsquo;s degree or higher in information technology, computer science, software engineering, or a related field is mandatory.
In addition, it is important to have marketing knowledge because the solution architect&nbsp;must understand the requirements of businesses to offer a suitable and competitive solution.
<h2 dir="ltr">Why You Shouldn&rsquo;t Ignore the Research Stage</h2>
The Discovery phase before web development allows you to determine whether you are at risk of failure or not. This is why you should cooperate with a highly-experienced team, which can estimate your chances to achieve all goals.
In any company that intends to succeed, the architecture of solutions is developed. This is the practice of designing, describing, and managing solutions. So, the Discovery will show the capability of project launch according to the business tasks and goals.
Specialists find ways to cover customer needs with certain software solutions. It&rsquo;s obvious that every software requires hardware, so a solution architect describes standards for firmware, control systems, etc. He is able to consult you on how to implement your plans while other experts involved in the website Discovery phase assess the questions of what to do and how to maintain the platform already developed.
The low cost of marketing and development services always beckons but the risk of failure usually hides under it. Only a professional company will help you save the entire budget by avoiding the launch of an unclaimed web resource.
<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>
Agilie has been operating since 2010, so our portfolio includes numerous projects on different topics. Most likely, we worked on a product similar to yours.
The technology environment is changing rapidly. So the process of digital transformation requires specific expertise and some practices to align business focus with technology solutions. We have all the necessary resources and high-qualified specialists. They will clarify important things during the Discovery phase of website development to decide if your idea is worth being implemented. We&rsquo;ll advise you on cost-effective technologies to help you launch a website as soon as possible and, as a result, outrun the competitors.
Just fill out the following contact form if you are ready to cooperate.
&nbsp;

The solution architect is a key specialist in the Discovery phase. Open the link to find out more about his responsibilities and tasks.

The Discovery phase in web development is research conducted by different specialists who are engaged in marketing and programming 

Solution Architect and His Role in the Discovery Project

The real estate industry is very personalized: what one person requires is not desired by the other. It implies the need to store a huge amount of data concerning each client: his/her wishes, preferences, problems, intents, and suchlike. It&rsquo;s obvious that a notebook or notes on your smartphone are not a good option. The information should be stored in the cloud and be accessible to each of your colleagues to maintain a continuous workflow. So, let&rsquo;s consider CRM software for a real estate agency as one of the mandatory things for successful work.
<h2 dir="ltr">What is Real Estate CRM?</h2>
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is an internal system, which allows keeping client records and their requests. Real estate CRM solutions usually include the following information:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Name and contacts;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Requirements for new apartments (obligatory and desirable things);
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Customer pains (an experience they are trying to avoid this time);
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Relevant options of apartments to offer the client;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Transaction deadlines, etc.
</li>
</ul>
There are no constraints on the stored data: you may have a totally personalized solution that would feature a user-friendly and simple interface for easy data entry. We&rsquo;ll do our best to offer such a system despite a possibly huge amount of information it'll have to deal with.
<h2 dir="ltr">Benefits of Real Estate CRM</h2>
91% of companies with 10 and more employees are using CRM solutions for real estate. There are several reasons why such systems have become so popular.
<h3 dir="ltr">#1 Centralized Client Data Storage</h3>
CRM technologies are designed to organize the information received from completely different resources. Having the data in one place simplifies the provision of services and prevents data duplicates. In addition, it allows companies to fine-tune their strategies and improve customer retention.
<h3 dir="ltr">#2 Cross-platform Instant Access</h3>
In order to get rid of the risks regarding data loss, one should choose to use the cloud, which is a preferable option. Modern technologies guarantee the preservation of records and round-the-clock access to them from any gadgets. You can start entering information on a PC and then continue on your smartphone. Today is the era of on-the-go agents who need to be everywhere at the same time.
<h3 dir="ltr">#3 Analysis Tools</h3>
Quite a pertinent question: what to do with the collected information? Managing it manually is impossible and irrational. So, real estate CRM solutions include diverse tools based on Artificial Intelligence. They allow conducting complex analyses to forecast future sales using historical data. Moreover, such systems are able to learn customer trading habits and then advise you on how to maximize the revenue within the sales targets.
Thanks to various visual graphics and tables, you can track customers&rsquo; behavior and predict their wishes.
<h3 dir="ltr">#4 Customized Lead Quality Criteria</h3>
The real estate industry is sometimes about serving multiple clients simultaneously. It makes agents categorize clients by different groups to effectively spend working time. Filtering relevant and irrelevant leads allows employees to prioritize certain groups of customers.
<h3 dir="ltr">#5 Zero Lead Leakage</h3>
How often do one or a few leads slip out unnoticed? Don&rsquo;t try to keep all things in your head: to avoid confusing situations, CRM solutions for real estate were invented. A smart system will inform you if a client has not received feedback yet. Thus, the reputation of your company won&rsquo;t suffer.
Implementing a CRM should be a part of your strategy. It helps realtors build, manage, and sustain meaningful and successful relationships with customers.
The statistics mentioned below make the importance of a CRM obvious.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
29% of sales increase after launching a modern system.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
34% of sales productivity grow.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
42% of predicament accuracy increase.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
The conversion of leads to clients rises up to 300%.
</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr">Key Features of Real Estate CRM</h2>
The solution provides users with a rich set of diverse features. The most common of them are:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Dashboard. Get a brief overview of the main indicators concerning sales stages, marketing reports, current leads, and so on;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Daily planner. The work of estate agents is not limited in time: it may be needed to show some apartments early in the morning on the weekend or late Friday night. So, a convenient multifunctional planner will help them keep all tasks in mind;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Property catalog. Having all items in one place accelerates the provision of services. Users can easily choose an appropriate option by filtering the content.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Notifications. Don&rsquo;t miss important meetings and events. Reminders are one of the crucial real estate CRM features that helps to be always on time.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Cloud-based storage. There are two types of CRM solutions: desktop (a stand-alone program, which should be installed on a PC) and a cloud-based option (a website based on a remote server). Both types can send your files to the cloud to ensure they're safely preserved, so it doesn't matter what you choose. Easily manage your documents and don&rsquo;t worry about a possible disaster (hard drive failure as an example);
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Omnichannel communication. Customers communicate via different platforms: messengers, social networks, emails, etc. Using numerous diverse channels may blow up your mind, so a CRM is very useful for keeping in touch with clients;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Integration with third-party services. It&rsquo;s one of the must-be real estate CRM features, which is obligatory if your company practices multichannel sales. Some agencies provide several services: independent home&rsquo;s value assessment services, assistance in home buying-selling deals, and consulting. In such cases, we are speaking of different eco-systems and work scenarios. Provide your employees with the opportunity to create diverse sales models;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Document flow automation. Paperless interaction is mainstream today. CRM software for a real estate agency allows users to put the document flows on autopilot. It reduces the time needed to create, approve, and share docs.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Mobile version. It may be a mobile application or a mobile version of the website. Nowadays, mobile traffic reaches 70% of the total volume.
</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>
To stay competitive, we recommend not delaying the implementation of a CRM solution. The system is incredibly useful in analyzing piles of data and then managing it. With a CRM, you&rsquo;ll not miss an important event or forget to give feedback to a client. In addition, different employees can access the deal details anytime if necessary.
In view of the fact that universal CRM systems are often unable to satisfy the requirements of ever-changing businesses, Agilie offers to develop a completely customized solution, which would meet all your individual needs.
50% of CRM users reported being more productive after the implementation of modern technologies. So, don&rsquo;t pass up the chance to outrun your competitors. Fill in a few boxes in the contact form using the following link: <a href="https://agilie.com/contacts">agilie.com/contacts</a>. It will be the first step to boosting the development of your business.
&nbsp;

Are you thinking about launching a real estate CRM system? Open the link to find out its main features and benefits for business.

The real estate industry is very customer-oriented 

Must-have Features of Real Estate CRM

Blockchain is a popular technology that was initially developed for cryptocurrencies. However, today the sphere of its use has expanded significantly. The specialists forecast that the prevalence of blockchain solutions will be increasing exponentially. And this article will help you find out the reasons by describing a few advanced startups.
<div id="form-description" class="form-description" data-title="Key Takeaways" data-text="A blockchain is an open database or ledger hosted over a network of computers. Each block within the chain contains a record of transactions, and once a block has been added to the chain, it cannot be modified. This makes the blockchain a secure and straightforward framework for recording and confirming transactions. Blockchain innovations can potentially disrupt various industries, and numerous new companies are exploring its applications in regions such as finance, supply chain, healthcare, and more. The best blockchain startups tend to have a clear value proposition, a strong team, and a track record of successful implementation. Many focus on creating foundations or platforms that enable the creation and deployment of blockchain-based solutions.

A few of the foremost successful blockchain startups have made their own cryptocurrencies, which can be utilized to get to their platforms or reward clients for contributing to the network. The blockchain startup ecosystem is highly competitive, and success regularly depends on being able to attract and retain top talent, secure funding, and build strong partnerships with industry leaders.

Regulatory and lawful challenges can also pose significant obstacles for blockchain startups exploring a complex and quickly evolving landscape. Despite these challenges, the blockchain startup ecosystem is growing quickly, and there are numerous exciting opportunities for entrepreneurs, financial specialists, and innovators to get involved in this exciting field.">
<div class="form-description-title">Key Takeaways</div>
A blockchain is an public database or ledger hosted over a network of computers. Each block within the chain contains a record of transactions, and once a block has been added to the chain, it cannot be modified. This makes the blockchain a secure and straightforward framework for recording and confirming transactions. Blockchain innovations can potentially disrupt various industries, and numerous new companies are exploring its applications in regions such as finance, supply chain, healthcare, and more. The best blockchain startups tend to have a clear value proposition, a strong team, and a track record of successful implementation. Many focus on creating foundations or platforms that enable the <a href="https://agilie.com/expertise/fintech/blockchain-software" target="_blank" rel="noopener">creation and deployment of blockchain-based solutions</a>. A few of the foremost successful blockchain startups have made their own cryptocurrencies, which can be utilized to get to their platforms or reward clients for contributing to the network. The blockchain startup ecosystem is highly competitive, and success regularly depends on being able to attract and retain top talent, secure funding, and build strong partnerships with industry leaders. Regulatory and lawful challenges can also pose significant obstacles for blockchain startups exploring a complex and quickly evolving landscape. Despite these challenges, the blockchain startup ecosystem is growing quickly, and there are numerous exciting opportunities for entrepreneurs, financial specialists, and innovators to get involved in this exciting field.</div>
<h2 dir="ltr">What is Blockchain Technology?</h2>
Blockchain is a database including any type of information. The data is recorded in special blocks, which contain a certain amount of storage and cannot be changed. If there is a need to overwrite the information, the new block is created. It is worth mentioning the nodes of blockchain services aren't subordinate to a single controlling center: they are distributed among numerous independent users that prevents any attempts of manipulating the data. Thus, blockchain guarantees the security of your funds and personal information. You are able to easily share the necessary data in a safe way.
The concept of blockchain technologies explains the popularity of these solutions. Every company stores user data, so it needs a universal system, which would provide exceptional security. Moreover, blockchain opens up new opportunities in the digital world letting us create unique services. Below we have listed the most vivid examples.
<h2 dir="ltr">6 Top Blockchain Startups</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">ScienceSoft</h3>
<img style="margin-top: 0px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/images/f9e66e179b6747ae54108f82f8ade8b3c25d76fd30afde6c395822c530196169-1676558595889.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="261" />
Having 32 years of work experience, the company helps businesses in launching custom blockchain services. The fields of clients&rsquo; work don&rsquo;t matter. ScienceSoft provides customers with the best solutions related to:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Supply and asset management;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
International payments;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Trading;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Identity management and other stuff.
</li>
</ul>
The market player also offers consultations. They are going to be useful if you are not sure about how modern systems will solve some of your problems. By the way, Agilie is ready to help you as well. Together we&rsquo;ll consider questions regarding TCO calculation, architecture design, security, etc. Our services don&rsquo;t cost an arm and a leg.
ScienceSoft has more than 700 employees; its estimated annual revenue is $25 million.
Website: <a href="https://www.scnsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Link</a>
<h3 dir="ltr">SALT</h3>
<img style="margin-top: 0px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/images/f9e66e179b6747ae54108f82f8ade8b3c25d76fd30afde6c395822c530196169-1676558608995.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="261" />
Originally, blockchain services were created for the financial sector including cryptocurrency. So, the SALT company has presented a completely new product: it offers online loans in which your crypto assets will serve as collateral.
SALT provides loans from $5000 to $25,000,000 with 3 to 12 monthly payment windows and LTV (Loan-to-Value ratio) of 30 to 70%. It supports the following cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Ripple, and so on.
SALT is a good option if your credit history is unsatisfactory. Today the company is operating in most states of the USA. Since 2016, its audience has grown significantly.
Website: <a href="https://saltlending.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Link</a>
<h3 dir="ltr">Genomes</h3>
<img style="margin-top: 0px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/images/f9e66e179b6747ae54108f82f8ade8b3c25d76fd30afde6c395822c530196169-1676558658069.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="262" />
As we mentioned above, blockchain allows recording any information and gives users control over the distribution of their data. Specialists from Genomes launched a system, which contains entire DNA data on the Ethereum blockchain and gives the opportunity to share it out. An interesting fact: the human genome is comprised of approximately 3 billion base pairs amounting to about 1.5 GB.
DNA is a key to understanding the triggers, which cause rare diseases. Modern technologies contribute to new researches, which may struggle with certain health problems. As a prospect, patients are able to earn money by selling or renting their DNA to scientists.
Custom blockchain services are a good way to store genetic information and numerous medical files of patients. However, we need some time for such solutions to be adapted.
Genomes is a young company founded in 2018. Despite that fact, today it is known worldwide as a genomic data security leader.
Website: <a href="https://genomes.io/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Link</a>
<h3 dir="ltr">Storj</h3>
<img style="margin-top: 0px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/images/f9e66e179b6747ae54108f82f8ade8b3c25d76fd30afde6c395822c530196169-1676558670005.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="262" />
Storing important files on the personal computer is not a good idea because your hard drive may fail at any time. It is recommended to store all information in the cloud. And Storj's solution will definitely be useful in this case.
Storj offers decentralized cloud storage based on blockchain technologies. The files aren&rsquo;t stored in a certain data center: they are split into parts and distributed on a global cloud network. Of course, all data is encrypted.
Storj&rsquo;s approach guarantees total security, privacy, and availability of your information.
Storj is:
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13 065 active nodes;
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6,5 PB free capacity;
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417 million objects;
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32 billion object pieces.
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Website: <a href="https://www.storj.io/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Link</a>
<h3 dir="ltr">Ledger</h3>
<img style="margin-top: 0px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/images/f9e66e179b6747ae54108f82f8ade8b3c25d76fd30afde6c395822c530196169-1676558719038.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="250" />
This popular company was founded in 2014. Its work has to do with selling peculiar devices, which store private cryptocurrency keys offline. According to some statistics, Ledger operates with 15% of all cryptocurrency assets worldwide.
The last blockchain solution of the company is called Ledger Nano X. It&rsquo;s a hardware wallet for managing your crypto on the go. It features an encrypted Bluetooth connectivity, which allows the user to log in to the Ledger Live mobile app. Users may easily buy, exchange, and trade crypto in seconds.
Ledger&rsquo;s developments are also useful for enterprises, which wish to add cryptocurrencies to their balance sheet.
Some outstanding statistics:
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More than 1,5 million monthly users;
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190 countries of presence;
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3 million sold devices.
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</ul>
Website: <a href="https://www.ledger.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Link</a>
<h3 dir="ltr">Nuri (former Bitwala)</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><img style="margin-top: 0px;" src="https://d12zh9bqbty5wp.cloudfront.net/images/f9e66e179b6747ae54108f82f8ade8b3c25d76fd30afde6c395822c530196169-1676558734897.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="263" /></h3>
It&rsquo;s a German bank, which offers to create the first blockchain bank account. Each user can invest in Bitcoin and earn up to 5% per year. The bank&rsquo;s account contains a cryptocurrency wallet and a debit card to provide clients with the ability to make transactions abroad.
The startup has been working since 2015. It has managed to receive over 6 million euros from European and American investors for developing its blockchain services.
<h2 dir="ltr">FAQ</h2>
<h3>What is a blockchain-based startup?</h3>
A company that uses blockchain technology to develop valuable goods or services for customers is known as a blockchain-based startup. Common examples include cryptocurrency exchanges, distributed ledger technology (DLT) platforms, and tokenized assets.
<h3>What makes a successful blockchain startup?</h3>
A solid business model, a team of professionals, a good strategy, and a clear understanding of the benefits of blockchain technology are prerequisites for successful blockchain startup companies. It is also important to keep up with market trends and deal with any foreseeable difficulties. After all, success depends on having access to suitable investors, partners, and customers.
<h3>What is crucial when creating a blockchain startup?</h3>
A detailed business plan, including your product or service, target market, revenue model, and marketing approach, is crucial. Your blockchain company will probably have trouble attracting clients and investors without a defined aim. Despite the complexity of blockchain technology, it's vital to keep your product or service as straightforward as possible. If the technology is too complex or further functions are added, consumers may become confused, and adoption may be slowed. It's doubtful that your product or service will be successful if it can't manage many transactions.&nbsp;<a href="https://agilie.com/blog/enterprise-blockchain-development-how-businesses-derive-benefits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Custom enterprise blockchain development</a> is key for startups looking to create tailored solutions that meet specific business needs and gain a competitive edge in the market.
<h2 dir="ltr">Summing Up</h2>
Thus, blockchain technology is not only about fintech: there are numerous ways of using it. If you cherish some ideas concerning custom blockchain services, please follow the link and leave your request: <a href="https://agilie.com/contacts">agilie.com/contacts</a>
Agilie has great experience and all the necessary resources to meet your requirements and then present a top-notch product.
&nbsp;

Get familiar with the best blockchain startups to get inspired to move forward. Just open the link to see our new article.

Сustom blockchain services are a good opportunity to enhance the security of your digital products 

Best Blockchain Startups To Get Inspired | Agilie

Do you want your project to be successful? Start it with discovery phase steps and be sure to include the UX research in them.

How to make sure your project is successful? The best way is to start it with discovery phase steps 

Why the UX Research Matters for Your Discovery Project

There are numerous entrepreneurs who have encountered some difficulties while running their startups or scaling current businesses. And the main reason lies in poor planning or misunderstanding of the market trends (during the implementation, your idea may become hopelessly outdated). In order to prevent any predicaments, it is desirable to conduct a discovery phase with business analysis.
<h2 dir="ltr">What is a Discovery Phase?</h2>
When you come up with some business idea, the first things you usually wish to know are:
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What is your target audience?
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Where is your place in the market?
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Who are your competitors?
</li>
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What budget do you need?
</li>
</ul>
So, <a href="https://agilie.com/blog/project-discovery-phase">the Discovery Phase</a> is the product launch stage that will help you get answers to the questions listed above. However, the discovery phase is not just marketing research as you might think. This stage is actually more technical because solution architects, senior developers, UX/UI designers, business analysts, subject matter experts, and other specialists are involved in the research process. Therefore, in the end, you&rsquo;ll receive a comprehensive presentation with the following additional information:
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User needs in the conjunction with your business goals (what customer needs you&rsquo;ll be able to cover);
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The functionality of the future solutions taking into account your budget, market trends, and services of your competitors;
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Recommendations about tools you had better use to save money and present a well-working solution, which will be able to outrun other market players;
</li>
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Roadmap with detailed user experience;
</li>
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Business objective model if you are not aware of what you should focus on in order to succeed.
</li>
</ul>
Moreover, the stage may even include the creation of MVP (minimum viable product). But let&rsquo;s focus on the business analysis of the discovery phase.
<h2 dir="ltr">What About Analysis?</h2>
Every discovery phase involves a business analyst because all gathered data must be structured and presented in a meaningful way. Only a specialist with extensive experience and understanding of the development process and different approaches is able to correctly analyze and interpret the information. Perhaps, the market you are interested in is in a state of stagnation. You may think the glass is half full but actually, it is half empty. So, the task of our business analysts is to warn you about all possible challenges and estimate the viability of your product.
After getting our findings, you&rsquo;ll be able to shorten the time to market and choose a certain path to fast growth. Business analysis within the discovery phase is the only way to develop a product in accordance with your initial ideas (an analysis eliminates situations when the results don&rsquo;t meet your expectations).
<h2 dir="ltr">What Can Be Analyzed During the Project Discovery Phase?</h2>
First of all, you should understand that the discovery phase is a very personalized stage of the development process. There is no a silver bullet: every project is unique. What one client requires, another does not need. This is why our business analysts approach the discovery phase with maximum responsibility, giving themselves completely to your project.
We are able to list just some areas, which are always analyzed at the beginning of the product implementation:
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Client&rsquo;s pain. One of the main marketing rules declares that every product should solve some customer&rsquo;s problems. The more these problems are tackled, the more beneficial the product can be. The analysis conducted by us will show you the possible demand for your solution;
</li>
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Competitors. Sometimes the market is oversaturated: there are a lot of players with great services, so a new product won&rsquo;t be able to satisfy the needs of a &ldquo;spoiled&rdquo; audience. Also, we can&rsquo;t fail to mention the price dumping resorted to by strong companies: you may not have even a chance to compete with them;
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Market trends. Are you sure your idea is relevant and fresh? Maybe, you are going to use outdated tools and technologies. Our business analysts within the discovery phase assess the products potential and warn entrepreneurs if necessary;
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Technologies. Thanks to our senior developers involved, you&rsquo;ll get an extensive list of tools, which will be used. We&rsquo;ll help you save money by advising cost-effective solutions.
</li>
</ul>
<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>
According to statistics, about 15% of all startups die because of insufficient planning and underrating different risks in the market. 45% of ideas are too expensive to implement. It is impossible to have a complete vision about creating and then promoting your product without the discovery phase. Perhaps, the longread &ldquo;<a href="https://agilie.com/blog/discovery-stage-or-what-to-do-if-you-need-an-agile-project-analysis">Discovery Stage, or What to Do If You Need an Agile Project Analysis</a>&rdquo; will answer some of your questions.
&nbsp;

Find out what valuable information business analysts will offer you at the end of the discovery phase. Just open the link.

Conducting the discovery phase requires the involvement of a business analyst to assess the information received and give valuable advice on launching and promoting your product 

The Role of Business Analysis During the Project Discovery Phase

What is the Discovery Stage and how does it differ from a full-fledged analysis? We answer these questions in our article.

To prevent your IT project from failing, you should start its implementation with the Discovery Stage 

Discovery Stage, or What to Do If You Need an Agile Project Analysis

Alexander Volk, our Head of Design, shares transformative insights in his articles, which turn into vital resources for both rising and experienced designers.

Alexander Volk - Head of Design Department at Agilie

Alexander Volk

For its readers, Sergey's articles contain guidelines, strategies, methods, and instruments that are crucial to mastering diverse technologies.

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Sergey Melashich

Sergeys’ articles describe success in the context of continued growth in today’s modernized environment as well as the emerging trends in the technological sector.

Sergey Gladun - CEO & Founder at Agilie

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Michael Liptuga

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Kate Myronenko

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Sergii Avilov - Head of IOS Department at Agilie

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