OEN Member NewsPortland = Startups
Portland is ripe with startups. Every corner market promises a unique beverage hand-made by a local vintner or brewer; every shelf at New Seasons hosts a bevy of locally-sourced produce and handmade delicacies, from Salt & Straw’s innovative flavors to Goddess Mousse’s vegan desserts.
Even the restaurant scene is entrepreneurial — Portland received more James Beard awards this year than Seattle (a city four times our size) and more even than Los Angeles (a vast metropolis twenty times our size!) — and every restaurant here seems to be run by a visionary entrepreneur, from Russian-inspired mainstay Kaschka to the delights found in Xiao Ye (my new favorite hangout).
PDX people know how to how to go from vision to launch to execution: Nike was once a startup, and then they executed in a big way — and so was Dark Horse Comics. And it’s not just footwear and comics. The proof of our startup mojo can also be seen in Jama and Skypoint and New Relic, Elemental, Cloudability and in PIE and the Upstart Collective.
I’ve launched and led several ventures myself here in this city of bridges.
Yet ideas are easy, as any entrepreneur will tell you. Anyone can have a vision. Everyone can come up with a vision. But not everyone can launch. And even fewer can execute on their vision.
Execution is the hard part.
To those who can launch and then execute on their big ideas get the rewards of success — and the greatest reward is seeing people enjoy the fruits of your labor and find value in your vision; whether that’s great thin crust pizza (like Ken of Ken’s Pizza) or scalable cloud infrastructure, like Mat Ellis of Cloudability fame.
Since I’ve successfully launched and led several software-forward companies here in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve often been asked about how I’ve managed to achieve that hat trick of 1) vision to 2) launch to 3) execution. My answer has often been one word: Darwoft.
Darwoft is the best nearshore technical team in the world. From their inception, they have demonstrated a knack for solving complex challenges with agility and precision, and I’m excited to point to them as a key component of my startup success.
MY STORY
I first met the team in Portland ten years ago when I worked alongside the company’s CEO – Cecilia Mariani – when we co-led innovative teams in Intel’s Cloud Services division. Together we balanced rapid development cycles with the need to maintain high-quality software standards.
Darwoft became a key partner in Intel’s work in cloud services and other ground-breaking initiatives. I also contracted with Darwoft to lead some of my architectural planning for my first startup after Intel — Identity Locker, which sold to Kochava in 2019. Darwoft’s expertise was invaluable, but we still built everything in-house.
In 2020, I became CEO for Portland-based retail software maker SnowShoe. And that’s when the idea to work with Darwoft on our key deliverables became a reality. And I’m so glad I did!
IN-SOURCE, DON’T OUT-SOURCE
Common wisdom suggests that outsourcing could compromise quality, or create challenges in communication and control. However, the alternative—building a full-scale in-house team—was financially impractical for a small company like SnowShoe. We needed a solution that offered top-notch talent without breaking the bank.
Enter Darwoft, an engineering team that defies conventional outsourcing stereotypes. Their promise of lower costs coupled with high-quality deliverables was enticing, but what truly set them apart was their approach to partnership. From the outset, Darwoft didn’t just act as a service provider; they became an integral extension of our team. Their engineers brought not just technical expertise, but also a deep commitment to our mission and goals. Their team didn’t feel “out-sourced” — they were “in-sourced”, as they became core contributors on every sprint.
Darwoft’s stellar software engineering teams are co-located in South America (a lower cost of living means that you can get world class software talent for a fraction of the cost of engineering teams based in the U.S.). But it’s only a few hours off U.S. time, so you can do standups daily with the team — in English — and I was able to treat Darwoft team members as extensions of your own on-site technical leaders.
One of the most remarkable aspects of working with Darwoft was their ability to deliver top-tier quality at a lower cost. This wasn’t just about getting the job done; it was about meticulous attention to detail, innovation, and craftsmanship. Their team quickly became an indispensable asset, debunking the myth that affordable outsourcing means compromising on quality. Each interaction reaffirmed that we had made the right choice.
QUALITY MEETS AFFORDABILITY
Darwoft offered our team a unique advantage—a pool of skilled and adaptable resources that can be quickly deployed to meet evolving project needs. This flexibility is crucial for startups looking to innovate rapidly without compromising on quality or efficiency.
Choosing Darwoft allowed us to allocate resources more effectively, investing in other crucial areas of our startup while still pushing forward with our technological ambitions. The quality of their work consistently exceeded our expectations, debunking the myth that lower cost equals lower quality. Each project milestone was met with precision and a level of craftsmanship that’s rare to find, even in higher-priced alternatives.
On a personal level, partnering with Darwoft brought a profound sense of relief and confidence. Knowing that our technical needs were in such capable hands allowed me to focus more on strategic growth and leadership. It was like having a silent partner who always had our back, ensuring that our tech infrastructure was robust and scalable.
During my time at SnowShoe, we collaborated closely with Darwoft on the “Go Downtown” app, an initiative aimed at revitalizing local commerce through gamified mobile apps. Darwoft’s team not only understood our vision but also brought invaluable insights and technical expertise to the table. They seamlessly integrated with our team, delivering a robust platform that exceeded our expectations and resonated with users and businesses alike.
JOINING DARWOFT
Darwoft’s influence extended beyond code and development; they became a cornerstone of our success story. As a startup leader, aligning with a team that resonates with your values and ambitions is invaluable. Darwoft proved that the right partnership could bridge the gap between aspiration and achievement.
In fact, after I left SnowShoe in 2023, I was so impressed with Darwoft that I decided to join the team! Today I help drive Darwoft’s success in Portland as a Managing Partner at this company. I’ve witnessed firsthand how Darwoft’s talented engineers collaborate with local startups. Darwoft acts as a vital contributor for many technical teams in Portland today.
My decision to join Darwoft was fueled by their proven ability to scale operations and their dedication to client success, qualities I knew would benefit startups navigating the competitive tech landscape. When I joined Darwoft, I was immediately struck by their commitment to excellence and their ability to deliver sophisticated solutions efficiently.
It’s worth noting that the name “Darwoft” is a portmanteau of a word — a combination of the words “Darwin and Software.” That’s because nearly fifteen years ago, the two technical founders of the company wanted to build a team that constantly adapted to the market and constantly learned new capabilities, morphing to the changing tech landscape, and continuously evolved.
Darwoft has lived up to that promise of evolution: instead of getting stuck in one area of technical expertise, they’ve added on experts in new domains and grown world class in-house capabilities as well, becoming a go-to name for augmented reality apps, mobile apps, React native development and most recently model tuning and generative AI development.
The founders – Waldemar Krumrick and Santiago Porta – still guide the company’s technical excellence, and lead architectural definition for a number of world-leading partners based in the Pacific Northwest, such as Intel, MacAfee, Microsoft and Amazon.
PARTNERING WITH OEN
In the last few years, Oregon Entrepreneur’s Network has begun to lead the charge in helping technical startup leaders get out of the starting gate and into the game. That’s why Darwoft partnered with OEN this year — we share OEN’s vision of a revitalized tech scene here in Portland, and Darwoft is a vital partner to many partners who are launching their ideas this year.
Darwoft has the Pacific Northwest in our blood. Just like Portland, Darwoft’s hometown – Cordoba Argentina – is a startup hub. It seems like if you throw a random stone, you’ll hit an entrepreneur. And it’s also a foodie and wine hub – the famed Mendoza wine region complements the city’s micro-breweries and award-winning restaurant scene. We get how to build the Portland way.
For my startup, finding the right engineering team was crucial. Darwoft’s blend of affordability and excellence is a game changer for any startup.
Choosing Darwoft transformed my company’s trajectory — and it could change your startup journey for the better as well! The right team can make all the difference.
Contact the Pacific Northwest Darwoft’s Team
Darwoft.com
1050 SW 6th ave. Suite 1100
Portland, OR 97204
Portland: 971 724 7505
Seattle: 206-321-7981
ned.hayes@darwoft.io
