Custom software development services for startups building scalable AI-ready products

Software development services for startups

As a custom software development company for startups, we help you design, build, and scale reliable products — without missed deadlines, black-box delivery, or the technical debt that kills your runway.

From MVPs and prototypes to scaling post-funding products and implementing AI features, NEKLO works as a hands-on technical partner that ships real software and challenges bad assumptions before they become expensive mistakes.

NEKLO by the numbers

20+

years building production software

150+ 

MVPs and scale-ups delivered

5.0

Clutch rating with consistent feedback on transparency and communication

70%

of engineers are senior-level, with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in engineering

30%-150%

revenue boosts achieved by clients after launch

Ramp up without burning your runway

Project kickoff: 1-2 weeks

Clear scope, architecture decisions, and delivery plan

Prototype / proof of concept: 2-4 weeks

Validate assumptions before committing real budget

MVP: 8-12 weeks

Production-ready, scalable foundations — not throwaway code

NEKLO helps you endure investor pressure, crush the first deadlines and hook the first users

Pre-seed: idea validation & MVP launch

Your priority is proving technical feasibility and market demand without exhausting your initial capital. We act as your de-facto partner, helping non-technical founders with lean MVP scoping. We focus on a high-performance "North Star" product to ensure your technical foundation is robust enough to win early adopters and secure your next funding round.

Seed: velocity, stability & scaling

Here, the pressure shifts from validation to rapid execution. We provide dedicated, senior engineers to clear bottlenecks and refactor early-stage technical debt. This phase is about transitioning from a "move fast" mentality to building a stable, scalable infrastructure that handles increasing traffic with predictable release cycles investors expect.

Series A: industrialization & due diligence

Now, your platform must withstand rigorous technical due diligence and high-volume demand. We focus on industrial-grade architecture, comprehensive documentation, and security compliance so that your product passes investor audits. Our "anti-lock-in" approach includes a seamless knowledge transfer should you choose to move development in-house. You retain full control of your intellectual property.

What usually goes wrong — and how we fix it

Challenge
Description
Solution

THE “BLAK BOX” EFFECT

Initial timelines look reasonable, but progress updates remain vague. Without direct visibility into the codebase, blockers only surface when it’s too late to hit your investor milestones.

You get direct access to our repo and Jira boards from Day 1. With weekly demos and nightly builds, you always know what is shippable and what is blocked—no "status report" required.

THE “SPAGHETTI CODE” TRAP

The product works for a demo, but collapses under real usage. Hidden technical debt forces expensive rewrites, slows down your roadmap, and quietly drains your runway as the system becomes impossible to change.

With 70% of our team at a senior level, we build for the long game. We enforce rigorous code reviews and clean architecture so your product supports rapid pivots without painful refactoring.

THE “MICROMANAGEMENT” TAX

Instead of focusing on fundraising or customers, you’re stuck clarifying tickets and chasing updates. The vendor acts as a "body shop" rather than a technical partner.

Our teams operate as an extension of your leadership. We translate technical trade-offs into business terms and proactively flag risks, so you can lead the company instead of managing the sprint.

THE “YES-MAN” SYNDROME

A vendor builds exactly what you ask for—even if it's a technical mistake—or sticks so rigidly to an outdated scope that you can't adapt to user feedback without a "Change Request" battle.

We aren't just here to code; we’re here to challenge assumptions. Our delivery model is built for iteration, allowing us to pivot scope safely between sprints as your market data evolves.

THE “VENDOR HOSTAGE” FEAR

Founders often worry that moving a product in-house will be impossible due to undocumented code or proprietary setups. 

You own every line of code, every document, and every environment from the start. We build to a "transfer-ready" standard, ensuring you — and your future internal team — are never held hostage. 

PREMATURE OVER-ENGINEERING

Teams burn your budget on complex scalability and edge-case features before you've validated your core value proposition. 

We focus on "MVP-first" delivery — building only what is necessary to reach product-market fit, while ensuring the underlying architecture is ready for a Series A traffic spike.

Startups we helped through critical growth phases

Enterprise
Telecom
Web
Mobile

Salesmsg

Construction
Mobile
Web

Raken

Custom software development services for startups

Technology consulting

CTO as a Service

Custom software development

MVP development

Rapid prototyping & proof of concept

Custom software design for startups

Team & staff augmentation

Why startups partner with NEKLO

Senior talent, not body shopping

We don’t sell “top 1%” slogans. We staff experienced engineers who’ve built and maintained real products under real constraints.

Product thinking baked in

We challenge features that don’t move the needle — the same way an internal CTO would.

Transparent delivery

No black boxes. You see progress weekly, have access to everything, and know where the budget goes.

Proven processes, not theory

Our workflows exist because we’ve seen what breaks startup projects — and fixed it.
Software development company for startups helping you scale with confidence

Let’s talk about your product — honestly

If you want fast promises and cheap rates, we’re probably not a great fit.

If you want a partner who reduces risk and improves your odds of success, let’s talk

Industries we work with

E-commerce & retail

Achieve true omnichannel synergy by unifying your online and offline operations. We architect resilient digital storefronts, automated inventory management systems, and flexible POS integrations that prevent stockouts and personalize the customer journey.

LEARN MORE

E-commerce & retail

Healthcare

Streamline clinical workflows and secure patient data without compromising speed. From HIPAA-compliant telemedicine platforms to clinical trial management systems, our interoperable solutions reduce administrative burden and optimize care delivery.

LEARN MORE

Healthcare

Fintech & banking

Accelerate transaction processing and modernize legacy banking infrastructure. We engineer secure, compliant platforms that automate financial reporting, enhance fraud detection, and reduce customer service overhead through self-service digitization.

LEARN MORE

Fintech & banking

Real estate & construction

Centralize your property lifecycle management to prevent communication silos. We develop custom platforms that synchronize real-time data between agents, contractors, and tenants, reducing project delays and streamlining portfolio administration.

LEARN MORE

Real estate & construction

Logistics & transportation

Gain end-to-end supply chain visibility and eliminate deadhead mileage. Our solutions automate warehouse management and optimize fleet routing, allowing you to drastically reduce delivery times and minimize fuel/overhead costs through real-time tracking.

LEARN MORE

Logistics & transportation

Energy

Optimize resource consumption and simplify complex regulatory compliance. We create intelligent energy management systems (EMS) that automate sustainability reporting and accounting, identifying usage patterns to drive down waste and operational costs.

LEARN MORE

Energy

Automotive

Digitize your dealership or fleet operations for total asset visibility. Our custom software automates inventory tracking and integrates telematics data, turning raw vehicle metrics into actionable insights for leaner, more responsive operations.

LEARN MORE

Automotive

Manufacturing

Bridge the gap between production planning and shop-floor execution. We implement IoT-driven systems and digital twins to enable predictive maintenance and real-time monitoring, maximizing equipment uptime and overall production ROI.

LEARN MORE

Manufacturing

Education

Scale your training capabilities and administrative efficiency simultaneously. We build robust Learning Management Systems (LMS) that automate enrollment, grading, and progress tracking, transforming how you deliver and manage content for any audience size.

LEARN MORE

Education
E-commerce & retail
Achieve true omnichannel synergy by unifying your online and offline operations. We architect resilient digital storefronts, automated inventory management systems, and flexible POS integrations that prevent stockouts and personalize the customer journey.
Healthcare
Streamline clinical workflows and secure patient data without compromising speed. From HIPAA-compliant telemedicine platforms to clinical trial management systems, our interoperable solutions reduce administrative burden and optimize care delivery.
Fintech & banking
Accelerate transaction processing and modernize legacy banking infrastructure. We engineer secure, compliant platforms that automate financial reporting, enhance fraud detection, and reduce customer service overhead through self-service digitization.
Real estate & construction
Centralize your property lifecycle management to prevent communication silos. We develop custom platforms that synchronize real-time data between agents, contractors, and tenants, reducing project delays and streamlining portfolio administration.
Logistics & transportation
Gain end-to-end supply chain visibility and eliminate deadhead mileage. Our solutions automate warehouse management and optimize fleet routing, allowing you to drastically reduce delivery times and minimize fuel/overhead costs through real-time tracking.
Energy
Optimize resource consumption and simplify complex regulatory compliance. We create intelligent energy management systems (EMS) that automate sustainability reporting and accounting, identifying usage patterns to drive down waste and operational costs.
Automotive
Digitize your dealership or fleet operations for total asset visibility. Our custom software automates inventory tracking and integrates telematics data, turning raw vehicle metrics into actionable insights for leaner, more responsive operations.
Manufacturing
Bridge the gap between production planning and shop-floor execution. We implement IoT-driven systems and digital twins to enable predictive maintenance and real-time monitoring, maximizing equipment uptime and overall production ROI.
Education
Scale your training capabilities and administrative efficiency simultaneously. We build robust Learning Management Systems (LMS) that automate enrollment, grading, and progress tracking, transforming how you deliver and manage content for any audience size.

Security & compliance built in

ISO 27001

GDPR / CCPA

OWASP secure coding practices

Industry recognition and awards

Technical stack

Languages & frameworks

Python
Python
Java
Java
JavaScript
JavaScript
TypeScript
TypeScript
.NET
.NET
Angular
Angular
Vue.js
Vue.js
Node.js
Node.js
React
React

Mobile

Swift
Kotlin
React Native
Flutter

Cloud & DevOps

AWS
Azure
Google Cloud
Docker
Kubernetes
CI/CD

Databases

MongoDB
MySQL
PostgreSQL
Firebase
Redis

Our structured software development process

01

Discovery & alignment

We don’t just take orders; we challenge assumptions to protect your runway. During discovery, we align your business KPIs with technical feasibility, identifying risks before they become expensive failures. This collaborative audit ensures we’re building the right product for your market, setting clear milestones and security standards from the very beginning.
02

Product & UX design

Design is a strategic tool for user activation, not just aesthetics. We create intuitive interfaces that prioritize conversion and retention while ensuring every element is technically viable. By documenting the UX logic early, we simplify future handoffs and ensure your product delivers a professional experience that builds immediate user trust.
03

Development

We solve the "black box" problem through radical transparency. You gain direct access to our repository and Jira boards from the get-go, with constant communication via your preferred channels. Our senior-heavy team follows clean-code principles, ensuring the architecture is documented, secure, and "transfer-ready" for your future in-house engineering team.
04

Testing & QA

Quality assurance is integrated into every sprint to prevent technical debt from accumulating. We perform rigorous automated and manual testing, focusing on security compliance and performance under load. This meticulous approach ensures your platform is stable, secure, and ready to pass the most demanding investor due diligence and technical audits.
05

Launch & iteration

Launch is just the starting point for market validation. We help you interpret user data to make informed pivots and rapidly iterate between sprints to optimize performance. Throughout the process, you maintain full ownership of all code and assets, ensuring a seamless transition as your company grows and your requirements evolve.
01

Discovery & alignment

We don’t just take orders; we challenge assumptions to protect your runway. During discovery, we align your business KPIs with technical feasibility, identifying risks before they become expensive failures. This collaborative audit ensures we’re building the right product for your market, setting clear milestones and security standards from the very beginning.
02

Product & UX design

Design is a strategic tool for user activation, not just aesthetics. We create intuitive interfaces that prioritize conversion and retention while ensuring every element is technically viable. By documenting the UX logic early, we simplify future handoffs and ensure your product delivers a professional experience that builds immediate user trust.
03

Development

We solve the "black box" problem through radical transparency. You gain direct access to our repository and Jira boards from the get-go, with constant communication via your preferred channels. Our senior-heavy team follows clean-code principles, ensuring the architecture is documented, secure, and "transfer-ready" for your future in-house engineering team.
04

Testing & QA

Quality assurance is integrated into every sprint to prevent technical debt from accumulating. We perform rigorous automated and manual testing, focusing on security compliance and performance under load. This meticulous approach ensures your platform is stable, secure, and ready to pass the most demanding investor due diligence and technical audits.
05

Launch & iteration

Launch is just the starting point for market validation. We help you interpret user data to make informed pivots and rapidly iterate between sprints to optimize performance. Throughout the process, you maintain full ownership of all code and assets, ensuring a seamless transition as your company grows and your requirements evolve.

Flexible engagement models

Team augmentation

You retain full control over project management and technical direction. Our senior engineers integrate into your existing workflows, following your daily processes while you make all high-level technical calls.

Hire engineers

Dedicated team

The stacked team manages daily sprints while you retain ownership of the product roadmap. This collaborative setup balances our technical delivery with your strategic vision and product leadership.

Select your team

Full-cycle development

We take complete ownership of the development lifecycle, from discovery to launch. Our managers handle all workflows and technical execution, delivering a market-ready product based on your business goals.

Get it handled
Talk to a software development partner for startups

Build your product without guesswork

A short conversation can save months of rework and thousands in wasted spending.

Frequently asked questions

What is the typical software development cost for a startup MVP?

Who owns the intellectual property and source code during development?

How do you prevent technical debt and ensure the product is scalable?

How do we maintain transparency and communication with a remote team?

Is the codebase "transfer-ready" for an eventual in-house team takeover?