Projects with purpose

What exactly makes a product meaningful? It’s ultimate real world function matters, but also the relationship between the product and those who cooperate on building it.

Our aim with client projects is to build up a collaboration to  jointly create a product that both serves a measurable purpose and means something to our people on the ground. In practice, this means selecting ideas that we can really believe have a meaningful impact on the world and it means keeping lines of communication open for everyone involved.

“Vacuumlabs isn’t an outsourcing firm. Our aim is to form long-term partnerships, develop our own products, and grow a portfolio we can be proud of. We make sure the software we are building pushes the world forward and our engineers are happy doing it.“

Ondrej Tokár, Head of Project Management

With a speciality in fintech, we’re building products that aim to transcend the capabilities of the traditional banking world and explore the possibilities of cryptocurrency. The products we collaborate on are rooted in the two interconnected ideas: tech should have a real world impact and that impact can benefit end-users, clients, and the world as a whole.

One of our most unique collaborations is the Doconomy 2030 calculator, a web-based app that enables brands to calculate the carbon footprint of their products. Our ventures in crypto include apps like Yoroi – a safe, secure wallet for the Cardano ecosystem. When we do build banks, we build virtual banks from scratch – such as Mox in Hong Kong. Concurrently with this inventive enthusiasm, we also know when to build on top of existing solutions – some of the  best products are built by incorporating the great parts of an established ecosystem.

Empowering people to grow into their best self

Working on client projects can be done in a meaningful way, but where do you go once you feel you’ve seen it all and have outgrown a current project? It’s a natural progression for some to wonder where they want to go next. And while we always aim to work on a collaborative level, there are unique challenges and opportunities in our expanding spinoff portfolio that offer a new kind of ownership.

“The connection with the product is very important for me. I like to create software that has an impact and is a valuable part of the business. I work for a Vacuumlabs spin-off, we are a relatively small team and therefore the impact we can have is huge. The project has its technical challenges, it has strict requirements for latencies, which makes it even more interesting to be involved and choose technologies wisely.“

Michal Kurťák, Senior Software Developer

Through growing this suite of in-house products, we can offer people not just the freedom to work remotely or have flex hours – but the option to take a meaningful risk by trying something new. That could mean joining the development of our in-house products – such as Adalite or Trama –  to build a new product from the ground up or even becoming the founder of your own spin-off after developing an after hours project. It’s not a path for everyone, but we leave that door open for people who want to branch into the business world, take on high level advisory roles, or just work on something you feel an individual connection to.

You can read more about our spinoffs and the people that brought them to life here.

Keeping the door open

Project management shouldn’t end at the product. The availability and communication from team leads is how we make sure exceptional engineers don’t get overlooked. There are regular 1 on 1 meetings so people can share their ideas, concerns, or questions with their team lead. These meetings serve another tangible purpose: we can draft fair and timely performance evaluations. If someone is performing above their initial starting point, there’s no need to wait months or even years to discuss a raise when you’re exceeding expectations. We can also re-evaluate your placement on a project, opening the possibility to move into one of our spinoffs.

This emphasis on open and consistent communication extends beyond your daily work and performance. You’re encouraged to arrange a flexible work schedule, vacation, volunteering time, or continued education with management. The underlying principle is that we know you have a life and work should feel like it’s a part of it – or enriching it – rather than something taking it away.

Maintaining the right conditions

A great process still needs the right people to function properly. That’s why we take great care of the environment we’re crafting and how it relates to your overall well being. From recruitment to evaluations, there is an emphasis on autonomy, open-mindedness, and maintaining a welcoming culture. The aim is to create the kind of workplace that makes both working and social events with your colleagues something that you can look forward to.

“The qualities I really value in my Vacuumlabs colleagues are their talent, their openness, and their cooperation. We work together, but we also get to have a lot of fun.”

Gergely Nagy, Tech Lead

Even on the most challenging projects, we keep this spirit of collaboration and camaraderie at the forefront and build on it. When you feel that you can truly be yourself, there is more freedom to experiment on processes that aren’t working – even if you risk making a mistake. And in the end, a demanding recruitment process means knowing you can rely on your colleagues to employ critical thinking and develop logical processes.

Embracing the new

We’re always looking out for ways to improve. It’s easy to get stuck in one way of doing things simply because it’s how it’s always been done. But we want to  listen to people’s words and actions so we can place them on projects where they thrive – even if it means changing and admitting we didn’t get it right the first time. We apply the same cycle of feedback and iteration to our people working here that we would to the end users of our products: always listen and always find ways to improve.

If the way we work is on your wavelength, check out our open positions here.