Our Insights

“They came out of nowhere, now they’re making millions… They’re an overnight success!”  I’m sure you’ve heard this before or at the very least something like it.  Publications love to bombard us with stories of entrepreneurs who find instant success. The problem is “instant success” simply doesn’t happen.  Sure the stories get clicks, sell magazines […]

Recently, SpaceX launched Starlink in Portugal. So, naturally, I got one for Altar as soon as the pre-orders opened.  A couple of weeks ago, the sleek satellite dish finally arrived. In no time at all, a couple of devs from my team and I had unboxed it and set it up in the garden outside […]

Since we launched in 2015,  my co-founding team and I have had the opportunity to help build over 50 MVPs.  From first-time founders with early-stage startups to seasoned entrepreneurs with multiple projects under their belts, all in a variety of regions across the globe.  Despite the differences in size, location and resources, we’ve noticed that […]

Recently, our co-founder, Daniel, sat down with Portugal’s Valor Magazine to discuss Altar’s future. They covered everything from the work we dedicate ourselves to, to the future challenges we plan to tackle in our endeavour to become the category queen in product development. Here’s the full transcript from the interview.  The Eyes of the World […]

This is part two of a two-part conversation with serial founder and pioneer of “digital identity” Garrett Gafke on how he built and launched his most successful startup, IdentityMind. Click here to read part one. Recently, I sat down with Garrett Gafke to talk about how he built his startup, IdentityMind.  The conversation was so […]

It’s harder than ever to find the right technical co-founder to help you turn your business vision into a tangible startup product.  This is largely thanks to the global developer shortage, which already amounts to over 40M skilled workers worldwide. For you, this shortage of technical talent means two things:  It’s more difficult and will […]

Uri Levine, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Waze, famously coined the phrase:  “Fall in love with the problem, not the solution” I’m sure you’ve heard it before. It’s quite a common expression in the startup scene.  But what about a real-life example from someone who took that motto to heart and built a multi-million […]

If you’re looking for a service page, feel free to check ours here. If you’re interested in knowing more about how an agency can help your startup, keep reading. Below you’ll find our tried and tested process to successfully develop a startup product with a Software Development Company.  As a founder, you are a specialist […]

In the last few years, there’s been a trend among startup founders to set up geographically distributed teams.  Swarms of remote workers (dubbed Digital Nomads) started populating cafés and co-works across the world and ever since the remote work vs. office debate has been heating up.  Then COVID hit.  Offices closed, public transport stopped, the […]

When building a startup, you have many options for software development. Whether you hire a team of developers, outsource to an agency, or find a CTO.  While all of these options are viable, if you find a CTO with the right tech expertise, you’ll have gained a key player to help you succeed. But remember, […]

In today’s digital world, consumers are more discerning than ever.  Bad user experience, or a product that simply misses the mark, will lead your users to flock to your competitors in a heartbeat.  The best way to avoid that nightmare is to focus on your product from the get-go.  It’s something we advocate at Altar, […]

As a business person without the tech skills to build an MVP, it can be tempting to look for a software development partner as soon as possible.  It’s a common trap that many entrepreneurs fall into. But, before even thinking about development,  you should be focussing on your product reasoning.  It’s like entrepreneur and product […]

Launching a startup is a huge undertaking that will test your personal and professional relationships to the limit.  Something serial entrepreneur and startup founder Garrett Gafke knows a thing or two about.  He pioneered the digital identity industry when he founded his startup IdentityMind back in 2011.  After achieving over $21M in funding, and solidifying […]

How to build an MVP that validates your value proposition, shortens your time-to-market and reduces product development costs. Building a startup! You have an epiphany and say to yourself: This is a great idea! How didn’t anyone think of it before? I have to build it! Now! Fair enough but, as I’m sure you’ve heard, […]

If you’re reading this, chances are that you’re about to take the first step in turning your business vision into a reality by building an MVP.  You’ve probably heard that a short time to market is essential if you’re to succeed – which is why you chose to build a lean, user-centric MVP.  After all, in […]

Every entrepreneur is a life-long learner.  And that’s not just because you have the mindset for it. You don’t have a choice. New challenges appear every day and you need to learn and figure out how to solve them. That’s true for you, as it is for any one of my founders here at Altar.io. […]

If you’re reading this, most likely you want to build a marketplace that brings real disruption to your sector. The truth is, like with most things, there is no secret recipe that will guarantee your success. However, there is a structured process that can significantly reduce your chances of failure.  How to Build a Marketplace […]

In today’s business landscape, startups are notoriously hard to get off the ground – and the numbers back this up.  High startup failure rate is the result of many factors, some structural, some circumstantial.  No market need. Ran out of cash. Not the right team. A mistimed product. Poor marketing…  The list goes on. Today’s article […]

The way we build tech products is constantly evolving. Not just in the languages and architecture we use, but also in the way the teams themselves are constructed.  Micro teams are the latest example of that evolution.  15 years ago, there were a handful of internet companies in the world. Mid to large companies would […]

The business landscape is evolving and changing faster than ever. And it’s never been more critical for entrepreneurs to stay at the cutting edge of that evolution. As Wayne Gretsky famously said:  “Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been” For over a century, business magazines have been helping entrepreneurs stay […]

Author and iconic 1950s motivational speaker Earl Nightingale famously said “Everything begins with an idea.” I would argue that, for an entrepreneur, this is a fallacy that often leads to the wrong mindset.  Instead, I would say that for us entrepreneurs, everything begins with a problem to solve. In entrepreneurship, that’s all ideas are – […]

There are many reasons why choosing Portugal to start your business is a good decision, from the fact it’s home to one of the best cities to live in the world, to the fantastic tech community here.  But I’m sure you know most of those reasons already. So, I’ll just move on to the next […]

Looking for investors in Fintech? Pick up our list of 150 Fintech investors we've met, with all the meaningful information you need to go to battle.

Since launching in 2015 we’ve had one mandate in mind at Altar:  To help entrepreneurs build successful startups. And because our founding team have built over 10 startups between them, they decided the best way to do that was to bring a lean, user-centric approach to product and software development. But it takes more than […]

Finding the right technical stakeholder to help you build your startup is hard.  You’ve probably already heard, and read, lots of opinions on “the only way” to go about it.  Whether those opinions are from investors, advisors, friends, family, or a famous entrepreneur you look up to.  Some will tell you that “investors invest in […]

Throughout this series of interviews, I’ve talked to several non-tech entrepreneurs who’ve shared their insights and tips on building a startup. So, in this interview – the 10th in The Startup Journey series – it was great to sit down with a technical founder – Adarsh Jain.  Besides that, it never ceases to amaze me the […]

Think about someone you know. A family member, a friend, a colleague. I’ll bet that at some point you’ve heard that person say something like: ” there aren’t enough hours in the day.” For an entrepreneur that’s an everyday rule. Marketing. Product Development. That quick chat but turned into an hour-long meeting. Remembering to eat.  […]

Two minutes into our latest founder interview – the ninth in the Startup Journey series – and I knew I was in for a treat.  Just check out my face! It was during those first two minutes that Wade Eyerly shared a significant part of his background, like how he: Built an airline that pioneered […]

Since leaving the corporate world, and jumping into entrepreneurship I’ve founded three startups.  In that time I’ve seen my fair share of co-founders – both good and bad. Whether it’s in the co-founding teams I’ve built myself, or co-founding teams I meet thanks to the work I do at Altar.io.  Through all of these experience,  […]

Making the jump into entrepreneurship, and building a startup,  is rarely a rational decision. A good example of this comes from an entrepreneur I got to know recently, Sean Yu. He started his career at Lehman Brothers and Gryphon Investors. At this point, the rational decision for Sean was to go to business school in […]

When serial entrepreneur Illit Geller started telling me her story, I could instantly see why the fintech startup she founded, TradAir raised $11M in its latest funding round.  She didn’t just build a solution for her target market, she built it with her target market. Reaching out to them, listening to their problems and sharing […]

Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Sir Richard Branson, Steve Jobs.  What do all these successful entrepreneurs all have in common?  They never stop learning.  The hunger to learn new skills and strategies that drive your entrepreneurial journey to the next milestone is essential for any entrepreneur.  As I’m sure you know, trying to find time to […]

Choosing a technical co-founder is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as an entrepreneur.  And the fact is, there’s no secret playbook, and sometimes the perfect match appears in the weirdest place.  I usually mention an example from a really smart entrepreneur I got to know a few months ago, Jan-Philipp Kruip, the […]

I’ve seen my fair share of entrepreneurial mistakes over the years. And not all of them had to do with building the right product or assembling the right team. Just a few days ago I was reading a story about an entrepreneur that decided to jump on a project with a friend. They co-founded a […]

Roughly a year ago, I started reaching out to fintech founders to ask them about their startup journeys, and discover how they overcame the common hurdles of building a fintech.  My goal in doing this was to bring valuable insights to our community of entrepreneurs. After all, one of the best ways to avoid pitfalls […]

Whether you’re an entrepreneur launching a startup or a business manager building a satellite product, outsourcing your software development is a critical business decision. You can’t fail and there are many factors to consider to ensure you choose the right company for the job. “I’ve seen first-hand the effects of choosing the wrong agency when […]

Another great day for Altar.io. We have continued our streak of recognition by Clutch as we are named a top development partner in their 2021 awards. We’re very proud to have companies like Clutch and Goodfirms recognize our hard work, just as we are proud to regularly feature in articles and lists of the top […]

Many years ago, way before co-founding Altar.io, I quit my job in investment banking absolutely convinced I wanted to be an entrepreneur. So I set out to build my first startup, a social events marketplace.  Like most first-time founders, I made some mistakes along the way. Well, maybe more than some. Including going to investors […]

Since founding Altar.io I’ve worked with a lot of entrepreneurs and business managers who struggle to find developers for their startup. Let me give you one example. Two years ago a data company from Switzerland reached out to me with this exact problem.  They already had an in-house team and a successful product. However, they […]

When you hit a roadblock on your entrepreneurial journey, it can often feel impossible to push through to the next milestone.  And it’s a feeling all entrepreneurs face, myself included. While building my previous startup, Venga, hurdles came up, and I was often left feeling lost.  I wish I’d had a sounding board. An experienced […]

I’ll start by saying that this is more than a case study for me. This is the story of my first venture as a startup founder when I set out to build a marketplace. It was the end of 2014 and I couldn’t wait to leave banking behind and pursue the life of an entrepreneur.  […]

“The secret of my success is that we have gone to exceptional lengths to hire the best people in the world.” This quote, famously coined by Steve Jobs, perfectly sums up the importance people play in your business.  And, as a co-founder at Altar.io, I’m always looking for new processes to onboard the best talent […]

You’re here so that means you’re considering a lean approach to develop your MVP. That’s a great first step. But lean product development methodologies alone won’t cut it into today’s entrepreneurial landscape. I know this because over the last ten years I’ve built my own startup (which crashed and burned), worked on dozens of MVPs […]

I recently sat down with Nelly Yusupova, a CTO & Startup Advisor with 18 years of experience in the tech industry. Throughout our conversation, she shared a number of tips and insights on exactly what you should do as a non-technical founder before you begin your search for a technical partner.   To give you just […]

We often talk about how people are the most important aspect of your startup. Whether it’s your team, advisors, investors or clients, having the right people in your corner can be the critical difference between success and failure.  And when it comes to finding those people, your relationships are as valuable as the money in […]

Finding a technical co-founder is one of the biggest challenges faced by startup founders. Here’s how Audapio’s Founder Dudley Gould overcame this common startup hurdle.  I started my entrepreneurial journey like most first-time founders.  I had a great idea, with the industry knowledge to turn it into a business vision. But I had no idea […]

Trying to hire developers for your startup is one of the biggest challenges faced by startup founders.  The task is made even more daunting by the fact that only 2.1% of professional developers are unemployed and actively seeking work.   Before we dive into the list of the 10 best websites to hire developers for your […]

The best business ideas don’t come from the entrepreneurs who are focusing their efforts on becoming the next Gates, Zuckerberg or Branson. They come from entrepreneurs who can see unsolved problems and inefficiencies in the market. Just like Christian Nothacker. It was a gap in the market that inspired him to launch his fintech startup, […]

As CTO at Altar.io, a large part of my work revolves around observing the forward-looking industry trends (including fintech trends) that affect how we create innovative products.   The fintech industry is experiencing a paradigm shift across multiple vertices of the technology spectrum, which has been accelerated by the Coronavirus pandemic.  This has sparked a series […]

If you’re deciding how to create your MVP there is an initial question you must ask yourself: “Should I make a Functional OR Non-functional MVP?” This is an important question. The answer can save you time, money and ultimately prevent you from choosing the wrong vehicle to prove your assumptions. All of these factors will […]

In an increasingly competitive business landscape, it’s more important than ever for startups to reach their target users quickly and efficiently. Building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) has become the de facto process to achieve this. I’ve lined the ultimate list of  MVP examples, from a range of industries, to share with you – One […]

“You are never a commodity when you are being yourself” A few months ago  I wrote about the latest instalment of the web mimicking real-life:  The Passion Economy Marketplace. Within the article, I discussed how it brings local artisans to a global audience – and how that relates to “Homo Deus” – a civilization advancing […]

Whether you’re thinking of launching a startup or in the trenches of your first entrepreneurial venture, any morsel of advice from someone who’s been in your shoes can be like gold.  That’s why I sat down with serial entrepreneur Alex Tonelli. He knows a thing or two about the hurdles entrepreneurs face, to say the […]

Developing a Minimum Viable Product has quickly become the industry standard for startups to ensure they build a user-centric product with a quick time-to-market.  Part of the Lean methodology, an MVP is defined as:  “The version of a new product that allows you and your team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about […]

Did you know that running out of capital means the end of the road for around 29% of startups? Raising capital is a key factor to your startup’s success – unless you have deep pockets. This means developing a good relationship with investors – something I have previously talked about here.  Once you’ve developed that […]

As entrepreneurs, much of our decision making is grounded in empirical data, and that makes sense. There’s too much at stake to risk it all purely on guesswork. But we also know that our instincts can guide us places that are bigger and better than if we rely on data alone. We see iconic entrepreneurs […]

As a non-technical founder, you’ve had your lightbulb moment. The idea that resulted in the business-driven vision for your startup. There’s just one problem. You lack technical skills and have no idea how to build a startup.  It’s a problem every non-technical founder faces, myself included. Before creating Altar.io, I co-founded over seven startups. I’m […]

I recently came across a question on Quora: “How do you know if you’re going to be successful?”  Scrolling through the replies, one story caught my eye.  It was from Hector Quintanilla, a brilliant startup expert and successful entrepreneur with nearly three decades of experience helping entrepreneurs build their businesses. It went something like this: […]

At Altar.io we’ve built dozens of products over the years, working with entrepreneurs from all over the world.  Based on that experience, it’s absolutely clear to us that one of the key elements of success is taking the time to reason with your product. We believe this so much we encourage every entrepreneur that works […]

“What does it take to build a successful startup?” That was my main question when I sat down with Yaron Samid. He’s a multi-exit founder whose companies have been acquired by the likes of Microsoft and Cisco, to name but two. Yaron is a regular lecturer at Stanford and Columbia business schools. He is the […]

× Building a Startup? Get a straight to the point opinion from someone that has been building award-winning Products for the past 10 years Book a Call Wondering how much it will cost you? Use our pricing simulator to understand how cost can vary depending on your project’s size and complexity Simulate Pricing From “challenger […]

The structured process behind finding the right technical partner for your startup. Building a Startup? Hopefully, that means you’ve found a problem or inefficiency, you thought long and hard about it, and now have a vision on the best way to solve it. Problem is, as a non-tech founder, you’re probably struggling with the best […]

“Startup advisors are crucial to the success of your business.”  No matter the source, I’m sure you’ve heard or seen this statement before. And I agree with it. Before co-founding Altar.io I had my own startup. From experience, I know that onboarding the right startup advisors; who have experience, knowledge, expertise and a broad network […]

When building your startup you can have a great idea and the perfect market conditions and still come up short. For both your startup and investors, execution is key. Just look at this slide I found from Alexander Jarvis on Quora: You and your startup team, especially at a management level, are a huge factor […]

Over the last few years, Lisbon has blossomed into one of the best cities to build a startup in Europe — and the startup ecosystem isn’t showing signs of slowing down. The city is one of the most liveable cities in the world. There is a rich culture, developed infrastructure, sustainable transport options, low rental […]

Are you looking for the best coworking spaces in Lisbon? If so, I’ve created this list of the best choices based on price, transport links, networking benefits and reviews. Lisbon is a great to place to build your startup. Great food, developed infrastructure, investment in sustainable transport options, rich culture and nearly 2,800 hours of […]

There are countless articles on the web that talk about what investors look for when funding your startup. Normally they all focus on similar things: A stunning pitch deck Solid financials Market opportunity A founding team with the “X-Factor” Execution capability All of which are, undeniably, important. But even if you think you have everything figured […]

It’s a decision that can make or break a startup: Do you invest in in-house resources to create your product or do you outsource software development to a third-party company?  On the one hand, as a startup, shouldn’t product development be a core competency? On the other, surely it’s better to go to market as […]

Money, or lack of it, can make or break a startup. Period. As a startup founder raising capital is about to become an important part of your efforts. A survey by the Kauffman Firm estimates that it takes, on average, a minimum of $80K to get your startup through its first year alone. Moreover, depending on the industry, it […]

It’s been roughly two months now since the Coronavirus turned our lives upside down. From practising social distancing and getting used to a life confined within four walls. To constant washing of hands and wearing masks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) just to buy a loaf of bread. All the while watching strangers, friends […]

As I write these words we’ve just passed one million known infected with COVID-19 and the economies of the “advanced” world are certainly going into a recession (two quarters of negative growth). In a globalised world physically connected by just over 100,000 flights per day, contagious disease populates the world in a matter of weeks. […]

How does Series Funding work? What’s an Angel Investor? How are they different from Venture Capitalist firms? Which stage of series funding is best for my company right now? Getting funding for your startup can be a daunting task with lots of questions to answer and options to consider. From ideation to scaling, your company will […]

As an entrepreneur, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to outsourcing software development. I don’t know if you’re aware but there are at least 15k listed software development companies all over the world. This means you not only have to decide whether you should outsource or not, but you must also find a way to […]

The future of marketplaces is an unknown. However, the rise of the Passion Economy could be an opportunity to create marketplaces with passion-driven verticals. “Civilization was born out of the need to fulfil one’s needs” through others… — Vargas Llosa “The next decade will be about passions, not gigs.” — Li Jin Discoverability and Monetization are The Roots of […]

Machine learning in the browser is the newest kid on the block within web edge technologies. By the end of this article, you will know the basics behind machine learning in the browser and how Javascript, with the help of WebGL, allows us to train and run models directly to the client-side.  Machine learning in […]

As a founder and entrepreneur, you don't need to be a technical expert. However, you do need to know the basic concepts because many technical decisions are critical business decisions.

I’ve met many types of developers throughout the years building different products with Altar.io. The one important lesson I’ve learnt along the way is: Don’t look for the perfect developers, look for a balanced team. That’s our sweet spot for one reason: there is no such thing as perfection and building a good product is never […]

Are you looking to incorporate your startup in the UK? Here I present 5 simple steps you need to accomplish in order to have your startup ready to operate and receive investments: Registration Bank Account SEIS Approval Accountancy Taxation I’ve been through this process for more than once before creating Altar.io and I realised that […]

Looking for Marketplace Investors? Well, I can’t blame you. Marketplaces are here to stay – and constantly evolving. If you look at Uber, Etsy or Airbnb, it’s easy to understand why creating a safe, trustworthy environment between buyers and sellers may be a great business opportunity. So if you took all the precautionary measures, built […]

There’s little evidence to support that anyone is too old to start a business. In fact, older founders are usually wiser. They are more focused on achieving sales metrics than on building “the best product ever”. They work silently, attend fewer startup conferences and, without any surprise, the over 40s tend to achieve more. But […]

In this post I’ll show you all the side events you can attend to make the most out of your Web Summit 2019 experience. Our 2017 and 2018 versions of this list got so much love we had no choice but to do it again. And this year with 2 events of our own: • Lisbon & its benefits for […]

Looking to raise money and struggling to figure out your startup valuation? Valuations are created as a negotiation between the two parties (founding team and investors) on the ratio between the investment sought and the percentage of equity that founders want (and are able) to give out. Of course, they will still be crafted that […]

It’s a great day here at Altar. We were named one of the leading B2B companies in Clutch’s latest Western European award list. After being nominated a Leading IT Business Services Company in Clutch.co’s 2019 Awards, it feels amazing to stand out among so many excellent tech agencies once again. The always kind Clutch team […]

As a Mentor at Virgin Startup and Co-founder of a Product & Software Development Agency, I’m often asked what it takes to build a successful startup. For me, one of the more important aspects is less about the ‘what’ and more about the ‘who’. Having the right people by your side will benefit you in all […]

As the founder of a Product & Software Development Agency, I learnt a long time ago that aligning with a startup founder’s vision is crucial. However, to truly deliver great results it’s important to challenge founders’ ideas so that the product being built can grow and improve.  At Altar.io, we often challenge the assumptions of […]

You’re building your tech venture and looking for investors, but it’s still too early to approach Venture Capitalists (VCs). So you decide, instead, to fill your next months’ calendar with meetings with Business Angels. Great! Business Angels are a group of investors consisting of many amazing professionals who are a positive force for the startup […]

The team at Altar.io is delighted to have been named a Leading IT Business Services Company in Clutch.co’s 2019 Awards. Altar’s award is in the Operations and Process Management category. Clutch is a leading B2B ratings and reviews firm. It released its 2019 list of more than 470 leading IT and business services companies for […]

Proptech or Real Estate Technology has had several stages in its yet short-lived existence. The consensus is that soon we will have more startups that will automate several processes in time-consuming and expensive usages. But the truly revolutionary aspect will be the advent of Crypto Securitization. According to Oxford’s Said Business School Proptech Report, we […]

Spoiler: It’s a team who build your MVP in 30 days for 10k with Altar.io! First off a little about Altar.io. We are Daniel, Joao, Paolo, and Andre and we are a London and Lisbon based team of second-time founders with plenty of successes and failures on our belts across different segments: Marketplaces, Tourism, Music, […]

Are You Relevant To Your Customers and Leads? When we think about the future of marketing we must immediately think about being 100% relevant. Utopia or not, the brands nailing the marketing automation today are already highly relevant to their customers. They are able to deliver the right content at the right time, through the […]

Great! You’re adopting an agile methodology for your digital project. However, you don’t know how to structure an effective team capable of executing and delivering good quality on schedule. You are also unsure of the characteristics of such a team We often hear about the greater advantages of the Agile philosophy compared to the “traditional” […]

We’ve created the open-source library Angulartics2 to plug into your Angular single page app (SPA) for analytics integration. It allows you to do event tracking and it is ready to integrate with Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Kissmetrics, Mixpanel, Piwik, Segment, Baidu Analytics and Facebook Pixel.   Problem Most analytics providers do not automatically track the […]