Interview with Slava Mehovich, CTO & Founder - AKDev Group

Slava Mehovich  

CTO & Founder, AKDev Group

Give us a quick overview on AKDev Group . When and how did you begin this journey and what were your motives to be successful in software development?

AKDev Group began as a passion project driven by my love for technology and problem-solving. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I founded AKDev Group to create innovative software solutions that make a real difference for businesses. Our journey started with developing streaming platforms, which allowed us to demonstrate our technical capabilities and establish ourselves in the market.

My primary motivation has always been to leverage technology to solve complex business challenges. I believe in creating efficient, scalable, and user-friendly solutions that help our clients succeed in their respective industries. The rapidly evolving tech landscape offered the perfect environment to apply my skills in software architecture and project management, pushing me to continuously learn and adapt to new technologies and methodologies.

What is your role in the management and development of AKDev Group ?

As the CTO and Founder of AKDev Group, I oversee both the technical direction and business operations of the company. My responsibilities include:

Designing system architecture and concept development for client projects

Strategic planning and business development

Managing development teams and project workflows

Communicating with clients and stakeholders to ensure project success

Implementing CI/CD processes and development methodologies

Handling project budgeting and resource allocation

Staying at the forefront of technological advancements to guide our technical decisions

I take a hands-on approach to leadership, often participating directly in complex development tasks while also guiding our talented team of developers, designers, and project managers.

Tell us about your biggest achievement in the industry.

One of my most significant achievements has been developing and maintaining our audio streaming platform. This unique solution allows users without specialized technical skills to create their own radio stations and broadcast 24-hour streams accessible worldwide. This platform has been operating successfully for over 10 years, handling traffic bandwidth exceeding 50 Gbit/s through load balancing in the cloud.

What makes this achievement particularly notable is that we created the first service on the internet to provide a DJ studio for live broadcasting using only a browser, eliminating the need for additional software installation. This innovation significantly lowered the barrier to entry for aspiring broadcasters and has supported a thriving business for over a decade.

Additionally, our work on neobanking and financial technology solutions has allowed us to make impactful contributions to the fintech sector, helping streamline payments between businesses and freelancers through integrated banking services.

Beyond fintech and streaming, we have successfully tackled challenges across industries ranging from Logistics & Maritime to Travel & Hospitality. Each project presents unique complexities, and by solving them, we develop products that make work and life easier and more efficient for both businesses and end users.

How do you schedule the development phases of the apps to promise the timeline to your clients?

Our development scheduling follows a structured yet flexible approach:

Initial Assessment: We begin with a thorough analysis of client requirements, breaking down the project into manageable components.

Milestone Planning: We establish clear milestones with specific deliverables, using agile methodologies to adapt to changing requirements.

Resource Allocation: Based on project complexity, we assign appropriate team members with the right expertise.

Buffer Integration: We incorporate strategic buffers into our timelines to account for unforeseen challenges, ensuring we can still meet deadlines.

Continuous Communication: Regular updates keep clients informed about progress and any potential adjustments to timelines.

Iterative Development: We implement features in iterative cycles, allowing for early feedback and course correction.

CI/CD Implementation: Our established CI/CD processes streamline development, testing, and deployment phases.

We've refined this approach through years of project management experience, as evidenced in projects like our educational platforms, fintech solutions, logistics systems, energy management tools, and travel platforms, where meeting deadlines was critical for client satisfaction and successful launches.

How do you help your clients in choosing the right yet profitable platform for app development?

Our approach to platform selection is client-centric and data-driven:

Business Goals Analysis: We start by understanding the client's business objectives, target audience, and long-term vision.

Market Research: We analyze industry trends and competitor strategies to identify optimal platforms for the client's specific niche.

Budget Consideration: We provide transparent cost analyses for different platform options, balancing initial development costs against long-term maintenance.

Technical Assessment: We evaluate technical requirements, scalability needs, and integration capabilities to recommend the most suitable technology stack.

ROI Projection: We help clients understand potential returns on different platform investments, focusing on value generation.

Hybrid Opportunities: When appropriate, we explore cross-platform solutions that maximize reach while optimizing development resources.

Future-Proofing: We consider the longevity and adaptability of each platform recommendation, ensuring solutions can evolve with changing business needs.

Rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all approach, we provide clients with comprehensive information and expert guidance to make informed decisions that align with their business objectives and budget constraints.

Which would you suggest for a successful and profitable business progression, Native or hybrid apps? How do you define the factors that influenced you to make this choice?

The choice between native and hybrid apps depends on several critical factors that vary by project. Based on our extensive experience developing both types of applications, I believe the decision should be guided by:

Factors favoring Native apps:

When performance is absolutely critical to user experience

For applications requiring deep integration with device hardware

When platform-specific UI/UX elements are essential to the app's success

For long-term projects with sufficient budget for platform-specific development

When security requirements are exceptionally stringent

Factors favoring Hybrid apps:

When time-to-market is a critical business factor

For projects with budget constraints

When consistent cross-platform experience is more important than platform-specific features

For content-centric applications with limited hardware integration

When the development team has stronger web technology expertise

Our approach is pragmatic rather than dogmatic. For example, in our Voice Diary project, we chose native development with SwiftUI to ensure optimal performance and seamless integration with iOS features like iCloud synchronization. Conversely, for web-based platforms like our educational solutions, we've successfully implemented hybrid approaches using React Native or Flutter and other technologies to maximize reach while maintaining excellent user experiences.

The most profitable approach is one that aligns with the client's specific business goals, target audience, and available resources rather than following industry trends blindly.

How do you scheme your pricing model? How do you fix your budget?

Our pricing model is transparent and flexible, designed to align with client needs while ensuring sustainable business operations:

Project-Based Pricing: For well-defined projects with clear requirements, we provide fixed-price quotes based on detailed scope analysis and development estimates.

Time and Materials: For projects with evolving requirements or long-term development needs, we offer hourly or monthly rates that allow for greater flexibility.

Hybrid Approaches: For complex projects, we sometimes implement phased pricing models, with initial phases at fixed prices and later phases using time and materials as requirements become more refined.

Budget determination involves several key considerations:

Comprehensive Requirements Analysis: We conduct thorough scoping sessions to understand all aspects of the project.

Technology Stack Assessment: Different technologies have different development velocities and costs.

Resource Allocation Planning: We determine the optimal mix of specialists required.

Risk Assessment: We factor in contingencies for technical challenges and requirement changes.

Long-term Value Calculation: We consider not just development costs but also maintenance and scalability implications.

As mentioned in my experience with the Neobank project, I'm skilled at "calculation budgets for iterations, working with accounting, finding ways to reduce costs" while maintaining quality deliverables. Our goal is always to provide maximum value within the client's budget constraints.

How helpful are the apps developed by your team, for enhancing your clients’ business?

The applications we develop are transformative for our clients' businesses, delivering tangible value in multiple dimensions:

Operational Efficiency: Our fleet management system enabled clients to optimize route planning and vehicle maintenance through GPS monitoring and weather condition alerts, resulting in significant operational cost reductions.

Revenue Generation: The educational platforms we've developed have expanded our clients' market reach, creating new revenue streams through online courses and digital learning materials. One platform successfully transitioned from a small startup to securing first-round investments.

Business Model Innovation: Our neobank solution has revolutionized how client companies handle mass payments to freelancers, streamlining processes that were previously manual and time-consuming.

Market Expansion: Our audio streaming platform has enabled clients to reach global audiences without geographical limitations, operating successfully for over 10 years.

Competitive Advantage: The social network for astrologers we developed created a unique community platform that differentiated our client in a niche market, leading to successful commercial launch.

Customer Engagement & Satisfaction: Our self-service portal for a liquefied gas importer streamlined operations by integrating seamlessly with the client's ERP system. It optimized data flow, enhanced user experience, and increased self-service usage by 200%, leading to a 15% rise in customer satisfaction.

What sets our applications apart is our focus on deep business integration rather than just technical implementation. We work closely with clients to understand their business models, customer journeys, and growth objectives, ensuring that the solutions we develop address core business challenges and create opportunities for expansion and innovation.

What according to you are the best practices to attain client satisfaction?

Based on my extensive experience leading successful projects, I believe the following practices are essential for achieving high levels of client satisfaction:

Transparent Communication: Maintaining open, honest, and proactive communication throughout the project lifecycle builds trust and prevents misunderstandings.

Expectation Management: Clearly defining deliverables, timelines, and potential challenges from the outset helps align client expectations with realistic outcomes.

Active Listening: Deeply understanding client needs requires attentive listening to both stated requirements and unstated concerns or aspirations.

Iterative Feedback Loops: Regularly presenting work in progress and incorporating client feedback ensures the final product aligns with their vision and evolving needs.

Technical Excellence: Delivering clean, well-architected, and thoroughly tested code creates reliable solutions that perform well under real-world conditions.

Problem-Solving Focus: Approaching challenges with a solution-oriented mindset rather than dwelling on limitations demonstrates our commitment to the client's success.

Post-Launch Support: Providing responsive support after deployment shows our long-term commitment to the solution's success.

Business Value Orientation: Always connecting technical decisions to business outcomes helps clients see the tangible value of our work.

As evident in our project history, we've successfully implemented these practices across diverse projects—from educational platforms and fintech solutions to transportation management systems and travel platforms—resulting in long-term client relationships and successful product launches.

How do you update your business system to be in pace with the technological advancements?

Staying current with technological advancements is fundamental to our business strategy:

Continuous Learning Culture: We foster an environment where team members are encouraged to explore new technologies, attend conferences, and participate in specialized training.

Research and Development Initiatives: We allocate time and resources to experiment with emerging technologies in controlled environments before implementing them in client projects.

Technology Stack Evaluation: We regularly assess our technology stack against industry benchmarks, adopting new tools and frameworks when they offer significant advantages.

Cross-Team Knowledge Sharing: Regular internal workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions ensure that innovations discovered by individual team members benefit the entire organization.

Strategic Partnerships: We maintain relationships with technology providers and industry leaders to gain early access to new developments and best practices.

Gradual Implementation: Rather than disruptive overhauls, we typically integrate new technologies incrementally, allowing for careful evaluation and smooth transitions.

Client-Focused Innovation: We prioritize technological advancements that directly address client needs and market opportunities rather than pursuing novelty for its own sake.

Our transition from older frameworks like CakePHP to modern technology stacks incorporating Vue.js, Laravel, and containerized deployment environments demonstrates our commitment to evolution. Similarly, our adoption of cloud services, CI/CD processes, and automated testing frameworks reflects our ongoing modernization efforts.

What are your thoughts about AR, VR and Internet of Things (IoT)?

AR, VR, and IoT represent transformative technologies that are reshaping how we interact with digital systems and the physical world:

Augmented Reality (AR) has evolved beyond novelty to provide practical business applications. The ability to overlay digital information on the physical world creates opportunities for enhanced training, remote assistance, and immersive customer experiences. I see particular promise in AR for educational contexts, where complex concepts can be visualized in three-dimensional space, aligning with our experience developing educational platforms.

Virtual Reality (VR) offers unprecedented immersion that can revolutionize training, simulation, and entertainment experiences. While consumer adoption has been gradual, enterprise applications in fields like architectural visualization, medical training, and industrial design show substantial ROI potential. The decreasing cost of VR hardware and improvements in user comfort are addressing previous adoption barriers.

Internet of Things (IoT) has perhaps the broadest immediate impact, creating networks of connected devices that generate valuable data and enable automation. Our experience with fleet management systems has demonstrated how IoT sensors can provide real-time visibility into operations, enabling data-driven decision-making. The integration of IoT with cloud computing and AI creates powerful opportunities for predictive maintenance, resource optimization, and enhanced user experiences. Additionally, our IoT application for real-time yacht monitoring showcases the potential of connected systems. By integrating seamless data collection, aggregation, and visualization through an optimized dashboard and interactive 3D model, we enhanced operational monitoring and user experience while ensuring high-load performance and reliability.

The real power of these technologies emerges when they converge. For example, IoT sensors can feed data to AR interfaces, creating context-aware information overlays for maintenance technicians or facility managers.

While embracing the potential, we maintain a pragmatic approach, focusing on applications that solve specific business problems rather than implementing technology for its own sake. Security, privacy, and integration with existing systems remain critical considerations in our approach to these emerging technologies.

What do you think will be the future of Mobile/Software technology?

The future of mobile and software technology will be shaped by several converging trends that will fundamentally transform how we develop and interact with digital systems:

AI Integration: Artificial intelligence will become increasingly embedded in software, moving beyond basic automation to context-aware systems that can anticipate user needs, personalize experiences, and make autonomous decisions within defined parameters. This will shift development from feature-centric to intelligence-centric approaches.

Seamless Cross-Platform Experiences: The boundaries between devices and platforms will continue to blur, with applications delivering consistent experiences across mobile, desktop, wearable, and ambient computing environments. Technologies that enable this fluidity while maintaining performance will gain prominence.

Low-Code/No-Code Evolution: Development platforms will continue democratizing software creation, allowing business domain experts to build and modify applications. However, this will elevate rather than diminish the role of professional developers, who will focus on creating sophisticated components, integrations, and architectures that power these platforms.

Edge Computing Prominence: As IoT deployments scale and latency requirements become more stringent, computing will increasingly move to the edge, requiring new architectural patterns and optimization techniques. Our experience with distributed systems positions us well for this transition.

Security by Design: With increasing regulatory pressure and sophisticated threats, security will be further integrated into development processes rather than added as an afterthought. Zero-trust architectures and privacy-preserving technologies will become standard.

Sustainable Software Development: Energy efficiency and environmental impact will become important considerations in software architecture and deployment decisions, particularly for cloud and mobile applications.

Immersive Interfaces: Beyond current AR/VR implementations, we'll see the rise of more natural, multimodal interfaces that combine voice, gesture, and contextual awareness to create intuitive user experiences that require minimal explicit interaction.

These trends will require development teams to continuously evolve their skills and approaches. At AKDev Group, we're committed to staying at the forefront of these changes, adapting our methodologies and technology stack to deliver forward-looking solutions that provide lasting value for our clients.