Achieving Business Goals With Creative Innovations - Alex Borisov, Co-Founder of Rocketech

1. What is Rocketech in your eyes and what was the idea behind its inception? 

We believe that IT is a very complex industry and Tech has changed many industries and will continue to do so in the next few years. Usual entrepreneurs will need some strong and long term partners to boost their business at the edge of IT. We at Rocketech make the world better with the implementation of software products. 

2. Why did you choose mobile app technology to pursue your career? How big was the team when you started? 

We choose mobile development because we see the value and a big impact on mobile phones. We started with just a few developers about 4 years ago. Now we have about 40 people in the mobile development department. 

3. Does Rocketech have a niche? If yes, what is it? 

Yep! We specialize in developing complex custom software from scratch and continue scaling up it together with founders and product owners. 

4. What makes Rocketech the success it is today?

Reputation, founders that are still with us. Teams that are high-level specialists. 

5. After working with more than 70 startups in your career, what is your opinion on how a startup on a limited budget can best utilize mobile app technology in 2020? 

I think that it is better to start building up to something simple. After the first MVP, you should try to find out a better product-market fit and keep making cust dev together with users. If we are talking about industries, utility tool apps, streaming services, entertainment, edutainment, casual games, educational apps. 

6. App Industry roughly grew 20% during the lockdown. Any comments on its reasons and future implications?

The future is behind the games, streaming, education, FoodTech, and instant e-commerce, DIY tech projects, and specialty goods for personal homes. Also, the delivery industry of e-commerce products, digitalization of big properties, and real estate are likely to experience the boom.

7. What is the future of Apps after 2020? Also share your views with respect to new technologies like Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Machine learning, AR-VR, etc.

All of those trends will continue to blow up the world especially in those countries where digitalization is just starting to grow and will continue to do so more and much quicker. I’m talking about Africa, Europe, Russia and CIS countries, Asia and Middle East regions. IoT will come back again more strongly because of a big trend for personal house improvements.

8. What is going to be the popular UI and UX design trends of apps in 2021? 

I think the same as it was always - Native Interfaces that are designed by phone developers which are Apple and Google. 

9. You have had a long career already. How many roles have you taken up till now? Which role was the most challenging and which you enjoyed the most? 

I was a salesman and still, I carry this role in the team. I used to be the PM & developer myself. All the roles are important. I have started my career a long time ago and from courier step by step I came up to starting the Rocketech company together with my best partner. 

10. Tell us about the MIT program you did in Singapore, your takeaways, and how it helped in your career? 

Of all the studies that I had, the Singapore program was the best one. The name of the program was Commercialisation of Innovation. I had a grant from a Russian venture company to study there. I always dreamed about my own business and after what this study showed me and taught me I have decided that one day I will open this business. 

11. What is the most significant thing, Higher School of Economics, Moscow taught you about business? 

When I came back to Moscow it was another type of city and everywhere was all about innovations and IT. I have decided to apply for a scholarship at HSE for the Government science technology and innovation master program. They explained how the government is helping IT companies. 

12. What is the most crucial part of app development and why?

Making every release. Relationship between a Product Owner and the development team. If there is no trust it will not move forward. 

13. Startups vs international corporations, which one offers a better partnership experience, usually? 

Startups of course! Because they are smaller, more available, more flexible, and faster in making decisions. 

14. While planning an app, in which aspect of its functionality and development a new business should invest first? Please elaborate on keeping popular sectors, small, medium, and local businesses in mind.

The most important is to understand the critical functionality in the beginning and start implementing it first. In my experience time to market takes it all and if you see with your app that there are a need and users who are looking for what you are thinking about then just make it with the dev team. 

15. Considering recent changes in day-to-day life, how new mobile tech businesses should approach clients in 2021?

Same as it was with reputation and big relationships that you always have to build up! 

16. Any tips for budding mobile-tech entrepreneurs?

• Test first without development (mobile development is expensive).
• Always keep making customer development. 
• Start from the biggest market in your niche, please try to check it first, not just we start from App Store because everyone goes there and there is money. Please take into the account number of competitors, and what end-users usually use iPhone, Desktop, or Android. 
• Speed up time to market, always every idea has to be secured with the end-user. 

Thank you for the interview and make great projects! 

Key Takeaways 

• According to Alex Borisov, the future is behind the games, streaming, education, FoodTech and instant e-commerce, DIY tech projects.
• IoT is the future of apps and going to be the biggest trend for personal house improvements after 2020.
• Native interfaces are going to be the popular UI and UX design trends of apps in 2021.
• The relationship between a product owner and the development team is the most crucial part of app development.
• Alex believes and experiences, Startups offer a better partnership experience.
• Young entrepreneurs should speed up time to market. As every idea has to be secured with the end-user.