We’ve still got it. Once again, the second year in a row, Financial Times recognised Netguru as one of the fastest growing companies in Europe. As promised last year, we didn’t rest on our laurels, and we have unlocked the potential of the most enlightened entrepreneurs and innovators with cutting-edge technology, design, and digital consulting.

Insurance, a travel startup, and insurance again. That would be the shortest description of the professional career of Tim Kunde, a 38-year-old German on a mission to disrupt the insurance industry.

ChaperHome is a simple mobile app, but it could save the life of someone you love – or your own. Based on research and user feedback, ChaperHome is a safety companion, connecting you to a network of ‘protectors’ – your friends and family. You can easily set up scenarios and the app will send a notification to your loved ones as soon as it registers something going wrong. The point is that it will happen without any input from you. In a situation where you might not have time for more than a single tap, ChaperHome has your back.

If you work in the B2C business, you know this already - it’s easier to disarm an atomic bomb than to keep customers happy. It is especially true in the automotive industry, notoriously suffering from trust issues. However, once you find the sweet spot, you will be surprised by the results.

Fintech is in full bloom. Investment rounds have never been stronger (take a look at BBVA’s bold moves, and why they matter). There’s also the PSD2 directive - the one that forces banks in the European Union to open their data to any third party provider - which has been finally published.

The ICO industry continues to attract a lot of attention. In 2017 only, blockchain companies raised close to $4 billion. More companies are deciding to fund their business ideas using ICO tokens, and Herdius is one of them. The Berlin-based startup has chosen to raise capital through an ICO as a promising alternative to traditional venture capital funding. They needed to find a way to attract and convince investors to their idea.

Software development projects are difficult to manage. They are complex, fast-moving and involve people of varying competences. Today’s industry standard is agile management, which supports changing market realities and allows for fast iteration of ideas. It’s the perfect solution for startup founders and innovators. What is it like from the inside? Download our book and find out.

For years, Java has been the standard for developing Android apps. In 2011, JetBrains presented Kotlin, a new statically-typed language running on Java Virtual Machine. In 2017, during Google I/O, Kotlin was announced as an official language for Android development. As Kotlin is a modern programming language with powerful features, it gained popularity among Android developers. It was placed second on the list of the most loved programming languages in the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2018.

For a casual observer, the fintech scene looks like a uniform rock: it is all about digital banking alternatives (such as N26, Revolut, Tandem, Yoyo Wallet or Monzo). As in any industry, the same logic applies here - companies with a B2C business model attract customers the fastest, raise the largest investment rounds and, in the end, grab the most headlines.

Marta is a member of Netguru’s HR team. She coordinates our recruitment efforts and works on employer branding. She joined Netguru in 2016 and seems to be very tolerant of our crazy antics so far.