Frequently asked questions

OpenResearch is a Vienna-based software engineering company. We design, build, and operate custom digital products, from mobile and web apps to backends, cloud platforms, data and AI solutions, and connected vehicle systems. We are not a body shop that ships code and disappears. We work as a long-term engineering partner, from the first idea through launch and beyond.

We have been building software since 2009, over 17 years. In that time we have delivered products across mobility, automotive, media, e-commerce, logistics, and the public sector.

We are a team of 26 people across engineering, design, and product. Our headquarters is in Vienna, Austria, with additional offices in Prishtina, Kosovo, and Rijeka, Croatia. All three sites work as one integrated, EU-based team.

We have shipped products for auto clubs and OEMs in the mobility and connected vehicle space, for e-commerce and marketplace businesses, for media and publishing, for logistics and dispatch operations, and for the public sector. Connected vehicle and mobility is one of our deepest domains.

You get a stable, senior team that has worked together for years, the reliability and process of an ISO-certified company, and the flexibility of a partner who adapts scope as your needs change. Clients often describe the collaboration as feeling like an in-house team rather than an external vendor.

Both. We build fully native iOS and Android apps where performance and deep platform integration matter most, and cross-platform apps where a shared codebase is the better trade-off. We help you choose the right approach for your product and budget rather than pushing one by default.

Yes. We take over existing iOS, Android, and cross-platform apps, stabilise them, and modernise the codebase and architecture step by step, so you can keep shipping while we improve the foundation underneath.

Yes. An app is only as good as the services behind it, so we build the APIs, backends, and third-party integrations your app relies on, or connect cleanly to systems you already run.

Quality assurance is part of how we build, not an afterthought. We combine automated and manual testing, real-device checks, and release monitoring so issues are caught before your users hit them.

Yes. We build modern web interfaces with current frontend technology, focused on speed, accessibility, and maintainability. Whether it is a customer-facing product, a complex dashboard, or a design system, we make it work well on every screen.

We work with modern, well-supported frontend stacks and pick the one that fits your product and team rather than chasing trends. The goal is an interface that stays fast, testable, and maintainable long after launch.

Yes. We build reusable component libraries and design systems so your product stays visually consistent and your team ships new screens faster, with accessibility and responsiveness built in.

Yes. We modernise ageing frontends incrementally, improving performance, accessibility, and structure without a risky big-bang rewrite, so the product keeps working throughout.

Yes. We build solid backends and APIs and connect them to the systems you already run, from third-party services and payment providers to legacy platforms. Reliable integrations and clean, well-documented interfaces are core to what we do.

Yes. We design backends for the load they actually need to carry, with sensible data models, caching, and horizontal scaling, and we validate behaviour under realistic conditions rather than hoping it holds.

Always. Clean, well-documented interfaces are part of the deliverable, so your team and your partners can build against them without guesswork or reverse-engineering.

Yes. We regularly integrate with and extend legacy platforms and databases, adding modern APIs around them so you can move forward without ripping everything out first.

Yes. We design architectures for new systems and review existing ones, looking at scalability, integration risk, cost, security, and the build-versus-buy question. You get a clear, prioritised set of recommendations you can act on, whether or not we do the build.

Yes. We provide independent architecture reviews and second opinions, assessing scalability, risk, cost, and security, and hand you a clear, prioritised view you can act on, whether or not we do the build.

As early as it is useful. A short architecture engagement before you commit to a direction usually saves far more than it costs, but we also review and course-correct systems that are already in production.

Yes. We help you weigh building custom against buying or assembling existing solutions, based on your real constraints rather than a fixed preference, so you invest where it actually pays off.

Yes. We build and operate cloud platforms, automate deployments, and migrate existing workloads to the cloud. We can run the platform for you or set it up so your own team can operate it confidently.

We work with the major cloud providers and design for the one that fits your needs, avoiding unnecessary lock-in where it matters. If you are undecided, we help you choose based on cost, capability, and your team's experience.

Yes. We automate build, test, and deployment pipelines so releases become routine and low-risk, with the checks and rollbacks that let your team ship confidently and often.

Yes. We size infrastructure to real usage, remove waste, and make spending visible, so your platform stays affordable as it grows rather than surprising you at the end of the month.

Yes, and we start from the use case, not the hype. We help you find where data science, machine learning, or LLM-based features genuinely make a difference, then build and integrate them into your product. Your data stays yours and is handled to EU data protection standards.

Yes, and that is often the most valuable first step. We assess where AI, machine learning, or classical data science would genuinely help, and we will tell you honestly when a simpler solution is the better call.

Yes. We design and integrate LLM-based features such as assistants, search, and content generation, with attention to accuracy, cost, and guardrails, so the feature is useful and dependable rather than a demo.

Your data stays yours. We handle it to EU data protection standards, keep it within the EU, and are careful about what is shared with any external model or service.

A connected vehicle platform collects data from vehicles, processes it reliably, and turns it into services, from breakdown assistance and vehicle health to fleet insights and customer apps. It is the backbone that connects vehicles, data, and the services your customers actually use.

It depends entirely on scope, from a lean pilot to a full-scale platform. That is exactly why we start by sizing the solution to your needs and budget, so you know the cost before you commit. A pilot is deliberately scoped to keep the initial investment low. This allows you to validate its value using your own data first.

First Time Right means resolving a breakdown correctly on the first visit instead of a second callout. Vehicle data predicts the likely fault before dispatch, so the first response arrives prepared, which raises the resolution rate and cuts repeat callouts and towing costs.

It is one of our deepest areas. We have built telematics platforms, connected customer apps, and data-driven services such as First Time Right reactive breakdown analysis for players in the mobility and auto club space. We understand vehicle data end to end, from ingestion to real services.

Absolutely, and we usually recommend it. We can build a lean pilot that proves the value on real data, then grow it into a full-scale platform as you go. You do not have to bet everything up front.

Data protection is a design principle for us, not an afterthought. Especially if you are based in the EU, we build privacy-first and GDPR-compliant from the start, with data hosted in the EU, clear consent and retention handling, and privacy by design throughout. And in general, we always comply fully with your local regulations.

The EU Data Act strengthens access to vehicle-generated data, giving vehicle owners and the services they authorise fairer access to it. In practice this opens new possibilities for clubs, workshops, and mobility providers, and makes a solid, compliant data platform more valuable than ever.

No. We build provider-agnostic platforms that bring vehicle data from different sources together in one unified model, whether from telematics hardware or directly from vehicles and OEMs. You are not locked into a single supplier.

Yes. We build both the telematics platform that ingests and processes vehicle data and the connected app your drivers use, from vehicle status and trip history to notifications and service booking, backed by the platform underneath.

Yes. We connect the platform to the systems you already run, from roadside assistance and case-handling systems to CRM and partner interfaces, through clean, documented APIs.

Yes. We regularly extend, modernise, or take over existing systems, and we also offer an independent review if you first want a senior second opinion on what you already have.

A safety score and an eco score condense driving behaviour into simple, comparable values, one for safe driving, one for efficient and low-emission driving. They are the basis for driver feedback, incentives, and usage-based mobility products.

Privacy first, from the start. We design vehicle data flows with consent, retention, and privacy by design in mind, keep data within the EU, and support the compliance obligations that come with connected mobility.

If you want us to, yes. We can stay involved for operations, support, and further development, or hand over cleanly to your own team. You decide the model.

Both, and they work best together. We run UX discovery, concept development, usability reviews, user testing, and UI design, either as a standalone engagement or as part of building the product. Good UX is not decoration for us; it is how we reduce risk and build the right thing.

Yes. We run usability reviews and user testing on existing products, pinpoint where users struggle, and improve journeys and features in a focused, pragmatic way rather than redesigning for its own sake.

Yes. We test concepts, prototypes, and live products with real users to replace assumptions with evidence, so you invest in what actually works before committing to build.

Yes. We design user interfaces as a standalone engagement, for a pitch, a prototype, or a handover to your own developers, as well as end to end as part of building the product.

Yes. We build dispatch and logistics systems that handle scheduling, dispatch, and resource planning for real-world operations. We tailor them to how your business actually runs rather than forcing you into off-the-shelf constraints.

Yes. A dispatch system only helps if it fits your operation, so we integrate with the fleet, ERP, telematics, and communication tools you already use rather than making you work around the software.

Yes. We build for the messy reality of operations, where plans change during the day, so dispatchers can react to delays, cancellations, and new jobs without the schedule falling apart.

Yes. We design dispatch systems to grow with you, from one location to distributed, nationwide operations, without forcing a rebuild when volume increases.

It starts with a conversation. We learn what you are trying to achieve, then propose a sensible first step, often a short discovery or scoping phase that turns a rough idea into a clear plan, scope, and estimate before any large commitment.

Three main ones, and combinations of them: end-to-end product delivery, where we take a product from idea to launch; a dedicated team or individual specialists who extend your own organisation; and focused consulting such as architecture reviews or a second opinion. We fit the model to your situation, not the other way around.

Yes. We regularly extend in-house teams with individual specialists or a full squad, integrate into your workflows, tools, and rituals, and take over or contribute to existing codebases. We can lead, support, or simply fill a specific gap.

We can operate, maintain, and keep evolving what we build, from hosting and monitoring to new features and support agreements. Many of our client relationships run for years. We can also hand everything over cleanly to your team if you prefer to take it in-house.

We work in short, transparent iterations with regular demos and direct access to the people doing the work. You always know what is being built, why, and what comes next. We adapt to your preferred tools and cadence rather than forcing ours on you.

Custom software has no fixed price, because no two products are the same. A realistic estimate comes out of a short discovery phase, where we clarify scope, priorities, and constraints. From there we agree on a model that fits, whether that is a fixed scope, a time-based arrangement, or a dedicated team. Talk to us and you get a grounded answer, not a generic number.

It depends entirely on scope and complexity, so we will not quote a generic timeline. What we can do quickly is define a lean first version that delivers value early, then build on it. After a short scoping phase you get a realistic roadmap rather than a guess.

Yes. We are certified to ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 27001 for information security, and ISO 14001 for environmental management. These are independently audited standards, not self-declared badges.

We are an EU-based company and build to GDPR from the start, with privacy by design, clear data flows, consent and retention handling, and data kept within the EU. For sensitive domains we support the required data processing agreements.

Security is built into how we work, backed by our ISO 27001 certification: least-privilege access, secure development practices, code review, and careful handling of credentials and infrastructure. For regulated projects we align with your specific compliance requirements.