AtoZ & Pinya in collaboration

The Whole Package Decided the Choice

AtoZ Oy was selected as the app’s developer from nearly twenty evaluated software companies. The requirement was the ability to build the app from scratch. The project needed strong expertise in both software architecture and development.

“We specified the idea and objectives. We needed the right software company for the app’s development. We conducted surveys with almost 20 industry players and interviewed people from several companies. Ultimately, AtoZ was chosen based on price and quality – the compelling overall package made the decision,” recalls Toni Onatsu, CEO of Proud Pony Oy, who developed the app’s concept.

Pinya brings together a large number of international users. Additionally, there will be approximately 1,000 different adventures, products, offers, club memberships, and events available through the app.

Finding people is just one of the many opportunities Pinya offers its users. It can be seen as a dating app, but it’s much more than that.

The first version of the product was launched at the end of 2023. The final branding of Pinya was completed in the spring of 2024, after which the app began to be rolled out for global use. The app, developed and tested in Finland, will initially be available in approximately 80 countries.

Sexuality can be a difficult subject for many people. In the context of Pinya, this area of life is presented with an “lights on, curtains open” mentality. Why should it be difficult to openly talk about positive and fun things? Onatsu emphasizes that Pinya is light, fresh, fun, and joyful, and that any “grubbiness” is kept far away.

“By sex-positivity, we mean the opportunity to learn, experience, and internalize a broad range of issues related to sexuality. We’re not telling people what they should be. We bring everything within reach and make it approachable. Everyone has the freedom and responsibility to live and explore as they choose.”

Precise Prioritization

The app’s development phase was a large and fast-paced undertaking. Planning started in the spring of 2023, and the initial version was ready before the summer break. The actual implementation work kicked off in full after the holidays.

AtoZ’s small team initially worked full-time on the app development for three months. The plan for the app’s features and their priority was based on the MoSCoW method. This method prioritizes features so that developers can focus on those that bring the most value to the client.

Version 1.0 was released after the first three months of development. The basic functionalities such as profiles, group profiles, memberships, messaging, and events were included. Development continued in two-week cycles, after which the app was finally polished for a broad release.

“The process has been quite long, but now we’re moving from the development phase to sales and marketing of the product,” Onatsu notes.

“After more than a year of intense work, the app is gaining users, and agreements have been made with the first corporate clients. These are partners who will gain visibility through the service.”

Listening to Intuition

According to Onatsu, the collaboration with AtoZ has worked well. The app development has progressed systematically and professionally.

“People have changed in AtoZ’s team, but not in a disruptive way. For example, the main app developer changed once along the way, but a really good replacement was found,” Onatsu praises.

Until the app’s launch, AtoZ was responsible for the development work. Now, the background company of Pinya also has its own technical expert who will take over much of the technical development moving forward. AtoZ will continue as a partner, capable of implementing changes and updates to the product.

Choosing the right partner for the app’s implementation is a challenging task, especially for the client who does not have their own technical expertise. One must trust external developers without being able to evaluate the technical aspects of the upcoming implementation, the quality of the basic solutions, and their functionality.

“We trusted AtoZ’s expertise, and they didn’t disappoint. We got a working implementation, and we also own the code,” Onatsu explains.

In choosing a partner company, personal chemistry plays an important role.

“Chemistry matters in all business. If, when interviewing partners, your intuition says something isn’t right, it’s worth listening to. AtoZ’s team gave a positive and skilled impression, which was important to us.”

Not for the Faint-Hearted

Onatsu is overall satisfied with the collaboration with AtoZ.

“We got everything we required and expected from the development project. We raced together to bring the first product to the market.”

The successful project with AtoZ has added credibility to how Pinya’s team is moving forward with their mission.

“This was the first step of our journey, and it was successful. AtoZ’s developers have done excellent work under a lot of pressure. A project like this is definitely not for the faint-hearted.”

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