Business Details
14 Years
experience
Trusted Software Development for Non-Technical Founders
Designli was founded in 2012 by Keith Shields and Josh, driven by their own frustrations as non-technical founders navigating software development. Recognizing the industry's lack of transparency and reliability, they built an agency focused on trust, dedicated teams, and results. With over a decade of combined experience, the team specializes in agile software development, UX/UI design, and cross-platform solutions. Their proprietary Designli Engine accelerates backend development, ensuring clients retain full ownership of their intellectual property.The company prides itself on hiring full-time, single-client-focused engineers, designers, and product owners who act as an extension of the client's in-house team. Their hypothesis-driven development approach ties every feature to measurable outcomes, while AI-empowered teams enhance efficiency without compromising quality. Designli's leadership brings deep technical expertise and a commitment to clear communication, having successfully delivered over 200 five-star-reviewed projects for startups and enterprises alike.
Services
Mobile App Development
Custom Software Development
UX/UI Design
Web App Development
Cross-Platform Development
Details
- Year established: 2012
Highlights and features
- Dedicated product teams ensure founder trust and alignment
- Agile development with biweekly demos and user feedback
- AI-empowered engineers accelerate feature delivery by 30%
- Hypothesis-driven development ties every feature to measurable outcomes
- Scalable cross-functional teams adapt to funding and growth stages
What people say
Incredible communication
Best agency experience
Timely and creative
Professional suggestions
Consistent team support
Services
Mobile App Development
Designli builds native-feeling iOS and Android apps using React Native, reducing costs by 30-50% while maintaining quality. Their dedicated teams focus on user experience, performance optimization, and seamless integration with backend systems. Clients benefit from full lifecycle support from prototyping to post-launch maintenance.
Custom Software Development
The company specializes in fully custom platforms with clean architecture and modular systems. Their engineers implement scalable solutions for replacing technical debt or building long-term foundations. The Designli Engine accelerates backend development while maintaining client ownership of all code.
UX/UI Design
Designli combines behavioral psychology with user testing to create intuitive interfaces. Their designers work in two-week sprints to produce clickable prototypes, ensuring alignment with business goals. The process includes stakeholder feedback loops and accessibility considerations across platforms.
Web App Development
The agency develops browser-accessible platforms with fast load times and scalable architecture. Using React and NodeJS, they build SaaS tools and internal systems that evolve with client needs. Agile cycles ensure continuous client involvement and testable deliverables every two weeks.
Cross-Platform Development
Designli creates unified experiences across mobile and web using React Native and NodeJS. Their approach minimizes code duplication while maintaining native performance. Clients receive strategic tech stack recommendations and future-proof architectures that adapt to emerging platforms.
People
Keith Shields
Co-founder and CEO
Keith founded Designli after experiencing software development challenges with his 2012 college startup Applits. With 12+ years in software leadership, he specializes in translating technical complexity into clear solutions for non-technical founders while maintaining development standards.
Josh
COO
Josh transitioned from engineering studies to entrepreneurship, co-founding Designli to address software development industry shortcomings. As COO, he focuses on operational excellence and bridging technical implementation with client business objectives through predictable workflows.
Ral
Director of Operations
Ral brings over a decade of technology leadership experience, previously directing enterprise software projects. At Designli, he designs transparent processes ensuring smooth client-developer communication and predictable project outcomes for both new builds and codebase rescues.
Diego
Director of HR
Diego leverages 13 years of talent development expertise to match client needs with skilled professionals. His background in recruitment analytics ensures clients receive dedicated teams aligned with their technical requirements and project complexity.
Flix
Director of Engineering
Flix advanced from front-end developer to tech lead before joining Designli. He oversees technical direction for scalable software solutions, ensuring architectural integrity while mentoring engineering teams to maintain high performance standards throughout project lifecycles.
Questions
How does Designli ensure project transparency?
We use hypothesis-driven development with biweekly demos, allowing clients to validate progress and direction continuously throughout the development cycle.
What makes your development teams different?
Our full-time, single-client-focused teams include product owners, designers, and engineers who act as true partners rather than temporary contractors.
How do you handle project scaling needs?
We scale cross-functional squads based on your funding stage while maintaining continuity through our dedicated team model.
What development methodology do you use?
Our agile process blends biweekly sprints with user feedback loops, focusing on delivering measurable business outcomes rather than just completing tasks.
How do you ensure code quality?
Our AI-empowered engineers maintain craftsmanship standards while accelerating development, with senior-level code reviews and automated testing protocols.
What happens after MVP launch?
We continue evolving your product through hypothesis testing, user feedback analysis, and iterative improvements aligned with your business objectives.