Building for scale: Lessons from Angkas on developing apps for global impact

In the vibrant and rapidly evolving world of entrepreneurship, leveraging technology is not just an option – it’s a necessity. The modern entrepreneurs must think beyond mere innovation; they must think of scale, efficiency and global competitiveness. As we stand at the crossroads of business and technology, it is essential to understand how to harness the power of mobile apps to transform a small idea into a global success story.

Consider the example of Angkas, a Filipino startup that has revolutionized the informal “habal-habal” motorcycle taxi service. Through innovative use of technology, Angkas did not just modernize a traditional service; they scaled it to unprecedented heights. This journey holds vital lessons for every entrepreneur looking to make their mark in the world.

Angkas started with a simple idea: to connect motorcycle taxi riders with customers in a safe, efficient and regulated manner. Before Angkas, “habal-habal” riders operated independently, often without safety protocols or standardized pricing. Customers had no reliable way to find a rider or ensure their journey would be safe.

Enter Angkas, which introduced a mobile app that matched customers with vetted motorcycle taxi drivers. By integrating GPS technology, a rating system and customer support, Angkas created a reliable and trustworthy platform that catered to both riders and customers. They transformed an informal industry into a formalized, tech-driven business that could serve thousands of people daily.

But Angkas’ success wasn’t just about developing an app; it was about developing an app that could scale. As the company grew, so did the number of users – both customers and drivers. This increase in demand required Angkas to think strategically about how to manage and maintain the quality of service as they expanded. This is where the true power of technology lies – not just in its ability to create solutions, but in its ability to scale those solutions efficiently and effectively.

Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of thinking that creating an app is the endgame. The truth is, developing an app is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in designing that app to handle growth – growth in users, transactions and geographical reach. This is where many startups stumble, as the mindset required to scale an app is vastly different from the mindset needed to create one.

Imagine you’re an engineer tasked with building a road. You could design a simple road that works perfectly well for a small number of cars. But what happens when the number of cars doubles, triples or even increases 10-fold? Suddenly, that same road becomes a bottleneck, causing traffic jams and inefficiencies. This is exactly what happens when an app designed without scale in mind starts to gain popularity.

A successful app isn’t just about its features; it’s about the architecture that supports it. Just as building a road requires careful planning of entry and exit points, developing an app for scale requires meticulous attention to system design. Every step in the user journey – from logging in to completing a transaction – must be streamlined to minimize friction. Each point of friction not only slows down the system but can also cause users to drop off, leading to lost business and customer dissatisfaction.

Developing an app for scale is a balancing act. On one hand, you must be mindful of speed to market and costs. As a startup, you can’t afford to spend years and millions of dollars perfecting your app before launching it. On the other hand, you must ensure that your app’s infrastructure can handle rapid growth without collapsing under pressure.

This balance requires flexibility in your development process. Start with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that gets your core idea into the market quickly. However, as you grow, you must be ready to enhance your code and infrastructure to accommodate more users. This iterative approach allows you to adapt to the demands of your growing user base without over-specifying your app from the beginning.

One of the most significant challenges in developing an app for scale is finding developers who possess the right mindset. Many developers are skilled at creating apps, but far fewer have the experience or training needed to develop apps that can scale to millions of users. This is a crucial distinction, and it’s one that Filipino entrepreneurs must address if they want to be globally competitive.

To be successful on the global stage, developers need to think beyond the immediate requirements of the app they are building. They need to consider how their code will perform under the strain of thousands – or even millions – of simultaneous users. This requires not just technical expertise, but a deep understanding of system architecture, user experience and business strategy.

Training and experience are vital in cultivating this mindset. Developers need to be exposed to real-world scenarios where scalability is not just a concept, but a critical requirement. They need to understand that every line of code they write has implications for the app’s performance at scale. This is where mentorship and collaboration with more experienced developers can make a significant difference.

The success of Angkas is a testament to what is possible when technology is used not just to innovate, but to scale. By focusing on creating an app that could grow with their user base, Angkas was able to transform a traditional service into a modern, competitive business. This same mindset can propel other Filipino entrepreneurs to success on the global stage.

As you embark on your entrepreneurial journey, remember that developing an app is only the beginning. The true test of your success will be in how well your app can scale, how efficiently it can serve a growing user base and how effectively it can compete on the global stage. With the right mindset, the right team and the right approach, you can build not just an app, but a road that leads to lasting success.