Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I start a project with Design Key?

Book a free 30-minute discovery call through our contact page. We will ask about your goals, scope, and timeline, then respond within 2 business days with a written proposal. If we are a good fit, we typically start within 1-2 weeks of proposal acceptance.

Q: Do you sign NDAs before the first call?

Yes. We sign mutual non-disclosure agreements before any discovery call where you plan to share proprietary ideas, code, or customer data. Request an NDA through the contact form and we will send a signed copy within one business day.

Q: Where is Design Key located?

Design Key is based in Tampa, Florida. We work remotely with clients across the United States and have deep experience with Florida-based founders in InsurTech, PropTech, and vertical SaaS. Our team is distributed, but core business hours align with US Eastern Time.

Q: Do you work with international clients?

Yes. While we are headquartered in Tampa, Florida, we have active clients in Europe, including the United Kingdom and Sweden. We schedule weekly calls in a window that overlaps your team's business hours, invoice in USD via wire or ACH, and handle VAT documentation when required. Our distributed team gives us several hours of daily overlap with European time zones.

Q: What makes Design Key different from other software agencies?

Three things: we are senior-only (no junior developers billed to clients), we are AI-native (every engineer uses Claude, Cursor, and OpenAI daily), and you work directly with the engineers building your product (no account-manager layer between you and the work). That combination lets us ship in weeks instead of quarters.

Q: What services does Design Key offer?

We offer custom software development, SaaS platform development, mobile app development (iOS, Android, React Native), UX/UI design, AI and LLM integration, API development and integration, cloud architecture on AWS and GCP, low-code and no-code builds, and technical consulting. See our services page for a full list.

Q: Do you focus on any specific industries?

Our three primary verticals are Florida InsurTech, PropTech, and vertical SaaS for founders. We have shipped projects in fintech, healthtech, education, dating, events, beauty, and real estate. We turn down projects outside our focus when we can refer them to a better fit.

Q: Can you join an existing project or codebase?

Yes. We regularly do code rescue, legacy modernization, and feature acceleration on existing projects. We start with a written technical audit (usually 3-5 business days) that documents current state, risks, and a proposed path forward before we touch any code.

Q: Do you build mobile apps?

Yes. We build native iOS and Android apps and cross-platform apps using React Native or Flutter, depending on the use case. For MVPs or apps that share heavy logic with a web app, we recommend React Native. For apps that need deep platform integration (hardware, widgets, advanced gestures), we build native.

Q: What is the Quarterly AI Audit?

The Quarterly AI Audit is a productized engagement where we review your tech stack, data, and team workflows for AI integration opportunities. Deliverables include a prioritized roadmap, a build-or-buy analysis for each opportunity, and a live demo of one quick-win automation. Clients typically save 10-20 hours per week per team after acting on the recommendations. Contact us for current pricing.

Question 1

How do I start a project with Design Key?

Question 2

Do you sign NDAs before the first call?

Question 3

Where is Design Key located?

Question 4

Do you work with international clients?

Question 5

What makes Design Key different from other software agencies?

Question 6

What services does Design Key offer?

Question 7

Do you focus on any specific industries?

Question 8

Can you join an existing project or codebase?

Question 9

Do you build mobile apps?

Question 10

What is the Quarterly AI Audit?

Question 11

What does your development process look like?

Question 12

How involved does my team need to be?

Question 13

How often will I see progress?

Question 14

What happens after launch?

Question 15

How long does a typical project take?

Question 16

Can you hit a specific launch date?

Question 17

What if I need something shipped faster than your typical timelines?

Question 18

How do you price your work?

Question 19

What engagement models do you offer?

Question 20

Do you require an upfront payment?

Question 21

What forms of payment do you accept?

Question 22

What is included in a retainer?

Question 23

What is your response time on retainers?

Question 24

What technologies do you specialize in?

Question 25

What AI providers do you work with?

Question 26

Can you integrate with our existing systems?

Question 27

Do you provide hosting and maintenance?

Question 28

Do you support low-code and no-code platforms?

Question 29

Do you offer a referral program?

Question 30

Do you white-label for other agencies?

Question 31

Are you hiring?

Question 32

Who owns the code you write for us?

Question 33

How do you handle client data and confidentiality?

Question 34

Can you support specific security certifications and audits?

Question 35

Do you have a cancellation policy?

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting started

Services

Process

Timelines

Engagement and payment

Technology

Partnership and referrals

Legal and trust

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