Auriga Baltics, Auriga’s engineering center in Vilnius, Lithuania, established back in 2010, is gaining momentum as a “one-stop nearshore outsourcing destination” for EU customers. In this interview with Sergey Berezko, Head of Auriga Baltics, we figure out what makes the company so attractive.
What is Auriga Baltics’ story, and how did it all start?
Sergey Berezko: Auriga recognized the significant opportunities and importance of the Baltics to the EU IT market many years ago. Although historically more active in the US, the company has consistently sought to expand its presence in Western and Northern Europe. In January 2010, we launched a new engineering center in Lithuania to serve better our European clients, particularly those in the UK, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. At that time, we had a few EU customers and aimed to increase our European client base significantly.
What have you managed to achieve since then?
SB: Auriga Baltics has become an integral part of Auriga, Inc., successfully representing the company in the EU and serving its European customers. The team is constantly growing to cover all aspects of software product engineering for a broad range of knowledge areas, from embedded and mobile software to enterprise and Web applications to IoT and Big Data solutions. Moreover, we have accumulated extensive experience in setting up and running embedded device development and testing laboratories, which allows us to work on the most complex and sophisticated products for safety-critical industries, such as healthcare.
The dynamic development of Auriga Baltics was noticed and acknowledged by experts. The company was twice awarded the “Strongest in Lithuania” certificate, which demonstrates to business partners and customers that Auriga Baltics is stable, responsible, and able to fulfill its financial obligations in a timely manner. Only 4% of Lithuanian companies have ever been rated at the same level. This remarkable recognition surely gives us a certain competitive edge. In recent years, we have conducted an impressive array of projects and significantly broadened our operations in the region.
What benefits do European companies find in cooperating with Auriga Baltics?
SB: For EU businesses, nearshoring to Lithuania is a perfect solution. Apart from significant budget savings, we offer access to the best and most trustworthy tech talent and rare or niche skills not available in house. Vilnius is also a very convenient location, only a short one- to three-hour flight away from most major European capitals. If urgent onsite work is needed, our engineers can visit the customer’s office in 24 hours without wasting time on visa formalities. Furthermore, it is a good cultural fit, as we share Western European business practices and attitudes. All our employees speak fluent English, and many of them are proficient in German as well. And last but not least, Lithuania provides easy access to Western markets, which is undoubtedly an enormous plus.
However, Lithuania is a small country with a small population. How ready is it to help businesses face the multiple tech challenges of today?
SB: Although Lithuania is indeed small, it is mighty. It is a young, vibrant nation open to creativity and innovation. According to Invest Lithuania, there are over 30,000 IT professionals in the country, 14,500 of which are developers, and up to 2,000 IT graduates with almost 100% proficiency in English every year. With the most advanced ICT infrastructure in the CEE region, Lithuania has established itself as a regional center of excellence for both smaller technological startups and larger ICT operations, and Vilnius has been continuously recognized as the best location for outsourcing in the CEE. Not surprisingly, many international tech businesses have R&D units and engineering teams in Lithuania and plan to actively expand their operations in the country. Here, solutions are quick, networks are instant, and costs are more than competitive. It is an environment in which businesses can turn dreams into reality without spending a fortune.
Why Auriga Baltics?
SB: Built on a strong Baltic heritage of being the “Silicon Valley” of the Baltic region, Auriga Baltics provides software development services to further support our European customers in their digitalization and modernization. Openness, close collaboration, and co-innovation are the key success factors we have embraced to position ourselves as a trusted partner.
Auriga Baltics is always open to cooperation with businesses interested in nearshoring or augmenting their software R&D to Lithuania. For more detailed information on our services and approaches, please check out our new webpage and feel free to contact us by phone or email. Together, we will create the best solutions for you.
