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Fit check
Is Build-Operate-Transfer right for you?
An honest view. If another model suits you better, we will tell you on the first call.
A good fit when
You have a roadmap that will run for months
You want engineers who work only on your product
Hiring locally is slow, narrow or expensive
You can give direction and want delivery support around it
Think twice when
You need a one-off fix that takes a few days
Scope is fully fixed and you want a single price
Nobody on your side can set priorities
You need a team that starts today, with no brief
About Build-Operate-Transfer
How Build-Operate-Transfer works in practice
Build-operate-transfer, or BOT, is an engagement where a partner builds your engineering team, runs it for an agreed period, then hands the whole operation to your own entity. This page explains the three phases, the contract terms worth negotiating, and the risks on both sides, written for founders and COOs planning an India presence.
The three phases in practice
In the build phase, Speqto recruits a core team to your specification, sets up the workspace and tooling, and brings the first release process online. In the operate phase, we run the center while you direct the product: we handle payroll, compliance and HR, and report on delivery and attrition. In the transfer phase, employees, leases, equipment and contracts move to your entity.
The appeal is sequencing. You test the location, the talent pool and your own management approach before taking on legal and administrative load. If the experiment fails, you exit at a known cost. If it works, the transfer turns a vendor relationship into an owned subsidiary without rebuilding the team. Another benefit is learning: your leadership gains first-hand knowledge of the local market, salary expectations and attrition patterns before they have to make binding decisions of their own about structure.
Terms worth settling before you sign
A BOT contract is only as good as its transfer clause. Agree the earliest and latest transfer dates, how the fee is calculated, who owns equipment and licenses, what happens to employee benefits and tenure, and whether the transfer price is fixed or formula-based. Ask how non-solicitation is handled, since the people are moving to you. Take legal advice early, because tax and employment treatment of the transfer differs by structure and can change the economics.
Also define operate-phase service levels in plain terms: hiring speed, attrition thresholds, reporting frequency and escalation. Include a step-in right if delivery slips. Full IP assignment applies from the first commit, and we sign an NDA on request. A clear exit for both sides keeps the arrangement honest. These commitments protect both sides: you get predictable behavior from the operator, and the operator knows exactly what has to be true on the day the team changes hands.
Risks and when BOT is not the answer
BOT requires patience. Hiring in waves, building culture and preparing an entity takes quarters, not weeks. It also assumes you will eventually want a legal presence in India with all the compliance that implies. If you only need capacity for a year, a dedicated team is lighter and cheaper to unwind. In that case do not force the model; start with a lighter arrangement and revisit BOT when you have a stable multi-year plan for the location.
The main risk is a weak handover: the transferred team has depended on Speqto for tooling, finance and HR, and discovers gaps after we step back. We prevent this by shadowing the transfer for a period, documenting every process and giving your leadership a running checklist from the first month. A named transition lead on each side, plus a short written acceptance test for the handover, keeps the final weeks calm and removes ambiguity about what has been completed.
What is included
What you get from the first week
Location and feasibility study
We compare cities, talent availability for your stack, cost drivers and compliance requirements before you commit to a build.
Core team recruitment
A founding group of leads and engineers is hired against your criteria, then helps interview and train the next hires.
Operational setup
Workspace, devices, security controls, payroll and HR processes are put in place and run during the operate phase.
Governance and reporting
Regular reviews cover delivery, hiring, attrition and cost, with defined escalation paths, agreed step-in rights and a written summary for your leadership.
Entity and legal support
We coordinate with your advisers on incorporation, registrations, banking and statutory requirements, so the entity is ready before the transfer date arrives.
Transfer and shadowing
People, assets and contracts move to your entity, and we remain on hand to support the transition for an agreed period.
How it runs
A typical engagement, step by step
Pick a stage to see what happens. Timings are typical, not promises.
Days 1-2
Share the brief
Roles, stack, hours overlap and how long you need people. A 20-minute call is usually enough.
Days 2-5
Meet matched profiles
You receive vetted profiles with assessment notes and interview the engineers yourself.
Week 1-2
Onboard into your tools
Access, repositories, stand-ups and a first-sprint plan agreed with a named delivery lead.
Every week
Deliver and demo
Working software each week, reports on progress and risks, and direct access to every engineer.
Monthly
Review and adjust
Add or release engineers with 30 days notice as the roadmap changes.
Compare models
How it differs from the other ways to work with us
Dedicated Development Team
Staff Augmentation
Fixed-Scope Projects
Managed Services
Best for
Long-term products & roadmaps
Filling skill gaps fast
MVPs & well-defined builds
Ongoing support & operations
What you get
A full, cross-functional squad (engineers, QA, designer, PM) working only on your product, managed with your processes and tools.
Pre-vetted senior engineers who join your in-house team within days to add capacity or specialist expertise.
A clear scope, timeline and price, delivered in milestones with demos at every stage.
We run and continuously improve your applications, cloud and infrastructure under defined SLAs.
Commercials
Direct access to every team member
Replacement guarantee
Warranty period after launch
Predictable monthly pricing
Outcomes
What you can expect
Owned subsidiary
Finish with a working engineering center that you control, staffed by people who already know your product.
Reduced upfront risk
Prove the model before committing to leases, local hires and compliance, with exit terms agreed from the start.
Preserved knowledge
Documented processes and a shadowed handover keep delivery steady through the move to your entity.
Working rhythm
How you stay in control
Daily stand-up
Short check-in that overlaps with your hours.
Weekly demo
Working software, not slides, every week.
Monthly review
Progress, risks, budget and the next month plan.
Shared board
One backlog and repository you can open anytime.
FAQ
Build-Operate-Transfer FAQs
Straight answers on cost, timelines, IP ownership, team setup and how we work. Cannot find yours? Ask a solutions architect directly.
What does build-operate-transfer mean in software development?
It is a three-phase model: a partner builds your team and operations, runs them for an agreed period, then transfers the team, assets and contracts to your own entity. It lets you establish a presence in a new country with less upfront risk.
How long does a BOT engagement usually last?
It depends on team size and your readiness, but expect the operate phase to run for a year or more, since hiring and process maturity take time. The contract should set earliest and latest transfer dates so neither side is left guessing.
Who owns the code and the team during the operate phase?
You own all code from the first commit under the IP assignment. The employees remain on Speqto's payroll during operation, then move to your entity at transfer, with tenure and benefits handled according to terms agreed beforehand.
How is BOT different from an offshore development center?
An ODC can be run indefinitely by the partner. BOT is built around a planned handover to your own legal entity. If you never intend to own the entity, an ODC or dedicated team is simpler and cheaper.
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