CircleSquare Labs
Building a full-service technology firm with both client and R&D facing initiatives
Role
Senior Software Engineer | Sole Proprietor
Location
Austin, Texas
Tools
Python, C++, Go, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, React, Angular, Node.js, AWS, Java, Docker, Linux, Bash, Git, MySQL, Selenium, Figma, Kubernetes, TailwindCSS, Next.js
Explore the Project
→ www.circlesquarelabs.com
Premise
This project is in the context of my work to build and lead CircleSquare Labs. CircleSquare Labs is a full-service technology firm based out of Austin. With a business entity created for client-facing projects and another business entity for research and development, CircleSquare Labs is uniquely positioned to be a leader in pioneer technology in the future.
Challenge
CircleSquare Labs began as a single-entity company designed to manage client projects under my sole proprietorship as a Senior Software Engineer. The initial challenge was to evolve from this foundational structure into a full-service technology firm capable of handling diverse client demands while also fostering research and development (R&D) initiatives. Balancing client-facing operations with the need to innovate in data computation technologies such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR), web crawling, and artificial intelligence (AI) required strategic planning, resource management, and an adaptable business model.
Solution
To address these challenges, I led the transformation of CircleSquare Labs into a multi-faceted technology firm based in Austin. This involved establishing two distinct business entities: one focused on client-facing projects and another dedicated to R&D. By onboarding a team of contracted developers and fostering partnerships with local non-profits like Hispanic Hackers, CircleSquare Labs expanded its capabilities beyond my individual contributions. Additionally, initiatives like Code Foundry, a four-month tech bootcamp hosted at Capital Factory, showcased our commitment to community growth and talent development, successfully graduating a startup, ION, from the program.
Development Tools
Design and Development Choices
The strategic design and development choices centered around creating a flexible, scalable business model that supports both client services and R&D innovation. Prioritizing R&D in data computation solutions provides CircleSquare Labs with licensable technologies and greater control over the tech stack used in client projects. This approach not only reduces development-to-deployment timelines but also positions the company competitively by offering proprietary solutions rather than relying solely on third-party technologies. The development of Anansi, an Auto-Search AI designed to identify and label web elements by purpose, exemplifies this strategy, showcasing the potential for advanced web crawling, automation, and data localization. Our focus on creating adaptable, out-of-the-box software solutions streamlined client project integration and bolstered our market presence.
Result
The evolution of CircleSquare Labs from a sole proprietorship to a dynamic technology firm has been marked by significant achievements. Our dual-entity structure allows for robust client engagement and continuous innovation in R&D. The success of programs like Code Foundry and the development of technologies such as Anansi highlight our impact in both the local tech community and the broader industry. CircleSquare Labs continues to grow, aiming to expand its R&D brand through software licensing and product sales while attracting new clients with our expertise in beautiful interfaces, state-of-the-art data collection, and efficient orchestration. This growth trajectory positions CircleSquare Labs as a leader in pioneering technology and client-focused solutions. Many of the projects showcased on this portfolio are CircleSquare Labs products and initiatives.
