How dibz scaled its engineering team and user base with Proxify

dibz, a pioneering platform founded by Oliver Åsbacka, has emerged as the go-to solution for managing housing waitlists seamlessly. However, like many startups, dibz faced significant hurdles in recruitment, which threatened to slow down its growth.

About dibz

dibz has transformed the housing market in Sweden with its innovative platform that simplifies the process of joining and maintaining positions on various housing waitlists.

Founded by Oliver Åsbacka, dibz has become the go-to solution for those seeking to navigate the often convoluted process of joining and maintaining a position on various housing waitlists.

Today, dibz serves over 60.000 subscribers, offering a seamless experience where users can select their desired waitlists, secure their spots, and rely on dibz to manage the entire process.

The challenge

As a fast-growing startup, dibz encountered significant recruitment challenges. The team struggled with long lead times in hiring skilled developers, which was crucial for their rapid development goals. Specifically, they faced difficulties finding and hiring qualified developers and designers, both critical roles for building and scaling their platform.

Attracting and retaining top talent became increasingly difficult without dedicated resources for employer branding. This bottleneck threatened to impede dibz's growth and operational efficiency.

The founders realized they needed a solution to help them access a wider pool of candidates, streamline the hiring process, and attract the technical expertise required to propel their growth.

The solution

In June 2022, dibz found a solution in Proxify.

As a startup with a remote-first strategy from the outset, Proxify's offering seemed like an ideal fit. The prospect of accessing a vast pool of skilled developers and designers worldwide aligned perfectly with dibz's vision.

"When we heard about Proxify's services and how they work, we were eager to try their service. We already had a remote strategy, so we knew Proxify was a good fit for us."

Oliver also says that Proxify's ability to quickly identify and present high-quality candidates proved a game-changer. He mentions how Proxify's thorough vetting process ensured that dibz received a curated selection of top-tier candidates tailored to their specific role requirements.

"What I like the most about Proxify is the speed at which it finds excellent candidates. In just three days, we had a candidate working in our company from the time I selected a developer."

The candidates presented were technically proficient and well-rounded, with expertise in cloud computing and generalist skills. This allowed dibz to efficiently evaluate and hire candidates who could seamlessly integrate into their team and contribute to their growth objectives.

"The developers from Proxify have really been core members of the dibz team, and for the past two years, they have been 50% of the engineering department."

The results

The partnership with Proxify has led to remarkable results for dibz. Over the past two years, Proxify consultants have become essential members of the dibz team, making up about 50% of the engineering department. This collaboration has significantly accelerated dibz's growth.

According to Oliver, the Proxify developers are not just doing short-term projects but are committed to dibz's long-term success. They have been involved in all of dibz's missions and initiatives, from scaling the product to handle 60,000 users to increasing conversion and retention rates.

"We have also done a lot to increase conversion and retention rates. Proxify and their consultants have been a huge factor in our success by reaching all of these goals."

The ability to quickly recruit highly skilled candidates has been crucial in achieving these milestones.

"Proxify has allowed us to recruit senior talent globally. The code quality has increased a lot. We deploy a lot faster, and we have had Proxify members who have really improved how we do our work."

The way forward

dibz is on a high-growth path and plans to continue leveraging Proxify's services as it scales. The company aims to expand its team further, hiring more data engineers to support its evolving needs. Proxify's role in providing high-quality, cost-effective global talent will remain essential as Dibz navigates this expansion.

Oliver shared that dibz is actively exploring the latest trends in artificial intelligence (AI) and anticipates leveraging Proxify to recruit AI specialists. This strategic move will be crucial for integrating advanced technologies into their platform and discovering new use cases.

"We see a huge trend in AI, and I definitely forsee using Proxify to find great talent within that space in the future."

When asked if choosing Proxify was the right decision for his team, Oliver responded with confidence:

"It was definitely the right choice to go with Proxify. It really has enabled us to find global talent and helped us scale the company to new levels."