We are living in an extraordinary time, marked by the omnipresent impact of digital technologies, the role, scale, and importance of which is ever-growing. The effective use of technological opportunities has become the ultimate need for businesses wanting to achieve sustainability and success. Hence, a high demand has arisen for companies specializing in information technologies.
Noxtton is the first Georgian multidimensional tech and consulting company to provide businesses with digital solutions, and a wide assortment of professional services to accommodate the needs of both small and large organizations.
The history of the company began in 2016, in the UK, where a team of Georgians was working on a simple cybersecurity project and a big idea: aiming to create the first Georgian international information tech company.
We sat down with the founder of the company, Givi Chkhartishvili, and Managing Partner Luka Kobalia to discuss the unique features of Noxtton, the path of development, and the vision the company upholds.
“Our first project took place in Great Britain. Like all startups, we were a team of just a few people who did not yet have the face of an organization. The first steps were related to cybersecurity. Later, a technology company was formed with its own strategy and clear plans,” says Givi Chkhartishvili, founder of Noxtton.
According to him, in the first year, the company implemented 10 projects, which showed them the great opportunities and potential of the industry. They soon added other areas of activity and expanded the range of services. After implementing a number of projects and getting familiar with the industry, a full-fledged technological organization was created, which now provides various services and consulting in any digital direction: design and development of mobile applications and websites, development of CRM and ERP systems, e-commerce, IT consulting, technology audit, AI chatbots, digital marketing, Big Data & Analytics, and cybersecurity, to name a few.
“Our model is not bureaucratic: it is based on a multidisciplinary, team format, where each person, and therefore the team, takes care of the development of their own direction,” Chkhartishvili notes.
After a successful launch in Europe, the company appeared on the Georgian market 18 months ago. The goal is to quickly assimilate the Georgian market and get on board with the brands in Georgia. Extensive experience working with international organizations allows the team to share internationally recognized practices and approaches locally, although the efforts of the company are not limited to Georgia. Part of Noxtton’s team is currently operating in Estonia. The company has representatives in many other countries, and is working on projects in several regions in parallel. However, the main focus of the company is Georgia. Noxtton is focused on developing the industry in the country to support small and large organizations in developing digital and technological solutions.
“In general, the digital world has evolved in the West and is slowly shifting to the East. Our industry is now seeing ample opportunities for development in Eastern Europe. It shows great promise in Georgia as well. Our example indicates that more and more companies are interested in using the digital realm and its opportunities to their fullest. For instance, the direction of websites is increasingly relevant, and many companies seek to be well represented in this regard. This tendency motivates us to help as many companies in Eastern Europe as possible, to effectively present themselves via the digital world,” states Luka Kobalia, Managing Partner of Noxtton.
In order for Georgian companies to implement international standards, organizations need to successfully address the growing trend and challenges of digitization processes. As Kobalia states, the need for digital transformation became a necessity during the Covid-19 pandemic. Consequently, it resulted in a number of unsuccessful transitions and problems with the switching process.
“The main problem for most Georgian companies that emerged during the pandemic was the transfer of work to the online space. For those who started to incorporate the ‘ejail’-structure in the work process in time, it all went more or less smoothly. I would advise companies to study this strategy, conduct research in this area, and then effectively move teams to the ejail-structure, which entails leaving behind the hierarchical bureaucracy in favor of more flexible teamwork. This is not only one of the most effective ways to work offline, but it will also help companies in the online mode,” Kobalia suggests.
The tendency on the market indicates that Georgian organizations are well aware of the importance of digital transformation. However, both organizationally and operationally, they are not ready to move to the digital realm.
“We’ve had cases when a rather large organization has ordered technological products, we’ve done it with absolute completeness and functionality, we’ve adapted digital architecture and the so-called footprint to their organizational requirements, but after the transfer, the services received by the customer were not effectively utilized and implemented in the work process. As experience shows, in the technology sector, there is quite a large division between expectations and earnings, which is due to the lack of research into the internal and external resources and capabilities of the organization and, if necessary, adaptation in the form of restructuring,” Chkhartishvili says.
He further explains this tendency and states that people do not have a clear image of the idea of digital product development. They consider this transfer to be the solution, meaning that after the transition process, everything will automatically be fine.
“This is a Utopian belief. We should understand that any software or digital platform needs proper use, management, adaptation to organizational resources and structures, further support, and development. Which in many cases is never achieved, even by large, experienced organizations,” states the Noxtton founder.
To deal with this uncertainty, Noxtton positions itself as a digital consulting-technology organization, meaning that they not only create products, but also ensure the merging, development, and synergy of created and existing products and organizational resources.
“Through us, organizations are given the opportunity to properly assess any technological challenge and related strategic, monetary, or structural risk factors and benefits. In order to take the right steps and effectively adapt to innovations, it is vital to develop digital competencies and knowledge. Noxtton takes care of all this and transforms the global experience into learning modules. Our experienced professionals are adept at listening to the pulse of the industry and knowing exactly what kind of skills development and knowledge acquisition is needed. We also offer a Academy of Digital Industries and a variety of training programs, which have already trained more than 3,500 people,” says Chkhartishvili.
Academy of Digital Industries is one of the business platforms established about 20 months ago, and today offers several training areas: development, marketing, design, and business. There are more than 70 courses, masterclasses, and workshops in all four directions. Academy of Digital Industries also plans to introduce training programs for a global audience.
The digital product management course is tailored to the needs and requirements in Georgia and belongs to Luka Kobalia. As the managing partner explains, “The idea for this course is based on the shortcomings identified not only by us, but also by our partners. All of this has been worked out, and an approach has been created to avoid any kind of hindrance to the cause. We have contacts with many Georgian companies, including the largest organizations in the sector, which give us important insight into the challenges of the industry.”
Through this program, attendees are introduced to the digital world, different types of projects and management details, and learn more about the differences between the technological processes. They practice the processes happening in the digital sphere to ensure minimal divergence between the expectations and the final product.
“Even though our organization is not yet widely known, there are many digital platforms and products under our holding, infrastructure, and management. For example, if a person spends at least 5 minutes a day on a social network, she/he will surely see at least one advertisement, product, or information we target; and this figure, in our case, is growing astronomically,” states Chkhartishvili.
The success of the company can be illustrated in numbers. According to our respondents, only two years ago, the engagement per week was half a million: today it reached 18-20 million. The same can be said for the automation of payments and processes.
“Market uptake is happening with astonishing speed, and companies are actively trying to digitize, hybridize, and mobilize human capital and resources towards digital products. All organizations want to introduce collaborative, automation systems and digital products and services. It is for this purpose that we exist: it is our mission to help companies develop their capabilities both locally and globally,” Chkhartishvili notes.
Noxtton continues to support local and international organizations in the Georgian, European and Asian markets with a full range of services. Achieving the set goals is facilitated through the experience and competence that the company offers. Each task is completed with an in-depth analysis of the most effective available solutions. Noxtton has come to represent a reliable base for many organizations around the globe, providing them with the right navigation in a digital world of immense possibilities.
By Salome Kushashvili
