ODC Business Case & Location Planning
We assess your goals, budget and talent needs to plan the centre size, structure and timeline before you commit.
- ODC business case
- Setup roadmap
Dedicated Teams & Staff Augmentation
Offshore Development Center Services
We build a dedicated offshore centre under your brand, handling hiring, workspace, infrastructure and HR administration, so you gain a long-term engineering base without setting up an entity.
- Branded offshore centre
- Hiring & HR support
- Secure infrastructure
- Build-operate-transfer
- Years of delivery
- 8+
- Years of delivery
- Projects shipped
- 350+
- Projects shipped
- Clients across US, UK, AU & SG
- 200+
- Clients across US, UK, AU & SG
What’s included
Everything You Need to Launch Your Own Offshore Development Center
We set up, staff and operate your branded offshore centre, then help you scale it or transfer it to your ownership.
-
-
Facility, Infrastructure & Workspace Setup
Dedicated seating, high-speed connectivity, hardware and power backup are arranged so your team has a ready workplace from day one.
- Workspace setup
- IT infrastructure
-
Team Hiring, Vetting & Leadership Setup
We recruit and vet engineers, managers and QA for your centre, so you build a capable team without opening a local entity.
- Hiring plan
- Team lead appointed
-
HR, Payroll, Admin & Legal Compliance
We handle contracts, payroll, statutory compliance and administration, so you can focus on product while we run the operations.
- Payroll management
- Compliance support
-
Branded Culture & Knowledge Transfer
Your team works under your brand and values, with structured training so the centre operates as a true extension of your company.
- Brand integration
- Training program
-
Secure Network, VPN & Access Controls
Segregated networks, VPN, device policies and monitored access protect your source code and data inside the centre.
- Security policy
- VPN setup
-
Delivery Governance, KPIs & Reporting
Agreed KPIs, regular reviews and transparent reporting give you control over output and quality without being on-site.
- KPI dashboard
- Monthly governance review
-
Scale-Up or Build-Operate-Transfer Options
Grow the centre as demand rises, or transfer it to your ownership under a build-operate-transfer model when you are ready.
- Scaling roadmap
- BOT transition plan
Need something specific?
Why Kramate
Why Business Owners Choose Kramate for an Offshore Center
Your own team abroad, run for you, with no need to set up a company there.
-
Your Own Team Without The Paperwork
Instead of
setting up a company in another country
With Kramate
We run the day to day side, so you focus on your product and not on forms.
-
A Project Manager On Your Side
Instead of: a far away team nobody is watching
With Kramate: A dedicated project manager leads the team and updates you every day.
-
Start Small, Then Grow At Your Pace
Instead of: huge upfront commitments before you see results
With Kramate: The first term is three months, then it rolls monthly, with thirty days notice.
-
Hours That Line Up With Yours
Instead of: a team asleep when you need them
With Kramate: Our offshore team shares four to six hours with US East Coast time and a full UK day.
-
Your Work Stays Locked Down
Instead of: fearing your ideas will leak
With Kramate: Only a few people can open your files, and a second person checks all work.
Our approach
How We Build Your Offshore Development Center, Step by Step
Your own team abroad, set up and run for you, without opening a company there.
7 clear steps 7 deliverables you keep
-
Centre Goals
We learn what work the centre will do, how big it should start, and how it should grow.
-
Setup Plan
We plan the location, team size, equipment and the order in which each part will be put in place.
-
Set Up Your Centre
We get desks, computers and internet ready, so the workplace is ready before the team starts.
-
Hire Your Team
We recruit and test the developers, testers and a manager, and you meet them before they join.
-
Security & Legal Cover
We handle contracts and payroll, and we limit who can open your files.
-
Brand & Handover
The team learns your product, your brand and your habits, and begins work as part of your company.
-
Reports & Growth
A project manager sends daily updates and monthly reviews, and we add seats or hand the centre over when you ask.
Tools & technologies
Technologies Behind Your Offshore Centre
A secure, well-run centre needs infrastructure, access control and monitoring as well as developers.
- AWS: Amazon cloud hosting and services.
- Azure: Microsoft cloud hosting and services.
- Kubernetes: Runs and scales containerised software automatically.
- Docker: Packages software so it runs the same everywhere.
- Okta: Single sign-on and multi-factor login for staff and customers.
- 1Password: Password and secrets manager for teams.
- Sentry: Catches errors and slow requests as they happen.
- Microsoft Teams: Chat, calls and file sharing for teams already on Microsoft 365.
- Jira: Tracks work, priorities and delivery progress.
- Confluence: Keeps requirements, decisions and handover notes in one shared place.
- Zoom: Video calls for stand-ups, demos and planning sessions.
- GitLab: Hosts code and runs CI/CD pipelines in one platform.
- SonarQube: Scans code for bugs and security weaknesses before release.
- Grafana: Dashboards and alerts for live system metrics.
- Java: Proven language for large, long-lived enterprise systems.
- PostgreSQL: Dependable database for complex business data.
Expert guide
Offshore Development Center Services: A Complete Guide for Businesses
Offshore development center services set up a long-term engineering base in another country that works as an extension of your company. The center has its own space, equipment and processes, is branded and led to match your standards, and is run day to day by a partner who handles local operations.
It is a bigger commitment than adding a few contractors. Companies choose it when they expect to need engineering capacity for a long time and want something closer to their own office than a vendor team.
In the UK, Australia and Singapore you will often see the word spelled with "re" at the end instead of "er". This guide to offshore development center services covers the operating models, the setup path, governance, data transfer rules, security and how to plan an exit.
What offshore development center services provide
An offshore development center, or ODC, is a dedicated engineering unit located abroad that serves one client. With offshore development center services, the partner usually provides the office or secure remote setup, recruitment, HR administration, IT equipment and management support, while you direct the technical work and the brand.
The difference from other models is permanence and identity. A dedicated development team is a group assigned to you. An ODC is an organization-like unit with its own culture, policies and growth plan, designed to last.
Operating models: partner-run, build-operate-transfer and captive
| Model | Who runs it | Who employs the staff | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner-run | The partner, with your direction | The partner | You want speed and low administrative load |
| Build-operate-transfer | The partner first, then you | Partner at first, then transferred to you | You want to own the center eventually |
| Captive | You | You, through your own local entity | You want full control and accept the setup burden |
Build-operate-transfer needs particular care: agree up front what is transferred, when, and what the transfer costs, including people, leases, equipment and licenses. Captive centers need a local legal entity, tax advice and an in-country management team before the first hire.
How an offshore development center is set up
- Define the purpose: the products, technologies and headcount the center will support over its first stages.
- Choose the location using talent availability, time-zone overlap, infrastructure and legal environment.
- Agree the operating model and the commercial and exit terms.
- Recruit the leadership first: a center head or delivery lead and a technical lead.
- Build a small core, then grow once processes and onboarding work.
- Connect to your tools and rituals, so the center joins planning, demos and reviews from the start.
Governance and management of an offshore center
The center succeeds or fails on governance, not on office space. Put a few mechanisms in place.
- One accountable leader on each side with authority to decide.
- Shared engineering standards, such as code review rules and a definition of done.
- Regular visits or exchanges between your staff and the center so relationships form.
- Delivery measures you both see. The DORA capabilities catalog (opens in a new tab) is a helpful reference for the practices behind dependable delivery.
- A reviewed risk register covering attrition, key people and dependency on any single individual.
Treat center staff as colleagues: share the product vision, include them in design discussions and credit their work in your own channels.
Data transfers, security and supply chain risk
An ODC extends your systems abroad, so treat it as part of your supply chain and your attack surface. The NIST SP 800-161 guidance (opens in a new tab) describes managing cybersecurity risk across suppliers and service providers, and the NCSC cloud security guidance (opens in a new tab) helps when the center works from cloud environments.
- Network and devices: managed, encrypted devices, secure connections into your environments, and no local copies of sensitive data.
- Access: individual accounts, least privilege, and prompt removal for leavers.
- Physical controls: badge entry, clean-desk rules and visitor logs if the center has an office.
- Assurance: the right to review controls, see test results and run audits.
Personal data crossing borders brings legal duties. See the ICO’s international transfers guidance (opens in a new tab) for the UK, the OAIC’s APP 8 guidance (opens in a new tab) for Australia and the PDPC overview (opens in a new tab) for Singapore. US requirements depend on sector and state. Confirm with legal counsel before real customer data reaches the center.
Location and time-zone fit
A center that never shares working hours with your headquarters will rely on handoffs and documentation. For most products a few hours of live overlap is worth choosing a location for. Kramate publishes four to six hours with US Eastern time and a full working day overlap with the UK, Australia and Singapore, so ask any partner for equivalent specifics and the schedule of the people you will actually work with.
Where a center makes sense
- Software product company: a scaling vendor adds a second engineering base for platform work and maintenance so the home team can focus on new capabilities.
- Financial services: a firm builds a center for engineering and testing of internal systems, with strict access controls and data handled in masked form.
- Retail and logistics: a company with seasonal peaks maintains a standing team to support integrations and operational tools year-round.
These are illustrative examples, not Kramate client results.
Cost drivers of offshore development center services and exit planning
Typical cost drivers are headcount and seniority, the facility or remote infrastructure, management and HR support from the partner, equipment and licenses, and travel between sites. A center has setup effort before it produces much output, so judge it over a longer horizon than a project.
Plan the exit at the beginning. Agree who owns equipment, how people can transfer, what notice applies, how knowledge is documented and what happens to the lease or remote setup. A clear exit makes both sides behave better during the engagement.
Choosing offshore development center services: partner checks
- Ask to meet the proposed leadership and visit or video-tour the working environment.
- Request the transfer terms if you expect to take over later.
- Review attrition handling: how departures are covered.
- Check security and data controls against your policies.
- Confirm branding and reporting: staff may represent your company, so ask how identity and communication are handled.
How Kramate approaches an offshore center
For offshore development center services we start with an NDA and a free consultation, then provide a detailed estimate within 24 hours. A dedicated project manager coordinates the setup, daily updates go through Slack or Teams, and the team shows progress at the end of each two-week round. Intellectual property belongs to you, and staff work under least-privilege access, on encrypted devices, with peer code review and regular security testing. See how we work.
Some clients start with a smaller augmented team or a few remote developers before committing to a center, and a stand-alone project can go through software outsourcing. Dedicated-team terms apply a three-month first term, then rolling monthly.
Frequently asked questions
What is an offshore development center?
It is a long-term engineering unit in another country that works only for you, with its own people, equipment and processes. A partner usually handles local operations while you direct the technical work.
How is an offshore development center different from outsourcing?
Outsourcing hands a defined result to a vendor. An ODC is an ongoing extension of your organization that you direct and can brand, built to last and often to be grown or transferred.
What is build-operate-transfer?
The partner sets up and runs the center for an agreed period, then transfers it to you. The contract should state what moves across, when, and at what cost, including staff, equipment and leases.
How do I set up an offshore development center?
Define the purpose, choose a location, pick an operating model, recruit leaders first, grow from a small core and connect the center to your tools and rituals. Agree exit terms before you begin.
Is data safe in an offshore development center?
It can be, with managed devices, least-privilege access, controlled environments and audit rights written into the contract. Transfer rules for personal data vary by country, so check them with legal counsel before real customer data is shared.
How should an offshore development center be governed?
Name accountable leaders on both sides, share engineering standards and delivery measures, review risks such as attrition regularly, and keep people connected through visits, shared channels and joint planning sessions.
Sources and further reading
- DORA Capabilities Catalog (opens in a new tab)DORA
- NIST SP 800-161 Rev. 1 (opens in a new tab)NIST
- Cloud security guidance (opens in a new tab)NCSC UK
- International transfers (opens in a new tab)ICO UK
- APP 8 Cross-border disclosure of personal information (opens in a new tab)OAIC
- Personal Data Protection Act overview (opens in a new tab)PDPC Singapore
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Cost comes from team size and seniority, the technology stack, workspace and equipment, management overhead and the length of commitment. Compliance and security requirements add to it. We send a no-obligation estimate within 24 hours. Office space, hardware, management overhead and a ramp-up period usually sit alongside salary costs in the estimate.
Setup usually moves through planning, hiring the core team, infrastructure and security setup, knowledge transfer and then scaling. Duration depends on team size, how specialised the roles are and how much your processes are documented. Early weeks focus on hiring leads and writing down how your team works, before scaling headcount.
You do. We sign an NDA before detailed discussions, and all code and deliverables belong to you. Access controls, confidentiality terms for each team member and clear contract wording protect your intellectual property. Each team member signs confidentiality terms, and repository access follows your permission rules.
The center uses your tools, coding standards and reporting lines, and acts as an extension of your engineering department. We agree meeting overlap with your time zone, and managers on both sides share dashboards and regular reviews. Leaders on both sides meet regularly, and the center follows your sprint calendar and release process.
A dedicated team is a group working for you on a product. An offshore development center is a larger, branded unit with its own management, workspace and processes. Choose a center for long-term scale and a team for a smaller, focused need. A center is built to grow into a permanent branch of your engineering department.
Look at their experience with your stack, security practices, retention approach, management structure and willingness to share how the team is built. Ask for references and talk to the actual managers. Clarity on exit terms matters too. Ask who the center's managers are, how they retain engineers and how handover works if you leave.
Security covers access controls, secure networks, device policies, confidentiality agreements and audit trails, set up to match your policies. We align with the compliance requirements you name. Confirm specifics, such as data residency, during planning. Typical controls include role-based access, managed devices and restricted networks for sensitive code.
Taking new projects
Let’s talk about your Offshore Development Center Services needs
Tell us about your project and get a free consultation and estimate within 24 hours.
- We reply within 4 business hours A real consultant reads your brief — no bot, no queue.
- 30-minute discovery call We dig into goals, constraints and budget. NDA signed on request.
- Proposal in 24 hours Scope, timeline, team and price — clear enough to decide on.
NDA on request You own the IP No obligation Free estimate