Q4/2023 Wrap-up: crafting excellence, encouraging innovation, and being a fierce team

Hi there! 

As we bid farewell to 2023, we find ourselves nestled back in our cosy den, brimming with energy and optimism for the adventures that 2024 holds.

Reflecting on the rollercoaster that was 2023, we can confidently declare it a challenging yet enriching journey, during which we worked on meaningful projects and celebrated each beautiful moment as a team.

Now, let's dive headfirst into the thrilling last quarter of the year past. 

Projects

"We bring performance and beauty to the world through technology" is the motto that guides us every day to be the best at what we do, to understand our partners' needs fully, and to work together to bring successful projects to life.

Many of our exciting projects are under wraps, and we're not ready to reveal them yet; however, we're happy to introduce you to one of the most complex and exciting entertainment apps we added to our portfolio in the last quarter. 👇

Juggle - empowers you to invest your energy exactly where you want to so you can say goodbye to relationship management challenges and hello to a more fulfilling and balanced life.

End-of-year events

Haunted Howl-o-ween Cabin 👻

October is usually the spookiest month of the year, and this past October was no exception as we embraced the hauntingly good vibes during our annual Halloween Celebration.

To add a twist to our traditions, we went away to a mountain cabin, where we howled at the moon to scare off evil spirits (just kidding, we know they're not real), kicked back, relaxed, and immersed ourselves in thematic activities.

Our getaway was a spooky delight from start to finish! It was the perfect mix of chill, fun and thrilling adventure that left us all feeling refreshed and connected. We spent our days bonding over lively conversations, honing our artistic pumpkin painting talents, and some of us even took to the field for some seriously spirited football and tennis matches.

Web Meetup 🕸

In mid-November, we hosted a Web Meetup where Cristi and Roxi, two of our web developers 🐺, stepped into the spotlight. ✨

Roxi kicked things off with a talk titled "Demystifying Rendering Modes," in which she shed light on the secrets behind rendering modes. Then Cristi took the stage to guide us through how to integrate ElasticSearch in Ruby on Rails apps and better understand the logic behind this search engine during his engaging discourse "Supercharging Rails with ElasticSearch."

The atmosphere was vibrant as enthusiasts gathered to dive into these insightful discussions, exchanging ideas and sharing knowledge. 

Christmas time 🎄

In December, our office buzzed with holiday cheer and excitement as we decorated the Christmas tree, turning it into a festive centrepiece and a token of our team spirit and unity. 🎄🎉 

To tune into the holiday vibes even more, we had a baking contest where we prepared and enjoyed a variety of delicious homemade goodies that filled our office with the most lovely aromas. 🧁

The pinnacle of December festivities at Wolfpack Digital was the highly anticipated Christmas Dinner, a time-honoured tradition that brought everyone together for an evening of joy, gratitude, and reflection. 

Our Christmas Dinner - marked by delicious food, shared laughter, and heartfelt moments - was more than a celebration of the holiday season. It was a time to reflect and express our gratitude for the challenges, lessons and experiences we shared in 2023 and to look forward to the promise of a new year filled with hope and possibility.

The unity and togetherness experienced during December at Wolfpack Digital extended beyond the festive decorations and holiday feasts. It reinforced the company's commitment to fostering a positive and collaborative work environment where every individual plays a crucial role in creating a vibrant and supportive workplace culture.

TechShowcase power by Troy.AI

Our 2023 ended with a spectacular TechShowcase powered by our friends from TroyAI. This event gathered brilliant minds and creators from Cluj-Napoca, each armed with unique and innovative ideas, ready to dazzle and inspire the audience and jurors team.

Besides showing off their awesome creations, Tech Showcase provided founders with a wonderful opportunity to get feedback on their work, connect with community members, and engage in interesting and insightful conversations.

Achievements, milestones, and community

In the fourth quarter of 2023, our community encountered a spectrum of exciting opportunities, allowing us to emphasize our commitment to knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and active participation in the industry. Here's a glimpse of our vibrant involvement:

• FIX Cluj 2023: Gina, our co-CEO, took on the role of a juror in the final stage, where four exceptional teams were crowned finalists.
• Babes-Bolyai University Workshop: Cristi, our Head of UX/UI Design, enriched the minds of eager students with insights from the world of design.
• Prow Conference in Timisoara: Our Product Owners immersed themselves in two days of talks and discussions, keeping their fingers on the pulse of industry trends at the Prow Conference.
• Published Piece in Today Software Magazine: Iuliana and Cri, our dynamic Scrum Masters, contributed an insightful article titled "Forecasting in Newly Formed Teams", sharing practical advice and a glimpse into their experience with the readers of Today Software Magazine.
• EUStartup.news Spotlight: Wolfpack Digital shone in the limelight with a feature in EUStartup.news, showcasing our achievements and contributions to the tech landscape.
• Busy 4 Business Week: Gina took the stage as a speaker, imparting her insights and highlighting our dedication to sharing our knowledge and experience.
• IT Days 2023: Wolfpack Digital proudly stood as a bronze sponsor, with Dan Ilies and Florin Tomozei taking the stage as presenters, solidifying our commitment to actively shaping industry discussions.
• Romanian Digital Day at EU Parliament: Gina participated in an exciting panel discussion about “Boosting regional talent at the digital level”. 
• CodeRun Git Workshop: Flaviu, one of our Web Developers, shared his Git expertise with the students participating in CodeRun, an event organized by BEST Cluj-Napoca, fostering learning within the community.
• Demo Day by SAS UTCN: Gina participated as a juror in this impactful event, aligning with our commitment to supporting young talents.
• Fair of SMEs in the IT sector and industries 4.0 sector: Diana and Oana, specialists in People & Culture and Marketing, respectively, engaged in a 3-day event, connecting with industry players and Ștefan-Radu Oprea, The Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism.
• Women in Tech Cluj Meetup: Iuliana took the stage as a speaker, and Gina expertly moderated the session, championing women in the tech arena.
• CSInnoHub Hackathon by UBB: Victor, our Head of Web Development, wore the hat of a juror, recognizing and awarding a standout team with a special prize from Wolfpack Digital, showcasing our support for innovation at the grassroots level.

Awards & recognitions

The last quarter of 2023 came with numerous achievements and awards, for which we are grateful and proud at the same time. 🌟 Here's a glimpse of the honours we received:

• Gold Davey Award: We clinched the prestigious Gold Davey Award in the Best Home Page category, a nod to our outstanding web presence and design.
• Undelucram.ro: Wolfpack Digital was featured as the #1 Most Appreciated SME by employees on Undelucram.ro.
• TrueFirms Top Company: Wolfpack Digital was recognized as a Top Company in the Software Development category by TrueFirms, affirming our position as leaders in the industry.
• Clutch Champion and Global Leader: We soared to new heights, earning the titles of Clutch Champion and Clutch Global Leader. This prestigious recognition places us in the top 10% among a staggering 280,000 service providers.
• Clutch 1000: Our journey culminated with a remarkable feat as we secured the 76th spot on the Clutch 1000 list, a testament to our consistent delivery of exceptional services.
• Top 100 of Romania: We were featured in the Top 100 Romania in the Software Development category based on customer feedback and satisfaction. 

These accolades symbolize not just achievements but milestones in our ongoing quest for excellence. Each recognition underscores our dedication to providing top-notch services, and we eagerly anticipate the challenges and triumphs that lie ahead. Here's to the continued pursuit of greatness! 🏆🚀🌟

Blog posts 

Whether it's tech knowledge, insights, trends, or updates from our team, we aim to provide valuable information with each article. 📖. Let's explore some of the pieces we shared in 2023:

Q3/2023 Wrap-up: A quarter of celebrations and achievements
Our Q3/2023 Wrap-up includes some exciting highlights about new app launches, a magical Wooftop Party, sports day, and awards. 🚀🎉

User-First Philosophy: The path of your product’s success starts and ends with User Research
A quick dive into the delightful world of user research and a few crafty strategies, tools, and best practices on how to make it work for you and your digital product.

Behind the Mic: An interview with our IT Days 2023 speakers
Read about the firsthand experiences of our colleagues Dan and Florin, who were speakers at IT Days 2023.

Thank you for reading our quarterly wrap-up! 
May you have a blessed and prosperous 2024! 🥂

Until the next one,
The Wolfpack Digital Team ❤️