In an era where data security and encryption are paramount, Savignano Software Solutions has emerged as a pioneering force. Founded in 2007 by Metin Savignano, the company specializes in developing innovative encryption solutions that cater to modern business needs. With a background in IT consultancy and a keen eye for identifying gaps in software development, Metin has led Savignano Software Solutions to create products that simplify and secure communication for businesses worldwide. In this SafetyDetectives interview, Metin shares the journey of founding the company, the unique features that set their solutions apart, and their plans for the future.
Can you start by sharing your journey and what led you to start Savignano Software Solutions?
We started Savignano Software Solutions in 2007. Before that, I had been working as an IT consultant for about ten years. During that time, I encountered many different companies, cultures, and approaches to software development.
One key thing I learned was that companies, especially in the mainframe area, were still very basic in their test approaches during software development.
My idea was to found a company and create a unit test tool. Marketing this tool was challenging as a small company working with large enterprises, so I eventually sold my intellectual property to a larger enterprise in the US and shifted my focus to email encryption, which I had always passionate about.
We began by providing apps for the Atlassian ecosystem because we used their tools ourselves and found that the notification emails sent by systems like Jira and Confluence often contained confidential information but were unencrypted. This led us to develop a small utility for ourselves, which we later decided to market to other companies. We’re currently working on a new product that isn’t limited to the Atlassian ecosystem but should provide our encryption solution for any ecosystem. .
Our main goal is to provide the solution in a way that is easy to handle and to lower the entry level of companies and people getting into email encryption to help them protect their intellectual assets and their privacy.
What are some unique features of your software solutions that give your company a competitive edge?
We are very engaged in the encryption part. We focus on a subject often neglected by many companies, probably due to its complexity. Our goal is to make encryption solutions easy to use and accessible. Unlike some competitors who offer very customized solutions, we want to provide a standard solution that users can download, test, and configure easily. This approach lowers the complexity for our customers, making it easier for them to adopt encryption.
Your website mentions consulting services. How do these integrate with your products to offer a more comprehensive solution for your clients?
Initially, we offered more general consulting services, especially agile consulting. However, we now specialize in encryption and security consulting, which goes hand in hand with our products. This specialization allows us to provide a more comprehensive solution to our clients, combining our products with expert consulting services.
What are some common misconceptions about agile processes that you encounter, and how do you address them through your services?
There are many misconceptions about agile processes. One of the biggest is that using a framework like Scrum automatically makes a company agile. In reality, agile is a mindset, characterized by fast turnaround times and extensive communication between product owners and developers. Agile frameworks are just starting points, but it’s essential to have the right mindset and have the team continuously question and improve their processes. Many companies rigidly adhere to frameworks without understanding the underlying agile principles, which we help address through our services.
Are there any future projects or plans you’re working on releasing in the next few months?
Currently, we are focusing on the project I mentioned earlier, which aims to provide an encryption solution independent of any specific ecosystem, making it more universally applicable.
While haven’t integrated AI into our product line yet, we are considering it for future developments. Our product’s basic functionality will be encryption, but we plan to include other security features like spam detection and threat detection. AI is particularly interesting for these features because it can recognize patterns in evolving threats and spam, which is difficult to code manually. We believe AI will be very helpful in enhancing these aspects of our products.