From Sofia to London, Mobile Wave Solutions' story offers an inspiring testament to the power of cross-border collaboration in tech. As a serial entrepreneur, I’m always fascinated by businesses that not only address complex challenges but do so by building bridges, be it cultural, operational, or technological. When I delved into Mobile Wave Solutions’ journey and their five key lessons tailored for the demands of CTOs in 2026, I found a wealth of insights that resonate deeply with today’s entrepreneurial mindset.
Let’s unpack these five lessons, and what they mean for entrepreneurs, particularly women in tech, juggling the nuanced demands of scaling businesses.
1. Let AI Handle Routine, Not Creativity
Mobile Wave Solutions has demonstrated how AI tools like Copilot help developers speed up repetitive actions such as drafting initial code or automating documentation. But CTOs, and I’d argue all entrepreneurs, need to see AI as a time-saver, not a magic substitute for decision-making. AI removes roadblocks, but only humans can navigate around complexity and make judgment calls.
As someone who bootstraps her ventures, it’s been a personal rule to let technology do the heavy lifting where possible, daily admin work, scheduling, or even initial writing drafts. But the creative, visionary work? That’s where I step in, and it’s where you should, too. Trust AI, but maintain a hands-on approach when it comes to product direction or customer relationships.
2. Product Teams Over Task-Tickers
Mobile Wave Solutions stresses the importance of integrating distributed teams into the heart of the product cycle, rather than relegating them to task-based work. This principle, though highlighted for nearshoring in Europe, applies universally. When every person on your team feels connected to the bigger picture, they perform better.
I’ve seen this in action while working with remote teams for Fe/male Switch, where inclusivity and shared vision transformed hesitant hires into committed collaborators. Build connections. A two-minute daily check-in can do wonders for morale and shared accountability.
3. Don't Chase “Cheaper”; Look for Value Creators
Mobile Wave Solutions highlights an often-ignored aspect of outsourcing: the long-term cost of hiring cheaper but less engaged or skilled teams. While budget constraints are the reality for many of us entrepreneurs, there’s a risk in scrambling for the lowest bidder. Quality suffers, and so does trust.
Instead, I look for value creators, partners who bring specific expertise to the table, even if they operate in locales known for affordability. Bulgaria, as MWS emphasizes, is a case in point. Competition breeds excellence, with highly capable tech talent emerging from Central and Eastern Europe. Would you compromise on hardware for your startup? Why compromise on talent?
4. Integration Begins with Transparent Processes
Hiring globally, integrating culturally, and getting everyone aligned is never “ automatic,” and Mobile Wave Solutions nails this point. Their engineers participate equally in product ideation, not just delivery. This resonates strongly with me because one of my ventures failed years ago precisely because I didn’t prioritize this.
Your team, no matter how scattered or small, needs clear communication and rhythm. I use tools like Trello or Notion alongside periodic touchpoints to measure how aligned our processes truly are. If global firms like MWS can build transparency with 150+ team members across countries, so can a founder with a small, distributed team.
5. Reskilling and Soft Skills Beat Hard Costs
It’s no secret that automation is reducing demand for “manual” tech jobs while spotlighting higher skilled roles. Mobile Wave Solutions’ use of AI in their workflows reinforces this reality. By outsourcing the mechanical, they’ve leaned into reskilling their core talent for problem-solving and decision-making.
This is particularly relevant for founders like me who bootstrap their startups. Team composition matters, how you train junior hires, how you identify talent gaps. Budgeting isn’t just about financial spending. It’s about spending time and resources toward upskilling your team so that they’re ready for where you’re heading next.
What Entrepreneurs Can Take Away
Avoid short-term fixes. Mobile Wave Solutions has a long-term retention rate with clients, reportedly at 92%. That kind of loyalty doesn’t come from quick wins but enduring partnerships. Translate this insight into how you partner with freelancers, hire employee #1-5, or onboard agencies.
Lean into cultural differences. Bulgaria excels as the base for Mobile Wave Solutions partly because of cultural compatibility. Whether you’re working with a team in Sofia, Bangalore, or Birmingham, encouraging knowledge exchange across divides drives innovation. Sometimes the best ideas come from the unexpected.
Be deliberate with AI. Let the tools work for you, but don’t get so caught up in automation that you lose your creative touch. Go beyond batch work and cheap processes to nurture lasting value in every function of your business.
What Female Entrepreneurs Should Be Watching Closely
For women in tech, Mobile Wave Solutions reinforces a critical message: build with intent and integrate where it truly matters. Whether it’s scaling a SaaS product or launching a marketplace app, think beyond numbers. Revisit what quality metrics mean to you. In the male-dominated narrative of “move fast and break things,” there’s something enviable in crafting slow, longer-lasting outcomes. Let this mantra guide every hire, every pivot, and every choice you make.
Should you, like me, combine multiple hats, marketer, manager, growth strategist, and founder, you’ll notice moments where deliberate slowness pays. Much like Mobile Wave has bridged London and Sofia, bridging any gap can only work when it’s deliberate.
I’ll leave you with this: scaling responsibly in Europe may look daunting. Yet by taking lessons from experienced players like Mobile Wave Solutions, and adapting them to your unique context, success feels much more tangible. It certainly does for me.
FAQ
1. What are the key takeaways from Mobile Wave Solutions’ lessons for CTOs in 2026?
The key lessons include utilizing AI to handle routine tasks while leaving creativity to humans, integrating product teams rather than assigning task-based work, focusing on value creation over cost-cutting, designing intentional integration processes for distributed teams, and reskilling talent to adapt to automation. Learn more about these lessons
2. How does Mobile Wave Solutions recommend using AI in tech development?
MWS suggests using AI for accelerating routine tasks such as drafting initial code and automating document creation, while reserving creative and strategic decisions for humans. Discover how AI supports development
3. Why is integrating distributed teams into the product process important?
According to MWS, when distributed teams are treated as core contributors instead of task-tickers, it fosters better collaboration, inclusivity, and commitment, leading to superior outcomes. Learn about integrating distributed teams
4. How does Mobile Wave Solutions view nearshoring in Europe?
MWS emphasizes that nearshoring in locations like Bulgaria offers access to skilled professionals and cost-effective solutions with no compromise on quality, making it a strategic choice over chasing low-cost providers. Understand nearshoring benefits
5. How does culture impact cross-border collaboration as per Mobile Wave Solutions?
MWS highlights the importance of leveraging cultural compatibility to forge deeper collaboration and innovation, illustrated by their success in bridging London and Sofia teams. Explore cultural impact on collaboration
6. What is Mobile Wave Solutions’ stance on hiring “cheaper” talent?
The company warns that prioritizing cost over value often results in poor quality and higher long-term costs, advocating instead for hiring skilled professionals who act as value creators. Learn about talent optimization strategies
7. What tools does Mobile Wave Solutions recommend for creating transparent team processes?
Tools like Trello and Notion are recommended to build clarity in communication and processes, especially for distributed or global teams. See recommended tools and processes
8. How can reskilling benefit startups facing automation challenges?
Reskilling helps teams move beyond manual processes toward roles requiring critical thinking and decision-making, ensuring they stay competitive in an automated landscape. Discover reskilling strategies
9. What client outcomes highlight MWS’s success?
Mobile Wave Solutions’ 92% client retention rate over 11 years demonstrates their focus on long-term relationships, transparency, and delivering high-quality solutions. Check out MWS’s accomplishments
10. How does Mobile Wave Solutions integrate AI into their workflows?
The company uses tools like GitHub Copilot for coding and documentation tasks, ensuring senior engineers focus on complex decision-making and innovation. Learn about AI integration at MWS
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
