Katana

A small web development team based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Katana works with startups and small organisations rather than large enterprises, having contributed to launches spanning several countries and continents. Its stated focus is on building websites and mobile apps that clients' own customers can use effectively, with project examples ranging from online dating platforms to learning tools for musicians, built for web, smartphone, and tablet. The team size is small (1-10 people), which supports a close, direct working relationship with each client throughout a project. The agency's declared services cover search engine optimisation, web development, and mobile app development, with particular mention of Ruby on Rails as a development framework. Katana describes a structured process that moves through discussion and planning of the initial concept, sketching and wire-framing designs, then building, launching, and maintaining the project as it matures. This approach emphasises understanding a client's broader business objectives before proposing technical solutions, and documenting the required steps so clients can follow and quantify progress. Beyond client work, the team also builds its own products and contributes code to open-source projects. The combination of web development, mobile app development, and SEO is positioned around supporting startups and small businesses through the full lifecycle of a digital product, from initial concept to post-launch maintenance.