Helping V-Key Build an Offshore Team for Global Expansion
Website
https://www.v-key.com/
Headquarters
Singapore
Industry
Information Technology & Services
Company Size
11-50
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Founded in 2011, V-Key is a software-based digital security solutions provider for firms and governments across the globe.
Aiming to become a world-class secure mobile application platform, they understand the importance of having dedicated tech teams to meet the ever-rising demand.
Thus, V-Key has chosen Vietnam as its offshoring destination to leverage the quality but affordable labor and operation cost advantages.
The Challenge: Scaling an Offshore Team Without a Vietnam Footprint
With increasing business demands from customers and fresh funding in 2016, V-Key sought to sustainably increase their tech capabilities and product development by setting up an offshore tech team.
While it is clear that Vietnam is the best option, V-Key will have to look for a trusted partner who has operational knowledge and experience in the Vietnamese market to support in paving the way through these challenges efficiently:
No Vietnam Presence
V-Key had no entity, no hiring infrastructure, and no local market knowledge to build an offshore team from.
Security-Grade Talent Required
Their products demanded developers who could work on complex, security-critical systems, not general-purpose mobile engineers.
High Turnover Risk
As a fast-scaling startup, losing a developer mid-project could derail product delivery timelines and IP continuity.
Cost Discipline
Fresh funding came with investor scrutiny; every operational decision needed to deliver real value without overspending.
Moreover, V-Key also wanted a partner who can help source the right talent to be part of their offshore team and manage them effectively to avoid the risk of high turnover.
Find A Solution With Talent JDI
Deep Local Market Knowledge
Wide Offshore Talent Network
Trusted Partner
Affordable Service
After doing extensive research, V-Key chose Talent JDI for their specialties in offshoring operations to Vietnam, and their wide local talent network that is capable of providing on-demand human resources.
Additionally, Talent JDI price range is also very attractive with a 25% lower in recruitment fee compare to others.
Moreover, Talent JDI staff are corporate administration experts who actively help V-Key to access and set up operations in Vietnam seamlessly, as well as to conduct on-going management support for the offshore team.
Over the next 3 years, Talent JDI works hand-in-hand with the senior managers in Singapore to tailor-build an offshore software engineering team in Ho Chi Minh City. Talent JDI also helps with all aspects of recruitment, human resource management, purchase requisitions, and office setup.
01
Step 01 · Recruitment
Sourcing from a Pre-Vetted Talent Network
We tapped our Vietnam developer network to source engineers with the technical depth V-Key's security products required — not generalist candidates from job boards. Our Vietnam IT recruitment process filtered for engineers capable of working on security-critical systems before a single CV reached V-Key.
02
Step 02 · Office Setup
Office Setup in Ho Chi Minh City
We supported V-Key in establishing their operational base in HCMC — handling workspace selection through our co-working space services, procurement, and the day-to-day purchase requisitions that keep a team running. V-Key's Singapore team never had to manage Vietnam logistics directly.
03
Step 03 · HR & Compliance
HR Management & Legal Employment
Our team managed all HR operations, employment contracts, and ongoing people management — giving V-Key's Singapore leadership full oversight without any in-country admin burden. No Vietnamese entity was required.
04
Step 04 · ODC Build
3-Year Offshore Development Centre Build
Over three years, we worked hand-in-hand with V-Key's senior managers in Singapore to build, grow, and maintain their offshore software engineering team in HCMC — evolving from first hire to a stable, productive ODC.
Stellar Results For A Brighter Future
S$50K
Saved per month in opex & recruitment costs
0
Admin burden when running an offshore team
Major Projects
Supported across key enterprise clients in Vietnam
V-Key was able to increase its tech capabilities and company performance since the addition of their offshore tech team in Vietnam, who were able to support major projects and clients along the way.
Through the partnership with Talent JDI, V-Key managed to save up to S$50,000/mth in opex and recruitment costs per annum. They were also able to focus on increasing customer satisfaction and onboarding new clients without having to deal with the operational and administrative challenges in scaling-up their tech team.
Today, V-Key’s Vietnam-based software engineering team is still happily supported by Talent JDI.
Vietnam IT Staff Recruitment Services
Why Choose Talent JDI For Hiring Developers In Vietnam?
Talent JDI is a specialist Vietnam IT recruitment agency with 10+ years on the ground in Ho Chi Minh City.
Our curated 30,000+ network of pre-vetted developers means you receive your first shortlist within 48 hours — not six weeks. And because we are MoLSW-licensed, every hire is fully compliant with Vietnamese labour law from day one.
Whether you need one senior engineer or a full offshore team, our Vietnam tech recruitment process handles sourcing, vetting, offer negotiation, contracts, and onboarding — so you can focus on building your product.
How do you source developers capable of working on digital security products in Vietnam?
Security and cryptography expertise is a specialist area even within Vietnam's developer talent pool. Talent JDI maintains a pre-vetted network of engineers across Ho Chi Minh City, including developers with experience in secure systems, mobile security, and complex backend implementations.
For V-Key, the brief required engineers who understood the demands of security-grade product development, not just general mobile or backend developers. We sourced against those specific technical criteria before any CV reached the client.
Q
As a startup, should we build an ODC or just hire freelancers initially?
For a startup building a core product, especially one with IP and security considerations, freelancers introduce risk that compounds as the team grows: inconsistent standards, knowledge fragmentation, and no structural foundation to scale from. V-Key chose to build an owned offshore team from the start, which meant engineers were part of the company, worked to the same standards, and built institutional knowledge that stayed with the business.
The ODC model doesn't require a large team to make sense — even 3–5 engineers benefit from proper HR structure, clear employment terms, and a managed environment.
Q
How do you reduce developer turnover risk in Vietnam, especially for a startup brand?
Turnover risk in Vietnam is real but manageable. The two biggest drivers are compensation and growth opportunity, not brand recognition. V-Key offered developers meaningful technical challenges in digital security, which is genuinely attractive to strong engineers.
On the operational side, Talent JDI provides active HR support: monitoring market benchmarks, flagging retention risks early, and managing the day-to-day employment relationship so issues are caught before they become resignations.
Q
Do we need to set up a Vietnamese legal entity to hire an engineering team there?
No. V-Key operated their full Vietnam team without registering a local entity. Talent JDI handled employment contracts, HR administration, purchase requisitions, and office setup, removing the need for V-Key to build any in-country infrastructure.
For a startup under growth pressure, this meant the team was operational far faster than an entity setup would have allowed, without the ongoing administrative overhead of running a local company in Vietnam.
Q
What does "office setup support" from Talent JDI actually involve?
Beyond recruitment and HR, Talent JDI supported V-Key in establishing a physical operational base in Ho Chi Minh City, covering workspace selection, procurement, and the day-to-day purchase requisitions that keep an office running.
For a Singapore-headquartered company with no Vietnam presence, having a partner manage this on the ground meant V-Key's Singapore leadership could focus on product and clients rather than logistics.
Q
How long does it realistically take to build a functioning offshore engineering team?
The initial hire typically takes 4–8 weeks from a clear brief. Building a functioning team — one with established working rhythms, shared standards, and genuine integration with your Singapore operations — usually takes 3–6 months. V-Key's engagement with Talent JDI ran over three years, which reflects the reality that a strong offshore team isn't a one-time placement exercise.
It's an ongoing operational relationship that compounds in value as the team matures and the partnership deepens.
