Our Journey

This story describes the journey of an IT company that prioritizes people and purpose over profit, learning a hard lesson that leads to greater success. The heart of "DAASZ" In 2010, the co-founders of DAASZ—a small, ambitious IT startup—were driven by a single, powerful ideal: to build a company where technological innovation served human connection. Leo, the lead coder, believed software should be intuitive and elegant. Maria, the project manager, insisted on radical transparency, where clients were treated as partners, not just customers. Their first office was a converted attic above a cafe, but their vision was expansive. For the first few years, DAASZ thrived. They built simple, effective apps for local businesses—a reservation system for a bistro, a scheduling tool for a dog-walking service.

Their reputation grew not through marketing, but through word-of-mouth. Clients loved their personal touch and the fact that the founders were always reachable, often dropping by for coffee to discuss progress. They were profitable, but not wealthy. They were content. Startup Stories What inspired us to start up DAASZ? DAASZ was established to address the intersection of technology and security in the society.The turning point in 2015, a large, well-funded venture capital firm offered DAASZ a multi-million dollar investment. The offer came with a non-negotiable condition: a shift in focus from small, bespoke projects to a single, scalable "product"—a complex enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform for Fortune 500 companies. The founders were conflicted. The deal promised massive wealth and prestige, but it meant abandoning their core values. The VC's lead partner scoffed at their "sentimental attachments" to small clients and personal service.

Ignoring their gut feelings, Maria and Leo signed the deal. The change was immediate and brutal. The team swelled from 10 to 50, with layers of management and corporate hierarchy. The old, collaborative culture dissolved under pressure to meet aggressive deadlines. Client communication became automated and impersonal. Leo's elegant code was replaced with a rushed, feature-heavy product that was technically complex but frustrating to use. The old mission of "human connection" was a forgotten slogan on the now-outdated website. he crash and aftermath The ERP launch was a disaster. The software was buggy, difficult to implement, and lacked the personal support that Aeterna's original clients had cherished. Early enterprise clients, used to seamless service, were infuriated. Negative press and bad reviews piled up. The VC firm, focused only on the bottom line, pulled its funding, leaving DAASZ in a precarious financial position. The company was on the brink of collapse. Zainab and Samuel were forced to lay off most of their new hires.

In the quiet, half-empty office, they returned to what they knew best. They reached out to their original small business clients, humbly admitting their mistakes. They offered to rebuild their software for free, prioritizing quality and personal service over profit. DAASZ reborn. The second act of DAASZ was not about expansion, but about rediscovery. They focused on building a niche market of loyal clients who valued quality and ethics over the lowest price. The company slowly rebuilt its reputation, one satisfied client at a time. This time, they didn't take shortcuts. They listened to feedback, stayed agile, and prioritized a healthy work-life balance for their smaller, more dedicated team. Within five years, DAASZ was once again profitable. They remained a boutique firm, but their work was exceptional. They had learned a crucial lesson: true success wasn't measured in market share or venture capital, but in the trust of their clients and the integrity of their work. They were reminded that the most powerful technology isn't just about code; it's about the purpose and passion of the people behind it.