Overview
SkillOnNet needed to scale its global R&D delivery while maintaining strong governance and operational control. emagine established a nearshore Centre of Excellence in Portugal, providing dedicated squads, full operational management and seamless integration with global teams.
The Challenge
SkillOnNet is a global provider of casino software solutions, operating across four continents with headquarters in Israel and Cyprus.
As the company continued expanding its product portfolio and supporting a growing international customer base, the need for additional R&D capacity became increasingly important. Development teams had to support multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high delivery standards and ensuring strong alignment with the organisation’s global technology strategy.
To address this need, SkillOnNet explored the creation of a nearshore research and development centre capable of supporting its global operations.
However, establishing a new delivery centre presents several practical and operational challenges.
Setting up a legal entity in a new country can require significant time and administrative effort. Recruitment processes, HR operations and local governance structures must also be established before the centre can become operational.
For SkillOnNet, the goal was to gain the benefits of a nearshore delivery centre without introducing additional organisational complexity.
At the same time, the new centre would need to integrate closely with existing teams. Development squads had to align with the company’s technology stack, working practices and product development processes.
Cultural alignment was equally important. The teams working within the new centre needed to operate as a natural extension of SkillOnNet’s global organisation while maintaining high standards of collaboration and communication.
In addition, the delivery model needed to provide long-term stability. Rather than relying on short-term outsourcing arrangements, SkillOnNet wanted to build a centralised capability capable of supporting ongoing product development and global projects.
In short, the company required a partner capable of establishing and operating a nearshore R&D centre that could provide both operational independence and seamless integration with the broader organisation.
The Solution
To support SkillOnNet’s expansion strategy, emagine established a nearshore Centre of Excellence in Lisbon, Portugal designed to operate as a dedicated R&D hub for the company’s global development activities.
Phase 1: Establishing the Centre of Excellence
emagine set up a nearshore Centre of Excellence in Lisbon to support SkillOnNet’s global product development and R&D activities.
The CoE was designed as a dedicated delivery hub, providing a scalable foundation for supporting ongoing development and future growth.
Phase 2: Structuring teams for seamless integration
The CoE was built to mirror SkillOnNet’s existing organisational structure, ensuring teams could integrate naturally with global product and engineering functions.
Delivery squads were designed as extensions of internal teams, including Product Managers, Tech Leads, Developers, QA specialists, Product Designers and HR Business Partners.
Phase 3: Enabling delivery through managed operations
emagine provided full operational support for the CoE, taking responsibility for recruitment, candidate validation, onboarding and ongoing team management.
The centre operated independently while remaining aligned with SkillOnNet’s infrastructure and governance standards, allowing the organisation to benefit from a nearshore delivery hub without establishing a local legal entity.
Phase 4: Scaling a stable global delivery capability
As the initiative progressed, the CoE scaled steadily to support global projects and product development initiatives.
By combining local operational management with close alignment to internal teams, the centre evolved into a stable and scalable delivery capability supporting SkillOnNet’s long-term growth.
Transformation timeline
Phase 1
Establishing the Centre of Excellence
Phase 2
Structuring teams for seamless integration
Phase 3
Enabling delivery through managed operations
Phase 4
Scaling a stable global delivery capability
The Results
Rapid team ramp-up
More than ten consultants were onboarded within the first three months, enabling the CoE to begin supporting global projects quickly. This early momentum ensured the centre delivered value from the outset.
Scalable global delivery capacity
The team scaled to forty consultants, creating a stable delivery capability supporting product development and customer initiatives across four continents. This provided the capacity needed to support ongoing growth and increasing demand.
Cost-efficient nearshore model
Operating the CoE in Portugal reduced the costs associated with outsourcing and establishing new delivery centres, while maintaining high technical standards. This balance of quality and efficiency strengthened overall delivery economics.
Stronger operational alignment and integration
Dedicated teams embedded within SkillOnNet’s development processes ensured continuity across projects and improved collaboration between global teams. The centralised model also supported post-merger integration by consolidating expertise into a single, coordinated delivery hub.
By consolidating expertise within a single hub, SkillOnNet gained a more coordinated and scalable way to support its global product development initiatives.