We are experts in software product development and business strategy. Our innovative solutions have created market leaders across various sectors.

OAK'S LAB in numbers

  • 2016

    year founded

  • 70+

    team members

  • Top 0.38%

    of job applicants hired into our team

  • 50

    client software products built and launched

  • 4.9/5

    average client review rating on Clutch

  • 89%

    client retention post-initial contract

Founding story

In 2016, our founders, Jake and Theo Dluhy-Smith, established OAK'S LAB. The Czech-American brother duo recognized Prague’s potential and embarked on their entrepreneurial journey to connect visionary American entrepreneurs with exceptional Czech product development teams.

OAK'S LAB was not founded to be just another software house. Jake and Theo envisioned helping the next generation of innovators transform bold ideas into legendary products that improve life and the world.

With no investor backing, they built the company from the ground up and assembled an empowered team of product builders. This team has developed OAK'S LAB into a global technology partner. To date, we have helped numerous businesses transform their ideas into software products that generate millions of dollars in revenue with a worldwide impact.

OUR FOUNDERS JAKE & THEO
2016

2016 highlights:

Jake and Theo moved to Prague, founded OAK'S LAB focusing on startup clients, assembled the initial team, and began executing our mission from the ground up.

  • Operated from an apartment office
  • Secured venture capital partnerships for startup client deal flow
  • Built and launched the first client startup software product
  • Established our product development methodology - the OAK’S LAB WAY

2018 highlights:

We began to see the first successful outcomes for our startup clients. Our business model proved to be financially viable and sustainable, and we shifted our focus to growth.

  • Appointed Martin Klikar as our CFO
  • Built the first client startup software product that was acquired
  • Bill Gates highlighted a software product we built on Twitter
  • Relocated to our office on Old Town Square

2019 highlights:

We established our business development department to expand our network of clients beyond word-of-mouth referrals and continued to work on building quality software products while helping our clients grow.

  • Appointed Andy Powell as our CBO
  • First client startup product we built reached Series A funding
  • Created a recruitment arm for client in-house team hiring
  • Built and launched 20 software products

2021 highlights:

As we grew, we implemented our strategic framework to bring focus, clarity, and coordination across all levels of our company and started making our first early-stage startup investments.

  • Received the Clutch award as top company in the Czech Republic
  • Established an investment arm for strategic early-stage startup investments
  • Developed the first software product for a scaleup client
  • Expanded our team to 70 members

2022 highlights:

We evolved into a results-first company culture, focusing on operational excellence and embracing the empowered product team approach to achieve successful business outcomes for our clients.

  • Received the Clutch award as top company in the Czech Republic
  • Revamped our product development methodology - the OAK'S LAB WAY
  • Built and launched 40 software products
  • Startup client portfolio exceeded $1B

2023 highlights:

We matured into a global software product development thought leader, expanding our services from startups and scaleups to enterprises for greater impact, taking us one step closer to our vision.

  • Received the Clutch Champion award and Clutch Global Winner award
  • Featured as a thought leader at TechCrunch Disrupt
  • Featured as a thought leader at Startup Grind Global
  • Developed a software product backed by Nasdaq

Our purpose is to bring people together to drive technological progress and achieve ambitious business outcomes.

Purpose

Our world is rapidly evolving. Never have we been more globally connected, technologically advanced, and abundant in opportunity.
As governments and institutions fail to keep up, innovators are pioneering a better future. We have entered a new age–the age 
of technology-led innovation. We pursue ideas with profound impact, ones that will positively shape our future.
We bring people together to drive technological progress and achieve ambitious business outcomes.

Mission

Mission

We empower innovators to improve life and the world.

Vision

Vision

OAK'S LAB is a hub of groundbreaking global innovation.

Explore building your product with us.

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Our values

  • 01. Strive to be the best.

    We possess an endless drive to be the best. We do the maximum we can to achieve successful results and try to exceed expectations. We are overachievers striving to go above and beyond.

  • 02. Focus on outcomes over outputs.

    We always keep the broader vision in sight and focus on initiatives with the highest impact. Our strategic, analytical, and business mindset allows us to prioritize our focus on what truly matters.

  • 03. Deliver quality.

    Our actions and results demonstrate our commitment to the highest standards in the industry. We approach our work with an elevated degree of professionalism, consistently delivering premium customer service.

  • 04. Just be honest.

    We are honest in all our interactions, whether with ourselves, our teammates, our clients, or our partners. We are open to improvement and view constructive feedback as an opportunity for mutual growth.

  • 05. Be kind and compassionate.

    We are grounded in humility, caring about the well-being and success of others. We actively engage in supporting our peers, helping them overcome challenges both professionally and personally.

  • 06. Overcome adversity with positivity.

    Our experience gives us perspective, and we understand that it's the journey, not the destination. We are confident in our capabilities and maintain positivity during tough moments.

Our leaders

Jake Dluhy-Smith

CEO, Co-Founder

Jake is the visionary behind OAK’S LAB, shaping strategy, driving business development, and working closely with leadership to achieve company goals.

With extensive experience in product management, Jake has led over 20 greenfield software product builds for both enterprises and startups. Before founding OAK’S LAB, he served as COO at a global digital development agency and as the Prague Director for the Founder Institute, the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator. Jake is an active angel investor and advisor working with startups on strategy and product, helping them scale and succeed.

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Theo Dluhy-Smith

Executive Co-Founder

Theo oversees our strategic operations, spearheading initiatives in business development, recruitment, and growth.

With a background in finance, legal, and business operations, Theo has played a pivotal role in expanding international market share for multiple global companies. At OAK’S LAB, Theo focuses on growing the US client network and guiding recruitment efforts to ensure we hire and retain top talent for delivering high-quality software solutions.

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Andy Powell

Partner & COO

Andy works with our clients during the proposal process and serves as a trusted business partner throughout the product development lifecycle.

With a background spanning legal, sales, and software product development, Andy was a founding team member of a B2B SaaS startup, taking it from pre-seed to Series B. At OAK’S LAB, he oversees product development teams and ensures the success of all software builds, driving exceptional results for clients.

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Martin Klikar

Partner & CFO

Martin manages our financial and legal operations, including client billing and contracts, while leading strategic planning for sustainable growth.

With expertise in corporate finance, economics, and business, Martin previously worked as a financial controller for a global financial services corporation focusing on Central Europe. Martin is a leading CFO in the CEE region, providing expert financial guidance to other CFOs to achieve efficient operations and long-term scalability.

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Tonda Kmoch

Head of Delivery

With over 20 years of software development experience in enterprise and startup environments, Tonda ensures all our projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.

Starting his career as a PHP developer in 1999, Tonda has mastered multiple roles, including software engineer, analyst, QA, test manager, product manager, and CTO. His expertise spans languages like Python, .NET, JavaScript, and more. Tonda’s comprehensive experience ensures our projects are executed at a top level with exceptional results.

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Denisa Lorencova

Head of Design

Denisa leads our team of UI/UX designers, creating intuitive, engaging, and user-centered experiences that align with the strategic objectives of our clients.

With over a 15 years of experience, Denisa has delivered innovative design solutions across various industries. She previously held leadership roles as Product Leader and Director at LEGO and as Head of UX at Rohlik Group, largest Czech startup unicorn. Her expertise spans product discovery, user-centered design, visual design, and interaction design, ensuring every product not only meets functional requirements but also exceeds user expectations.

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Vladimír Řehoř

Head of Engineering

Vladimir leads our engineering teams, overseeing technical strategy and driving innovation with cutting-edge technologies like TypeScript, React.js, Node.js, and AI.

With over 15 years of experience, Vladimir has served as a Software Architect and Tech Lead on large-scale projects in the banking sector and at Europe’s largest venture builder. His expertise in high-performance teams, DevOps, and software architecture ensures we deliver scalable, modern solutions for clients.

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Igor Tadic

Head of Product Management

Igor leads our product management team, focusing on product discovery and innovation to maximize the likelihood of achieving product-market fit.

With over 15 years of experience in venture building and product innovation, Igor has held leadership roles at Ernst & Young and Europe’s largest venture builder. He has designed and tested over 200 digital products and successfully launched and scaled more than 20 ventures, guiding startups from inception to growth.

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Sean Smyth

Head of Talent Acquisition

Sean leads our talent acquisition team, focusing on recruiting top global talent to deliver exceptional results for our client projects.

With over a decade of recruitment experience, Sean previously advanced from Recruitment Consultant to Associate Director at Robert Half, where he led the Technology Practice. His strategic leadership expanded teams, improved recruitment outcomes, and enhanced client satisfaction, making him a valuable asset to our business.

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