LakeView Labs
LakeView Labs is a Chicago-based boutique mobile app development agency that delivers custom iOS, Android, and React Native builds for startups, enterprises, and entrepreneurs. Its six-person team runs napkin-to-launch product development plus post-launch maintenance.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What LakeView Labs does
LakeView Labs is a Chicago-based boutique mobile app development agency operating from the 1871 tech hub at 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza. Founded informally around 2012 out of CEO Patrick O'Brien's prior venture TicketScalpr.com, the firm has grown to a stable six-person team that delivers end-to-end product development, taking clients from napkin-stage concepts through launch and ongoing iteration. Its client base spans high-growth startups, mid-stage founders, and enterprise buyers, with publicly visible engagements including Groupon, Allstate, MercadoLibre, Cars.com, Techstars, BoostVC, and the 1871 hub itself.
The agency's core technical offering covers native iOS development in Swift, native Android development in Kotlin, and cross-platform React Native work, supported by Node.js and Firebase backends, Angular.js web dashboards, and WordPress site builds. The team provides adjacent services including UX and UI design, prototyping via Figma and Marvel, product strategy consulting, and post-launch maintenance. Its process is codified in a 14,000-word public development manifesto, and the team has been collectively responsible for seven App Store–featured products including #1-ranked apps in Shopping, Education, and Car Shopping.
Revenue is generated almost entirely through custom project-based engagements priced on an Effort × Rate model with escrow-held deposits, supplemented by recurring post-launch maintenance contracts and discrete tech-consulting engagements. The firm operates a sales-led GTM motion: inbound website form submissions and discovery calls, referrals from the Chicago startup and accelerator ecosystem, and portfolio-driven inbound from enterprise buyers. The company is 100% bootstrapped with no institutional investors, maintains a regional Midwest footprint, and runs SuperTailgate — an internally owned gameday and tailgating platform that has achieved the #1 ranking in its US category — as a side product line outside its core agency work.
LakeView Labs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LakeView Labs
- Legal name
- Lakeview Labs
- Website
- https://lakeviewlabs.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- LakeView Labs is a Chicago-based boutique mobile app development agency that delivers custom iOS, Android, and React Native builds for startups, enterprises, and entrepreneurs. Its six-person team runs napkin-to-launch product development plus post-launch maintenance.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LakeView Labs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile App Development Services
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Custom Application Development (Web/Mobile/Desktop) (BPAEAFAA)
Keywords
Where LakeView Labs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
LakeView Labs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom App Development Projects: Custom project-based development using 'Effort * Rate' pricing model. They do not sell fixed-bid projects as all projects are custom made. Clients pay a deposit (% of total project) which is held in escrow and applied to the final invoice. Projects span iOS, Android, React Native, web applications, and WordPress sites.
- Ongoing Maintenance and Support: Ongoing maintenance and support services provided to clients after launch. They continue working with clients post-launch to iterate and build products through their userbase.
- Tech Consulting: Digital innovation consulting for companies looking to expand brick-and-mortar businesses online or needing app development guidance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing based on effort and hourly rate |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
LakeView Labs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LakeView Labs is a Chicago-based boutique agency that builds custom mobile applications for startups and companies, covering the full product lifecycle from napkin idea and UX/UI design through native iOS (Swift), native Android (Kotlin), or React Native development, Node.js/Firebase backend, launch, and post-launch iteration. The team also provides product development and tech consulting, interactive prototyping, and ongoing maintenance and support for launched apps.
Product overview
LakeView Labs is a Chicago-based mobile app development agency offering full-service product development from concept through launch and ongoing iteration. Their core offerings include mobile app development services across iOS (Swift), Android (Kotlin), and React Native platforms, supplemented by UX/UI design, prototyping, backend/API development (Node.js, Firebase), and product development consulting. They also provide WordPress development and web app dashboards using Angular.js. Their methodology is anchored by a comprehensive 14,000-word development manifesto covering their entire process. Internally, they operate SuperTailgate (lakeviewlabs.io/lakeviewlabs.io/superTailgate), a gameday and tailgating platform that has become the #1 site for Tailgating & Gameday in the US. The company specializes exclusively in mobile apps and digital products, working with high-growth startups and innovative companies, and maintains a boutique agency model with a maximum team size of approximately 10 people.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 7 apps featured in the app store with top rankings in their respective categories
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use LakeView Labs
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
LakeView Labs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration23 records
Feature2 records
LakeView Labs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
LakeView Labs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ArcTouch: Custom mobile app development agency that designs and builds iOS, Android, and cross-platform apps for enterprises and startups, directly comparable to LakeView Labs' core service offering.
- Mutual Mobile: Mobile app development consultancy building native iOS, Android, and React Native apps for enterprise clients, closely overlapping LakeView Labs in technology stack and target customer profile.
- Eight Bit Studios: Chicago-based mobile app development agency building iOS, Android, and React Native apps for startups and enterprises, a direct local competitor with comparable size and stack.
- WillowTree: Larger mobile and digital product agency building apps for Fortune 500 clients, directly comparable in service mix but operating at significantly greater scale than LakeView Labs.
- Netguru: Global software consultancy offering custom mobile app development for iOS, Android, and React Native across startups and enterprises, comparable in service model but operating at larger scale.
- Table XI: Chicago custom software development agency offering mobile and web app development with a similar boutique model and focus on high-growth clients in the Midwest.
- Dom & Tom: Full-service digital product agency offering custom mobile and web app development, with comparable end-to-end product lifecycle services and a similar boutique agency model.
- DockYard: Digital product consultancy specializing in custom mobile and web app development, with similar tech stack focus on React Native and modern web frameworks for product teams.
- Fueled: Boutique digital agency specializing in mobile app design and development for startups and enterprise, with a similar premium-positioned services model targeting funded and high-growth clients.
Broad incumbents
- Rightpoint: Larger Chicago-based digital experience agency offering mobile app development among a broader portfolio of design, strategy, and technology services, partially overlapping with LakeView Labs' offerings.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LakeView Labs social profiles
Digital presenceLakeView Labs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LakeView Labs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
LakeView Labs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LakeView Labs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LakeView Labs
What does LakeView Labs do?
LakeView Labs is a Chicago-based boutique agency that builds custom mobile applications for startups and companies, covering the full product lifecycle from napkin idea and UX/UI design through native iOS (Swift), native Android (Kotlin), or React Native development, Node.js/Firebase backend, launch, and post-launch iteration. The team also provides product development and tech consulting, interactive prototyping, and ongoing maintenance and support for launched apps.
Is LakeView Labs a public or private company?
LakeView Labs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was LakeView Labs founded?
LakeView Labs was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is LakeView Labs based?
LakeView Labs is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does LakeView Labs make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom App Development Projects are the primary driver. The others are ongoing Maintenance and Support and tech Consulting.
Who are LakeView Labs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ArcTouch, Mutual Mobile, Eight Bit Studios, WillowTree, Netguru, Table XI, Dom & Tom, DockYard and Fueled. Rightpoint is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does LakeView Labs have an API?
No public API is recorded for LakeView Labs.
What industry is LakeView Labs in?
LakeView Labs's product category is Mobile App Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAFAA, Custom Application Development (Web/Mobile/Desktop). Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7371.