Scaling Braintrust to 2M+ Users
Securing $120M+ in Funding with a Zero-to-Live High-Availability Architecture
At a Glance
The Challenge
Braintrust, a venture-backed enterprise SaaS platform (with $120M+ USD in funding), needed a robust, scalable core system to support rapid growth in a competitive landscape.
They required a partner who could handle 100% of the technology, allowing their core team to focus entirely on sales and business development. The system needed to support millions of users, handle financial transactions securely, and scale rapidly without performance degradation.
Key challenges included:
- Zero-to-live execution: establish architecture, development practices, and a production-grade platform from day one.
- Scaling delivery without slowing down: grow engineering capacity dramatically while maintaining velocity and quality.
- Operational excellence: support frequent releases, reliability, and performance at a large scale.
- Security & compliance readiness: withstand external reviews/audits and minimize risk over multiple years.
- Complex integrations: connect with payment processors and external API providers without compromising uptime or safety.
- Avoid vendor lock-in: enable long-term ownership by the client through an intentional transition to an internal team.
Our Solution: Elastic Engineering Pods
HexOcean acted as the strategic partner and delivered the platform end-to-end - product engineering, operations, and quality - allowing Braintrust's leadership to stay focused on business development and sales.
We adopted an organic growth path, scaling from a few engineers to a team of 40+ specialists organized into flexible pods.
Delivery excellence with flexible pods
- Grew from a small team to 40+ engineers across: DevOps, Backend, Frontend, QA.
- Used an organic scaling model: small team → flexible cross-functional pods.
- Maintained redundancy of knowledge across pods to reduce risk and prevent single points of failure in expertise.
This structure allowed for:
- Redundancy: Knowledge was distributed across pods, preventing "bus factor" risks.
- Scalability: As the funding grew, the team scaled, yet performance (measured in delivered features per sprint) remained linear and efficient.
- Holistic Management: We handled everything from AWS infrastructure design to React frontend implementation and QA automation.
Platform engineering, built to scale
- Designed and implemented a high-availability system on AWS, optimized for large traffic and growth.
- Built core services and product experiences using:
- Backend: Python, Django/DRF
- Frontend: React, Material UI
- Data & infra: PostgreSQL, Redis, Celery/RedBeat, WebSockets, ElasticSearch (OpenSearch), Docker, AWS
- Established reliable patterns for data growth, search, async workloads, and real-time communication.
Technology Stack
Results & Impact
| Metric | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Platform Users | ~2 Million |
| Database Objects | >1 Billion |
| Lines of Code | ~1 Million |
| Major Features Delivered | 250+ |
| Production Deployments | 600+ |
| Security Incidents | 0 |
| Funds Compromised | $0 |
| Partnership Duration | 5+ Years |
| Team Size | 40+ Engineers |
| Funding Context | $120M+ USD |
| Security | Passed all external audits |
Seamless Handover & Knowledge Transfer (no vendor lock-in)
After successfully building and scaling the platform, we executed a comprehensive handover strategy designed to ensure Braintrust's long-term independence:
- Built a dedicated in-house team: Trained and integrated engineering talent.
- Complete documentation: Transferred all architectural decisions, system knowledge, and operational procedures.
- Zero vendor lock-in: Platform built on standard, maintainable technologies.
- Gradual transition: Phased handover ensuring continuity and knowledge retention.
- Ongoing support: Remained available for consultation during the transition period.
The result: Braintrust now operates with a fully capable internal team, complete ownership of their technology, and the foundation to continue scaling independently.
CEO Testimonial
"I've been working with HexOcean for several years now on at least 5 enterprise SaaS applications ranging from high frequency trading systems to competitive analysis engines to talent marketplaces. They have a unique ability to problem solve, turn loose requirements into tight specs, and ship consistent, high quality software. I've been thrilled to have them building our core Braintrust platform. Oh - and they're really nice guys!"
Key Takeaways
- Zero-to-Live Development: Complete platform built from initial concept to production.
- Full Technical Ownership: 100% of technology handled, freeing business to focus on growth.
- Security Excellence: No incidents or compromised funds across 5+ years.
- Scalable Team Model: Grew to 40+ engineers without performance impact.
- Successful Exit Strategy: Complete handover with no vendor lock-in.
Platform Screenshots
Ready to Build Your Platform?
Whether you're a startup preparing for your Series A or an established company looking to scale, HexOcean brings the same commitment to partnership, quality, and your long-term success. Let's discuss how we can help you achieve your goals.
Speak to a Human Professional
Get a free consultation within 24 hours
