June 2023 Summaries

The first-ever Bubble Developer Summit was a huge success, showcasing the power and potential of the Bubble developer community. The summit featured several key announcements, including the launch of agency profiles, which allow developers to showcase their services and attract clients; the introduction of an official Bubble Developer Certification, which will increase trust in the ecosystem; and the announcement of agency tiers, which recognize exceptional agencies and freelancers. Additionally, the company is working on improving enterprise readiness, single sign-on, and page load performance, as well as investing in AI to further enhance the platform's capabilities. The summit also celebrated several community developer awards, including a Bubble Mentor, Trailblazers, and Champion, who will receive tickets and travel accommodations to this year's BubbleCon.

As a professional Bubble Developer, setting yourself up on a Bubble Agency plan can be a game-changer. This plan offers features such as pay-per-seat pricing, access to the app API, free plugin subscriptions, and more. Optimizing your agency profile is also crucial, as it showcases your work, services, and process to potential clients. Leveraging Bubble's RFP portal can help you find clients, but expanding your reach to other platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and social media can also be effective. A strong pitch that highlights your budget, past work, reviews, and testimonials is essential for winning new clients. Finally, building strong client relationships through iteration, feedback, and smooth app transfer can lead to referrals and a successful business as a freelance Bubble Developer.

The Bubble Developer Certification is a new program introduced by Bubble to help agencies and companies vet talent and give developers a way to prove their expertise in using no-code tools. The certification covers advanced topics such as responsive design, database security, performance, and backend functionality, and requires passing an exam with 90 questions within three hours. The exam has multiple formats including multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and true or false questions, and offers a unique QR code certificate upon passing. The certification is valid for one year and includes two attempts within a three-month period if needed. To prepare, developers can use the Bubble Academy, manual, and community resources.

There's a professional Bubble Developer named Harmony Jackson who discovered no-code while building a platform for knitters and crocheters as a side project, which expanded into a community of 50K+ and a business called HMF Pattern. She applied to Bubble's Immerse pre-accelerator program and learned about the flexibility of the interface, allowing her to branch out into freelancing and eventually become a product designer at a healthcare-focused procurement company. With Bubble, she can replicate designs in Figma while building a component library, streamlining development and seeing finished products quickly compared to traditional design and development cycles. Becoming a Bubble Developer has strengthened her design skills by understanding the restrictions of development, allowing her to create viable design solutions that look great and are feasible for development. She's built around five Bubble apps, with HMF Pattern being the coolest, which was an excellent way to vet interest in the concept and see an idea come to life. No-code excites her because it's making tech accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds, and she encourages others to use no-code to strengthen their design portfolios and understanding of how development works. The supportive no-code community is a great resource for learning and growing in the tech space.

Grenoble-Alpes Métropole (La Metro) in France embarked on a digital transformation to modernize its public services, particularly focusing on the urgent needs of its water department, which serves around 500,000 people. With the help of Tinkso, a design and development agency, they created a custom maintenance app using Bubble's no-code platform. This app, named Intereau, allows La Metro's 300-person water team to log and manage site interventions both online and offline, addressing connectivity issues in the field and replacing inefficient paper-based processes. The app's offline capabilities ensure that data collected on-site synchronizes with the main database once connectivity is restored, enhancing operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making. The success of this initiative, which provided two years of valuable operational data, has set a precedent for La Metro's broader digital transformation plans, aiming to centralize data and improve service delivery across its multiple departments.

NuShift, a Texas-based startup, is revolutionizing the manufacturing and maintenance industries by utilizing AI and the no-code platform Bubble to enhance data management processes. Founded by two experienced industry professionals, the company quickly developed its Bubble app, ELMR-T, which addresses document storage challenges caused by data silos. ELMR-T uses AI algorithms for smart search and natural language processing to streamline information retrieval, making critical data easily accessible. The startup's timing coincided with the rise of AI interest brought on by technologies like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, positioning it advantageously in the market without spending on marketing. NuShift's efficient use of Bubble allowed for a rapid and cost-effective development cycle, enabling them to attract interest from major industry players and secure a position in the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub. The founders are currently focusing on scaling their operations and expanding their software's application across various industries, with plans to integrate analytics capabilities and leverage their strong go-to-market strategy without relying heavily on venture capital funding.

Perri Taylor, a software engineering manager at Bubble's Growth team, has 6 years of experience in the field. She joined Bubble in 2022 after leaving her previous organization due to cultural reasons and was drawn to the company's value of genuineness. Perri appreciates the level of respect and trust shown to her during the interview process, which was a departure from her previous experiences. In her role as a software engineering manager, she spends her days managing teams and individuals, working with product and design counterparts, and participating in regular meetings to discuss projects and goals. Perri values Bubble's transparent, collaborative, and energizing culture, citing the team's eagerness to try new things and grow. She also enjoys sharing fun facts about herself, such as her experience donating a kidney to a stranger.

You're looking to turn your skills into a side hustle or full-time career as a freelance Bubble Developer, which is an exciting opportunity given the high demand for professional Bubble Developers. Building apps with Bubble offers several advantages, including better economics, faster iteration, and low maintenance, making it an attractive option for clients and developers alike. To get started, hone your skills through resources like the Bubble Academy, bookmark the Bubble Manual, and explore the vast community of no-code professionals who can offer support and guidance. Winning your first client is crucial, and tips include building a showstopping demo app, using the RFP system, and leveraging freelance marketplaces. As you grow your business, build a portfolio site to attract clients, ask for reviews on sites like Clutch and G2, network and leverage social media, collaborate with other no-code professionals, diversify your skills and services, and consider specializing in a specific area of expertise. With the right approach, building software with Bubble can be faster, less expensive, and more efficient than traditional development, offering numerous opportunities for career growth and financial success.

There is an entire industry of professional Bubble Developers who have made a career out of building digital products using no-code platforms like Bubble. Matt Mazzega, co-CEO and head of product and design at Tinkso, a leading Bubble agency, has built over 150 apps since joining the platform in 2016. He transitioned from an academic background to UX research and design before discovering Bubble and realizing he wanted to focus on building digital products. Today, Mazzega leads his agency's design department and manages strategic client projects, all while working on his own personal projects. The no-code industry excites him because it's democratizing access to digital product creation, allowing a wider range of people to build and innovate. With the ability to put emojis in the Bubble editor for visual clarity, Mazzega advises aspiring no-code developers to learn other skills in combination with no-code development, such as UX, business, and copywriting, to enhance their profiles and career prospects.

CircleHome, a Spanish startup founded by David Liria and Xavier Lloveras, offers a unique platform for travelers to swap homes instead of paying for accommodations, addressing the high cost of travel. Built on Bubble, a no-code platform, CircleHome allows users to exchange homes through a barter-driven model akin to Airbnb, with the addition of a subscription revenue model for browsing and communication. Despite having no technical background, David utilized Bubble to develop the platform, which now operates in over 10 countries and includes insurance for home swaps. After graduating from Startupbootcamp, a leading European startup accelerator, CircleHome secured a €120,000 pre-seed funding round and is focusing on user acquisition during peak travel seasons. The platform targets younger users aged 25 to 45 in major cities and has established partnerships to expand its potential user base to approximately 60,000.