TRUSTED WORLDWIDE
Benefits of setting up an offshore development centre with The Scalers
Any role or skill you need
Fully managed operations
Security and compliance
Build-Operation-Transfer (BOT) option
Expand vertically or horizontally
Examples of ODCs
FINTECH
PEI builds a 50-person engineering team to launch new products
Learn how PEI built a 50-person engineering team in Bangalore with The Scalers to launch two new, revenue-generating products and accelerate their digital transformation.
BANKING | FINANCE
Colmore streamlines data processes with 85-person Bangalore R&D hub
Discover how Colmore’s new hub increased productivity and created new growth while solving its data and financial talent shortages.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Taxback Group modernises legacy platform with 40+ engineer ODC
How The Scalers built a team of 40+ developers across Taxback’s three businesses and helped them deliver innovative digital products.
GOVERNMENT
Digitise infrastructure and build a tech-driven Emirate
Find out how we built an elite engineering centre for the Ras Al-Khaimah government to digitise processes and deliver digital initiatives at scale.
Typical roles in a dedicated offshore development centre
ODCs require a variety of execution, project management, and quality assurance roles to ensure they can deliver quality solutions. The following roles can be typically found in an ODC, though depending on your existing engineering make-up, you may not require every one.
Professionals who are responsible for writing, testing and maintaining software. Combining technical expertise and soft skills, they work across various technology stacks to build scalable, high-quality solutions.
The technical leaders who define the overall structure of the software. They ensure the platform’s design meets key requirements for security, performance, and scalability, while ensuring the development team follows best practices.
The professionals who make sure every delivery is on time and to spec. These multitasking pros manage timelines, facilitate communication and track progress so that the rest of the team can focus on delivery.
Specialists who ensure the integrity and functionality of software. They develop and execute tests, identify defects, and work closely with developers to ensure the final product meets requirements and delivers a quality user experience
Experts who focus on the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) of the product. They conduct research and design intuitive, effective, and visually appealing interfaces that engage users.
Engineers who accelerate the software delivery lifecycle. They implement automation tools for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD), manage infrastructure, and ensure system stability and deployment efficiency.
The link between the business vision and the development team. They define the product roadmap, prioritise the feature backlog based on market needs and business value, and guide the ODC team’s focus to maximise return on investment.
Building the best tech and data teams since 2014
Since day one of The Scalers, we’ve been committed to quality and putting people first. The results are shown in our long-term partnerships, low attrition rates, and third-party certification and awards.
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<11%
attrition
rate -
37%
average
savings -
4.9/5
rated on
Clutch
ACCREDITED AND CERTIFIED
Hundreds of happy clients
Key features:
ODC vs. Traditional outsourcing
ODCs require a variety of execution, project management, and quality assurance roles to ensure they can deliver quality solutions. The following roles can be typically found in an ODC, though depending on your existing engineering make-up, you may not require every one.
Offshore Development Center (ODC)
Your own dedicated team
Your offshore employees who work exclusively for you, forming a single, cohesive team with your in-house staff.
Traditional Outsourcing
Shared, temporary resources
You hire a third-party vendor, and the team reports to the vendor.
Offshore Development Center (ODC)
High
All your IP and processes stay within your organisation, reducing dependency on a third party.
Traditional Outsourcing
Low to moderate
Knowledge is often retained by the vendor’s team, while IP can be complex to manage.
Offshore Development Center (ODC)
Seamless
Direct control over hiring, team culture, technology stack, processes, and project prioritisation.
Traditional Outsourcing
Limited
Control is mediated through an external Project Manager and defined scope of work. You have less influence on internal execution.
Offshore Development Center (ODC)
Flexible
Easy to scale up or down, expand into new roles (vertical/horizontal), and pivot strategies quickly.
Traditional Outsourcing
Low
Scaling requires renegotiating contracts, and changes outside the scope are difficult and costly.
Offshore Development Center (ODC)
Transparent fixed costs
One single, all-inclusive monthly fee (salaries, equipment, admin, etc.), highly cost-efficient for long-term development.
Traditional Outsourcing
Variable, project-based costs
Often quoted per project or per hour. Suitable for short-term, defined tasks.
Offshore Development Center (ODC)
Strategic asset
Best for core product development, continuous innovation, and building a high-value, lasting technical unit.
Traditional Outsourcing
Tactical solution
Best for non-core tasks, defined projects with clear end dates, or fulfilling short-term capacity gaps.
Offshore Development Center (ODC)
Traditional Outsourcing
Team structure & ownership
Your own dedicated team
Your offshore employees who work exclusively for you, forming a single, cohesive team with your in-house staff.
Shared, temporary resources
You hire a third-party vendor, and the team reports to the vendor.
IP & knowledge retention
High
All your IP and processes stay within your organisation, reducing dependency on a third party.
Low to moderate
Knowledge is often retained by the vendor’s team, while IP can be complex to manage.
Integration & control
Seamless
Direct control over hiring, team culture, technology stack, processes, and project prioritisation.
Limited
Control is mediated through an external Project Manager and defined scope of work. You have less influence on internal execution.
Scalability & flexibility
Flexible
Easy to scale up or down, expand into new roles (vertical/horizontal), and pivot strategies quickly.
Low
Scaling requires renegotiating contracts, and changes outside the scope are difficult and costly.
Cost model
Transparent fixed costs
One single, all-inclusive monthly fee (salaries, equipment, admin, etc.), highly cost-efficient for long-term development.
Variable, project-based costs
Often quoted per project or per hour. Suitable for short-term, defined tasks.
Long-term strategic fit
Strategic asset
Best for core product development, continuous innovation, and building a high-value, lasting technical unit.
Tactical solution
Best for non-core tasks, defined projects with clear end dates, or fulfilling short-term capacity gaps.
Talent pool
Quality
Ecosystem
Cost-efficiency
How we set up an ODC in India
In the last 10 years, we’ve developed a proven approach to hiring and retaining top talent in Bangalore for our partners. It’s simple, but not easy.
How we set up an ODC in India
In the last 10 years, we’ve developed a proven approach to hiring and retaining top talent in Bangalore for our partners. It’s simple, but not easy.
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We find the best tech and data talent
Whatever role or technology you’re looking for, we hire only the best with our rigorous 7-step recruitment process.
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We set up your private, branded office
Your new team will have a dedicated workspace, and we’ll handle everything for you on the ground: HR, payroll, compliance, and security, so you can focus on your work.
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We keep your engineers happy and committed
We make sure your engineers feel valued, supported, and genuinely connected to your company, which results in higher engagement, stronger performance, and long-term retention.
Offshore Development Centre insights
Frequently asked questions
An Offshore Development Centre (or ODC) is an office in an offshore location that has a sizeable development team or teams. In contrast to an offshore dedicated development team, an ODC is able to work on multiple features or products at once. Often, ODCs contain research as well as development units.
Setting up an ODC in India is significantly more cost-effective than hiring an equivalent in-house team in major tech hubs in the West. While exact savings vary, partners typically report an average saving of 30-50% compared to a local team, due to lower salary requirements for the same level of talent and reduced operational costs.
However, the final cost of an ODC is not a fixed figure and depends on a range of factors:
- Team Size and Structure: The number of engineers, their seniority (junior, mid-level, senior, architect), and the mix of roles (Developers, QA, DevOps, Product Owners) directly impact the overall payroll cost.
- Technology Stack and Niche Skills: Demand for certain niche or legacy languages, or expertise in cutting-edge fields like Generative AI or specific cloud architectures, can command higher salaries.
- Provider Model and Services: The pricing model of your ODC provider (e.g., whether it’s a transparent cost-plus model or a fixed-price model) and the extent of managed services included (e.g., office space, hardware, HR, compliance, engagement activities) will affect the total monthly fee.
- Location within India: While Bangalore is highly competitive, costs can vary slightly compared to other Indian tech cities.
An Offshore Development Centre is a strategic asset to aid in product development, research and innovation, and provide a long-term sustainable hub for cost efficiency and talent acquisition in the future. As a dedicated, fully integrated extension of a company’s technology department abroad, an ODC helps leverage high-quality talent pools while providing full control over processes and Intellectual property.
ODCs in India are shifting from cost-cutting initiatives to focus on innovation and long-term capabilities. This generally takes the form of ODCs being more focused on R&D than pure development, with cloud architecture and generative AI the main fields of development. Additionally, many ODCs are transitioning to Global Capability Centres, supply talent for other departments.
Outsourcing involves hiring a third-party company to manage the project and deliver a service or solution. In this arrangement, requirements are handed over to the outsourcing provider with limited to no visibility for the hiring company. By contrast, an ODC houses employees for the company, who just so happen to live in another country.
We ensure robust data security and compliance, certified by our ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 accreditation. Your dedicated Offshore Development Centre (ODC) is protected by 24/7 physical security, secure private networks, and clear desk policies. We handle all compliance and security aspects on the ground so you can focus on your work.
An Offshore Development Centre (ODC) can provide a comprehensive range of services, including product development, software testing and quality assurance, maintenance and support, and R&D. Essentially, an ODC can handle any function that an in-house development team would manage, from front-end design to complex back-end engineering and infrastructure management. This allows the ODC to act as a complete, integrated extension of your local technology organisation.
We ensure ODC success through a proven approach focused on three pillars: securing the top 2% of Bangalore’s talent via our 7-step process, providing fully managed operations (HR, payroll, security, compliance), and maintaining high retention rates by keeping engineers happy, motivated, and committed through regular engagement activities.
Yes! Many of our partners start with a single scrum team (or a couple) to mitigate risks and then later scale in vertically and horizontally. However, we can also start looking for leadership positions concurrently or prior to delivery positions, depending on your exact goals.
The Scalers is a good choice for your Offshore R&D Centre in India because we combine specialist talent acquisition with fully managed operations and cultural integration, ensuring long-term stability and success. Our rigorous 7-step process secures the best tech and data talent from Bangalore’s talent pool, guaranteeing technical excellence. We handle every complexity of operating abroad – including setup, HR, compliance, and world-class security (ISO 27001/9001) – allowing you to maintain full control while focusing purely on development, free from administrative burdens. This fully managed approach, coupled with a commitment to engineer well-being via our Chief Happiness Officers, results in industry-leading low attrition rates (<11%), protecting your IP, ensuring continuity, and making us the proven, strategic partner for cost-effective acceleration and growth.
