Patina – A Collective for Independent Engineers

We’re not a consultancy. We’re not an agency. We’re not a startup.

We’re engineers who’ve decided to work differently—independently, collaboratively, and with focus. Over the years, we’ve built complex systems, tackled the messiest of infrastructures, and solved problems that genuinely mattered. Now, we’ve come together to do more of that on our own terms.

We work best with teams who value practical solutions, clear communication, and a no-nonsense approach.

How We Work

We believe the best results come from direct collaboration between those solving the problem and those defining it. No intermediaries, no extra layers.

• No Project Managers, Ever: You’ll work directly with engineers—people who are responsible for the outcomes and understand the details.
• Our Own Process: We won’t slot into your workflow. Instead, we bring an efficient, results-driven approach designed to minimize overhead and deliver value.
• Asynchronous, Thoughtful Communication: We don’t do endless meetings. Instead, we keep things moving with clear updates and shared tools.

Every week, you’ll get a concise summary: what’s done, what’s next, and what we need from you. Simple, transparent, and effective.

What We Build

We solve real problems with solutions that make sense. Sometimes that means using the latest tech, but more often, it means choosing what works best for your business.

• If you already have cloud infrastructure, we’ll adapt to it. But we’ll never push for “serverless” or “cloud-native” unless it’s truly the right choice. Sometimes, a bare-metal server or a single VM is all you need to save thousands of dollars.
• From setting up databases and configuring backups to load balancing and failover systems, we handle the technical challenges so you can focus on the big picture.

The Tools We Trust

Between us, we’ve worked with just about every language and framework out there. We stick with what solves problems at scale:

• Back-End: We’ve built systems with Erlang, Clojure, and Go, but for the past four years, Rust has been our go-to language. It’s fast, safe, and reliable. That said, we’re happy to maintain existing Go systems.
• Front-End: React.js remains our choice—not because it’s flashy, but because it’s mature, well-supported, and solves a lot of real-world problems.
• Infrastructure: Whether it’s bare-metal servers, virtual machines, or cloud setups, we’re comfortable across the board. AWS, GCP, Azure, Kubernetes—we’ve worked with it all and adapt to what’s already in place.

Rates & Engagements

We’re upfront about how we work and what it costs.

• Rates:
  • Phone consultancy: $500/hr
  • Planning and architecture: $150/hr
  • Development: $150/hr

Most projects start at 10 person-weeks. Every project involves at least two engineers, each contributing up to 20 hours per week for a total of 40 hours billed weekly.

This model ensures consistent progress while maintaining the focus and expertise your project demands.

Joining the Collective

We’re always looking for engineers who share our mindset: independent, thoughtful, and driven by curiosity.

Here’s how it works:

1. Start With a Story: Tell us what excites you. Share a problem you’ve always wanted to solve or something you’ve built that makes you proud. Skip the resume—send us what matters to you.
2. Build Something Meaningful: Take an idea or challenge you’ve been itching to tackle and make it real. Show us how you work and think by solving it quickly and effectively.
3. Work Together: If your story and project resonate with us, we’ll invite you to collaborate on a real, paid engagement. No whiteboard tests. No bureaucracy. Just solving real problems, together.

Get in Touch

We’re early in this journey but deeply committed to what we’re building. If you see yourself working with a team like this—or know someone who should—reach out.

• Email: [email protected]

Let’s solve something meaningful, together.