“We offer the best of both worlds”

Innovation and speed are crucial for any company that wants to navigate the AI transformation successfully and profitably. Yet in practice, combining the two is anything but easy. S-PRO makes it possible – through a hybrid model.

Interview with Igor Izraylevych, CEO and Founder of S-PRO

Mr. Izraylevych, AI is the topic everyone is talking about right now. In your view, where do the biggest misconceptions around AI implementation lie?

One of the biggest misconceptions comes down to priorities. Many Swiss companies treat AI implementation mainly as a technological upgrade. As a result, decision-makers focus on tools, algorithms, and infrastructure. But in reality, the process also requires a cultural and strategic shift.

The real bottleneck isn’t the technology – it already exists and can be used. The real challenge is the organization’s ability to let go of old ways of thinking and move from a proof of concept (PoC) into real, production-level operations. Many companies don’t fail because their initial AI idea was flawed. They struggle when it comes to building a sustainable infrastructure MLO (Machine Learning Operations) that continuously monitors the model, adjusts it, and integrates it into day-to-day business processes.

How does S-PRO’s hybrid approach help in this situation?

Our model brings together Swiss leadership and nearshoring engineering. That combination gives clients the best of both worlds: speed and reliability. I often say that momentum is crucial for any AI initiative, but trust matters even more. Our approach delivers both. We create an environment where new ideas can be developed and implemented quickly.

How do we achieve that? By shaping the source of those ideas – the strategic direction, the risk framework, and the compliance foundation – together with our clients on site. The technical work is then carried out by our nearshore hubs in Poland and Ukraine, where we have strong engineering talent in ML (Machine Learning) and data science.

In short: at S-PRO, we bring together all the capabilities needed to make an AI project work. This approach is fundamentally different from simple outsourcing. 

S-PRO serves a broad range of industries, but is particularly active in the financial and industrial sectors – areas that are heavily regulated and place high demands on service providers. How do you ensure Swiss quality despite the fact that engineering teams work in distributed locations?

Swiss quality is firmly anchored in our DNA as a central value. And this anchoring does not occur through PowerPoint presentations, but through consistent, tangible action at the leadership level. Everything begins with personal interaction: we are a Swiss company with an office in the heart of Zurich, and this is where we conduct our on-site consulting. Our clients are in continuous contact with our leadership team, which consists of both Swiss and international experts.

Our leadership defines the standards and processes – from compliance with the relevant ISO norms to rigorous documentation and QA protocols. We place a strong emphasis on transparency. The product owners in Switzerland define the architecture of the solution and oversee the adherence to MLOps governance. These mechanisms, together with our strict control processes, ensure that our distributed team can operate with a high degree of agility while consistently delivering quality that meets Swiss expectations. Every engineer, regardless of location, works according to the same centrally governed framework. With this model, we deliberately address a recognised bottleneck: the lack of integrated AI product teams and the challenge of scaling proofs of concepts (PoCs).

How does the hybrid model resolve this bottleneck in concrete terms, and how do client organizations benefit from it?

This is best illustrated through real examples. We work with, among others, a Swiss organization that is part of the United Nations system. The organization produces thousands of guidelines and documents. For new employees, familiarising themselves with this volume of material was extremely time-consuming, creating a risk of losing institutional knowledge.

We therefore implemented an AI solution that makes these documents AI-capable. It is now possible, so to speak, to “interact” with the guidelines. This AI-enabled knowledge tool was highly successful because it generated immediate value: it significantly improved onboarding efficiency and strengthened the consistency of internal guidelines. The success of this collaboration is rooted in the fact that the client's needs were identified by our consultants on site, while our nearshoring engineering teams subsequently delivered a customized solution in a timely manner.

Can you share another client case?

One example that comes to mind is a financial institution that used our AI solution for customer profiling. By automating and refining the profiling process – which is often complicated by the integration of legacy systems – the organization was able to convert clients more quickly and reduce friction losses. The benefits are clear: speed, scalability, cost effectiveness, and, above all, the assurance that the final product is compliant and functions in real business operations.

How do you proceed when new clients approach you?

For an initial collaboration, it has proven advantageous to move relatively quickly toward a specific proof of concept. We therefore concentrate on a concrete problem or question that can be addressed within a comparatively short timeframe with an appropriate solution. This PoC, which typically begins with an intensive workshop, serves not only as proof of feasibility but also reduces risk and provides the client with an early, measurable ROI indicator. Based on this initial quick win, we can then structure the continued collaboration.

Looking ahead to the next three to five years: which topics will occupy your clients – and therefore you?

I expect value creation to shift from isolated, experimental AI projects toward integrated, scalable AI ecosystems. AI will undoubtedly change the world, but in the end it is merely another wave of disruptive innovation, similar to the emergence of the mobile phone. Nevertheless, we should approach it with the necessary caution and place “Responsible AI” at the center of our efforts.

What role can Switzerland play in this digital future?

Switzerland has enormous potential to take on a global leadership role thanks to its political neutrality, stability, and strong data-protection laws, all of which create the trust that is required. The Swiss infrastructure is exceptionally well prepared.

At S-PRO, we also intend to play a central role and to actively contribute to the widespread and responsible adoption of AI across various organizations. We operate as a partner that bridges the gap between immense technological potential and practical, legally compliant implementation. We make extensive use of AI internally as well, including in software development – but these tools act as catalysts, not substitutes. Highly skilled engineers are still required to turn them into stable, maintainable, and above all secure products. This is the foundation of our approach.