Vitalii Mashkov

As a co-owner of Papaya Brand, I primarily focus on leading and overseeing all aspects of development, including web design, web development, and app development. I work closely with our team to ensure the successful delivery of high-quality digital solutions that drive business growth and meet client needs. My role involves strategic planning, project management, and ensuring that the technical side of the business aligns with our clients' goals and expectations.

Collaborated with a friend on Avato, a startup developing a fully functional AI-powered CRM for car dealerships, later rebranded as Kairos. Contributed to building a Remix.js-based frontend with Tailwind CSS, delivering a user-friendly dashboard for employees via REST API integration. Supported backend development in C# and implemented AI algorithms in Python, enabling features like lead-to-salesperson matching, next-action recommendations for conversion optimization, and real-time performance tracking for sales managers. Assisted in deploying the product, now operational in select Slovakian dealerships. Played a key role as a helper, focusing on technical implementation and product functionality, without ownership responsibilities.

Participated in a two-quarter Minor in Technological Entrepreneurship, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to build a startup concept from ideation to execution. Co-developed Kairos, an AI-driven SaaS product for car dealerships, integrating machine learning with CRM systems to improve sales efficiency. Contributed to creating a detailed business plan, including market analysis, customer acquisition strategies, and financial projections. Designed and tested a working prototype, conducted over 30 industry interviews, and prepared a final deliverable submitted in February 2025. Gained hands-on experience in startup development, product-market fit validation, and cross-functional teamwork.

As part of a team of five Computer Science students in the CSE2000 Software Project course at TU Delft, I co-developed TaijaInteractive, a full-stack web application designed to make the Taija ecosystem’s AI analysis tools accessible to users with limited coding skills. Leveraging Julia, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, I contributed to building an intuitive front-end interface with modular dashboards for dataset/model management and visualization of AI explainability analyses (e.g., counterfactual explanations). I also supported back-end development using Genie.jl and SQLite, integrating Taija packages and the Hugging Face API for seamless functionality. Key responsibilities included requirement elicitation with stakeholders, UI design via Figma, unit/integration testing (achieving 70% coverage), and documentation using Documenter.jl. Employing SCRUM methodology, I participated in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and CI/CD pipeline management on GitLab. This project enhanced my skills in full-stack development, AI explainability, and agile teamwork, delivering a tool with potential to democratize responsible AI research for a broader audience.