LaunchPad Lab is a digital product firm that’s been building high-performance, scalable solutions for businesses since 2012. With over 700 projects delivered across industries, they specialize in creating custom applications that solve tough technical problems for businesses quickly and effectively. Whether it’s web apps, mobile apps, or Salesforce integrations, LaunchPad Lab’s focus is on leveraging best-in-class technologies to build fast, reliable systems that scale and deliver ROI.
With purposefully small, cross-functional teams of agile, full-stack developers with deep expertise in their respective domains, LaunchPad Lab works hand-in-hand with clients to understand their most complex challenges and craft tailored solutions that deliver real, measurable results. At the core of their success is a commitment to using the best tools for the job, including Heroku. With Heroku, LaunchPad Lab accelerates development, streamlines deployment, and scales applications, empowering clients to meet their goals faster.
Solving layers of data and workflows in Kawasaki’s engine replacement process
LaunchPad Lab’s client, Kawasaki Engines, a global leader in high-performance engines for residential and commercial equipment, needed to modernize aspects of their engine replacement process. With over 7,700 dealers across the U.S., the existing workflows commonly required dealers to contact customer service to look up replacement engines. This approach ensured accuracy but created additional steps for both dealers and support teams, impacting responsiveness and operational efficiency.
In addition to these complexities, the EPA-required documentation process for each engine sold was also handled manually, typically through PDFs and email submissions, which introduced further processing overhead. The combination of multiple data sources and manual documentation created a need for a more centralized, scalable system that could better support both internal teams and Kawasaki’s growing dealer network.
Kawasaki needed added flexibility and scalability beyond what their existing Salesforce tools could offer, particularly to unify data sources, support rising dealer transactions, and automate key workflows. Recognizing these opportunities, Kawasaki considered developing a custom solution but found it too complex and costly. Instead, they partnered with LaunchPad Lab, a trusted firm with deep experience building Heroku-based applications, to deliver a solution that was flexible, scalable, and tightly integrated with Salesforce.
Building a scalable, streamlined solution for Kawasaki Engines with Heroku
LaunchPad Lab’s first step in building an updated solution for Kawasaki was centralizing their data using Heroku Postgres, consolidating Kawasaki’s data into a single, scalable database. This allowed real-time access to engine replacement information, eliminating data entry errors and delays caused by systems like Excel files and legacy databases.
To integrate with Salesforce, LaunchPad Lab leveraged Heroku Connect to synchronize data between Heroku Postgres and Salesforce, maintaining consistent business data across both systems without disrupting existing infrastructure. For scalability, they deployed Heroku Dynos, which managed computing resources and allowed Kawasaki’s platform to scale effortlessly as the number of dealers and end-users grew. This removed the need for complex infrastructure management, letting Kawasaki focus on delivering value to their dealers.
Building on this foundation, LaunchPad Lab used Heroku Pipelines to streamline the deployment process, enabling rapid testing, staging, and deployment with minimal risk. This made it easier to roll out new features, like engine lookups and replacement workflows. Additionally, Heroku Review Apps provided the flexibility to preview and test new features before going live, creating a smooth feedback loop where internal teams and customer service reps could review updates and provide input.
For security, Heroku Enterprise features like role-based access control and private spaces safeguard sensitive data, ensuring that only authorized users have access. This gave Kawasaki the security and compliance needed while keeping the platform user-friendly.
By using Heroku, we integrated Kawasaki Engines’ systems and delivered a scalable platform that’s easy to manage and fast to iterate on. It gave us the flexibility to move quickly and get the product to market in under four months.
– Brendan Hennessy, Co-Founder & CTO, LaunchPad Lab
Delivering efficiency, scalability, and revenue growth
The scalable dealer portal LaunchPad Lab built for Kawasaki Engines with Heroku consolidated 30+ years of engine build data into a single, real-time database. Dealers can now quickly search for engine replacements, compare options, and add to a shopping cart, eliminating manual inquiries and systems. The app was completed in under 4 months, giving dealers instant access to what they needed with zero downtime and scalability to meet growing demand.
Streamlined workflows and increased efficiency
With Heroku Postgres and Heroku Connect, data was consolidated into one source, allowing Kawasaki dealers to access real-time, accurate information. The system improved internal productivity and dealer satisfaction, achieving a 15% conversion rate for adding engines to the cart and reducing reliance on customer service.
Scalability and revenue growth
Heroku Dynos enabled Kawasaki’s platform to scale without complex infrastructure management. As dealer volume increased, the app effortlessly supported this growth, driving revenue and improving operational efficiency.
Improved security and compliance
Using Heroku Enterprise features like role-based access control and private spaces, Kawasaki secured sensitive data and met compliance needs while maintaining ease of use. The application was stable, with zero downtime, providing reliable service as the business grew.
Heroku helped us deliver a solution that cut deployment time from months to weeks, while automating processes that freed up internal resources. The result? A more efficient system and higher business impact.
– Scott Brittain, VP of Client Growth, LaunchPad Lab
What’s next for LaunchPad Lab?
LaunchPad Lab continues to deepen its partnerships with Salesforce and Heroku, leveraging these platforms to deliver enterprise-grade applications that are secure, scalable, and built for the demands of regulated industries. As a certified Salesforce partner since 2015 with extensive Heroku experience, the firm is trusted to architect high-performing digital solutions that support complex workflows and compliance requirements.
Looking forward, LaunchPad Lab is at the forefront of AI innovation and investing in tooling like Agentforce — an intelligent automation layer designed to streamline operations and reduce overhead by deploying digital labor. These AI-powered agents integrate directly with Heroku and Salesforce environments, enabling businesses to scale support, sales, and back-office functions with greater speed and precision.
With a proven track record in full-stack development and emerging technology, LaunchPad Lab remains focused on helping enterprises transform their operations through custom software that drives efficiency, growth, and long-term value.
Ready to build something great? Connect with LaunchPad Lab to explore Heroku-powered solutions built for scale.
Launch your next project with Heroku
How they did it
- Used Heroku Postgres to consolidate 30+ years of fragmented engine data into a single, scalable database
- Synced real-time data between Heroku and Salesforce with Heroku Connect, enabling seamless bi-directional updates
- Deployed Heroku Dynos to automatically scale compute resources with increasing dealer traffic
- Streamlined deployments with Heroku Pipelines and Review Apps for rapid testing, preview, and feature delivery across teams
