Industry
Technology
React
Node.JS
AWS
Customer’s Location
The Hague, the Netherlands
A Brief Summary
- TL;DR: Our client is OA Switchboard, a global not-for-profit initiative based in The Hague that acts as a neutral intermediary between funders, institutions, and publishers, simplifying Open Access policy implementation and financial settlements.
- OA Switchboard ran a competitive RFI with 20 applicants, looking for a partner who could build the platform from scratch, prove expertise in scholarly information, and deliver open-source solutions reliably.
- ELITEX won the RFI and shipped the MVP in 6 iterations over 13 weeks, on budget and on time. We built a serverless message hub on AWS (SQS, SNS, SES), a Pubsweet-based UI, and custom connectors that onboarded early adopters like the Microbiology Society, Royal Society, and American Physiological Society in under a month each.
About the Project
The OA Switchboard is a global not-for-profit initiative that solves a real problem in academic publishing. Open Access publication management has grown complicated. So the platform steps in as a neutral intermediary, connecting funders with institutions and publishers on one shared infrastructure.
So, basically OA Switchboard creates infrastructure that makes OA policies easier to put into practice. OA Switchboard also keeps financial settlements clean. Because all stakeholders exchange publication-level information through the same channel, communication stays consistent across the network. The platform scales as it grows, which means digital publishing becomes more accessible and predictable for everyone involved.
The Challenge
In early 2020, the OA Switchboard sought a technology partner for the development of their platform. It should be someone who could meet the immediate requirements, demonstrate expertise in scholarly information, and have a strong track record in delivering open-source solutions. With 20 different applicants competing, the selection process was rigorous. The development goal was quite simple: building the platform from scratch.
Our Process
ELITEX won the RFI several weeks after the competition started. Our team stood out for our experience in custom software development and our ability to address the project needs reliably and quickly. After being selected, we quickly assembled a development team that immediately began working on OA Switchboard’s MVP.
The MVP was delivered in six iterations over 13 weeks within budget and timelines. Following the MVP’s go-live, the project moved to the Pilot phase, onboarding publishers, institutions, and funders. The first version of the OA Switchboard, overseen by OASPA, was prepared throughout 2020 for its operational launch.
Our Solution
The first version of the OA Switchboard officially went live on January 1, 2021. The software was managed by an independent foundation, Stitching OA Switchboard. ELITEX served as a dedicated tech partner responsible for all technical aspects of the project. At its core, the OA Switchboard features a message hub built on AWS services like SQS, SNS, and SES. This serverless infrastructure solution is highly scalable, secure, and cost-effective, with minimal fixed costs.
The OA Switchboard invites stakeholders to integrate with its API, using a standard message structure for seamless communication. For those who prefer a more hands-on approach, ELITEX developed a user-friendly UI that simplifies the process of composing, reading, and managing messages, along with generating reports. This brief 4-minute video showcases the UI’s functionality, offering a clear glimpse into its capabilities:
Built on the open-source Pubsweet framework, supported by the innovative CoKo Foundation, the UI provides an accessible way to interact with the OA Switchboard API. An open-source foundation not only demonstrates the platform functionality but also serves as an inspiration for those looking to connect to Switchboard’s API.
To accommodate stakeholders hesitant to invest in full API integration, ELITEX also introduced generic connectors. It allowed publishers to use the OA Switchboard without modifying their existing publishing IT systems. During the pilot phase of the OA Switchboard, ELITEX swiftly implemented custom connectors for the very early adopters like the Microbiology Society, the Royal Society, and the American Physiological Society, with execution taking less than a month.
The Result
The OA Switchboard went live on 1 January 2021, and it has run reliably since day one. The serverless design keeps fixed costs low. It also lets multiple stakeholders connect without friction, each through their own integration path. Early adopters saw the payoff fast, because the connectors went in quickly and proved the system worked.
The platform keeps growing. As of 2026, it serves a wider network of funders, institutions, and publishers across the global academic community, making Open Access processes more efficient and more transparent for everyone in the chain. New features and integrations land regularly as stakeholder needs shift. ELITEX stays on as the core digital publishing development partner, handling implementation and the ongoing improvement work.
Key facts and numbers:
- 20 applicants in the original RFI competition
- 13 weeks from kickoff to MVP delivery
- 6 development iterations to ship the MVP
- <1 month to deliver each custom connector during the pilot phase
- 5+ years partnership running since 2020 with ELITEX as ongoing tech partner
Our Project Team
After the launch, our team kept adapting as the OA Switchboard's needs changed. We started with a full crew of 6 engineers covering both front-end and back-end work, which gave the platform a solid technical base. Then the system matured. So the collaboration shifted to a more cost-effective model with 4 engineers, one that balanced steady support with new feature work.
Why Partner With ELITEX?
Digital publishing leaders work with ELITEX because we know the domain. We have spent over a decade building publishing software, and that experience shows in every product we ship. Our work spans the full stack. ELITEX handle cloud services and back-ends, and we build modern front-ends that editors and stakeholders find genuinely easy to use.
Our specialists have also built plenty of products from scratch. So when a client needs a digital solution shaped to their exact requirements, we know how to get there without guesswork. Our team slots into existing in-house staff naturally and adapts to whatever a project demands. That mix of deep industry knowledge and solid technical skill is what makes ELITEX a reliable publishing software partner.
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