We're a small team.
That's the point.
Seven people. 20+ years of combined experience. 45+ shipped products. No account managers, no committees — just senior specialists who write the code and answer your questions directly.
Dark Ice Interactive is a Brisbane-based development and AI digital agency. We've been building apps since there have been app stores, and building with AI since the moment it became useful — combining over 20 years of combined production experience across iOS, Android, Web, Cloud, and AI.
Founded in 2016 by Matt Crombie, we started with a simple premise: deliver exceptional technical execution without the overhead of traditional agencies. No account managers filtering requirements. No committees debating every decision. Just direct communication with senior developers who understand your business and technology equally well.
Since then, we've shipped 45+ products for clients ranging from enterprise organisations like Accenture, Deloitte, Cognizant, TechnologyOne, and Telstra Health, to ambitious startups across healthcare, finance, construction, agriculture, and hospitality. Our apps have been downloaded over 450,000 times and maintain a 5-star average rating across app stores.
We believe in shipping production-ready software that solves real problems for real users. Not endless planning cycles, not gold-plating features, not scope creep that doubles timelines.
Our team brings deep expertise across native mobile development (Swift, Kotlin), full-stack web applications (React, Next.js, Vue, .NET), cloud architecture (AWS, Azure), and AI integration that delivers measurable business value — not just chatbot demos.
We're based in Brisbane but work with clients across Australia and internationally. We prefer fixed-price projects over hourly billing because it aligns incentives: we're motivated to ship efficiently, you know exactly what you're paying upfront. We work in agile sprints with regular demos so you always see tangible progress.
This isn't the biggest development studio in Australia. It's meant to be the place where your project gets 20+ years of combined full-stack experience applied to every architectural decision and every line of code. Where you get honest advice, even when the answer is "you don't need custom development, here's a better solution."
If that sounds like the kind of partnership you're looking for, let's talk.
Meet the Team
Senior specialists across mobile, web, cloud, AI, and design — working together to deliver exceptional products.
Matt Crombie
Director & Lead Consultant. Over a decade of experience in cross-platform app development, cloud architecture, and technical consulting. Specialises in React, Swift, Kotlin, AWS, and AI integration for production applications.
Toby Field
Senior Software Developer. Expert in .NET, Xamarin, and cross-platform mobile development. Builds robust, scalable applications with a focus on code quality and performance optimisation.
Danwin Pelonio
Mobile App Developer. Specialist in iOS and Android native and cross-platform development. Delivers pixel-perfect user interfaces and smooth, performant mobile experiences.
Tony Price
UX/CX Creative Design Director. Decades of experience in user experience and creative direction. Transforms complex requirements into intuitive, beautiful interfaces that users love.
Glen Price
UX/CX Creative Project Management. Expert project manager ensuring design and development stay aligned. Keeps projects on track, on budget, and delivering value at every sprint.
Ankit Tyagi
Senior Web Developer. Full-stack web development specialist across React, Node.js, Vue, and modern JavaScript frameworks. Builds fast, scalable, maintainable web applications.
Nicole Stirling
Marketing. Strategic marketing and communications expert. Ensures your product reaches the right audience with the right message at the right time.
Trusted By Industry Leaders
We've delivered production software for enterprise clients and ambitious startups across Australia.
Built to Last, Not to Depend
I know what you're thinking: "What if Matt gets hit by a bus?" It's a fair question. Here's how I've addressed it.
How We Work
These are the principles that guide every project we take on.
Ship Over Perfect
We favour working software over perfect documentation. Every sprint ends with a deployable increment — something you can actually click through and use. We iterate based on real feedback, not theoretical perfection. Your MVP doesn't need to handle 10 million users on day one; it needs to validate your idea with real customers.
Transparent Pricing
Fixed-price proposals. No hourly billing surprises. You know exactly what you're paying before a single line of code is written. After 20+ years combined experience and 45+ projects, we can estimate your project scope with 90% accuracy. If we quote you $40K, you pay $40K — even if it takes longer than expected. That's on us, not you.
Direct Communication
Slack, email, or a quick call. You always know what's happening with your project. Friday demos every sprint so you see tangible progress. Daily standup notes shared async so you're never out of the loop. If something's blocked or delayed, you hear about it immediately, not at the end-of-month status meeting.
Cross-Platform Thinking
We don't just build for one platform. We consider how your product lives across mobile, web, cloud, and AI from day one. Should you build iOS first or go cross-platform with React Native? Do you need a web admin panel? What's the right cloud architecture for your scale and budget? These decisions affect your timeline and cost, so we discuss them upfront, not halfway through development.
Code Quality
Clean architecture. Comprehensive tests. Thorough documentation. Your codebase is built to maintain, not just to ship once. We include automated testing, code reviews, performance monitoring, and security best practices in every project. These aren't extras you pay for separately — they're mandatory, because shipping broken software isn't shipping at all.
Technology Expertise Tiers
Honest about depth vs. breadth — here's where I specialise, and where I can help with consultation.
Primary Expertise (Daily Production Use)
React, Node.js, Swift, Kotlin, AWS, PostgreSQL, Redis
Secondary Capabilities (Project-Specific Use)
Python, Go, .NET, Azure, OpenAI/Claude APIs, LangChain
AI Agents & Automation
Custom AI agents, workflow automation, AI-augmented development pipelines, and LLM integration for production business applications.
Familiar With (For Consultation/Integration)
GCP, PyTorch, TensorFlow (for custom ML work, I bring in specialists)
Your Project, Week by Week
Here's exactly what happens from your first call to production launch.
30-minute deep dive into your product vision, target users, and technical requirements. I'll ask about your timeline, budget, and success metrics. By the end of the call, you'll know if we're a good fit.
Within 48 hours: fixed-price proposal with technical architecture, detailed timeline, and clear deliverables. You'll see exactly what platforms we're building for, what technologies we're using, and why. If you approve, we start Monday.
Core architecture setup, development environment, CI/CD pipeline, initial screens or API endpoints. By Friday of week 2, you'll have something deployed to a staging environment that you can click through — even if it's just the login screen and dashboard skeleton.
Primary user flows, business logic, third-party integrations. This is where your product starts to feel real. You'll see data flowing, features working end-to-end, and the product taking shape.
Edge cases, error handling, performance optimisation, QA testing. We fix bugs, refine user experience, and make sure everything works smoothly across devices and browsers. Load testing if your product expects high traffic.
Production deployment, monitoring setup, documentation handoff, and 30-day post-launch support. If you're launching on the App Store or Play Store, I handle the submission process. You get all credentials, source code, and architecture docs.
The Right Tool for Your Job
I choose technologies based on your project's needs, not my personal preferences. Every choice is guided by maturity, community support, hiring availability, and long-term maintainability.
Maturity & Stability
Battle-tested frameworks with active communities. No bleeding-edge experiments on your budget. I use React because millions of developers use React. I use Swift for iOS because Apple maintains it. I don't chase trends; I choose tools with proven track records and long-term support.
Hiring Availability
When you're ready to grow, you need to find developers who know your stack. If I build your product in an obscure framework, you'll struggle to hire. That's why I favour mainstream technologies with large talent pools. Your future CTO will thank you.
Performance
The right architecture for your scale. Serverless for startups with unpredictable traffic. Kubernetes for enterprises with steady load. Native mobile for apps requiring 60fps animations. React Native for MVPs prioritising speed to market. I'll explain the trade-offs and recommend what makes sense for your stage.
Maintainability
Clean code with comprehensive tests. Built for the next developer, not just the first one. I write code as if I'm going to be called at 3am to debug it — because sometimes I am. Clear variable names, documented functions, logical file structure. Your future self (or future team) will appreciate it.
Industries I've Built For
From Series A startups to established SMEs, I've shipped products across dozens of industries.
What Clients Say
Matt's ability to translate business requirements into technical architecture is remarkable. He understood our industry challenges on day one and designed a system that scaled with us from 500 to 10,000 users without a single rewrite. Most impressive? He delivered in 11 weeks what our previous agency quoted at 9 months.
Working directly with a senior developer who actually writes the code is refreshing. No layers of management, no miscommunication, no "I'll check with the dev team and get back to you." I ask Matt a technical question on Slack, and I get an answer within hours, usually with a code example. That directness saved us weeks of back-and-forth.
Ready to Work Together?
Book a free 30-minute strategy call and let's discuss your project.
Book Your Free Strategy Call