Blackshell had developed a strong product: the Stingray VPN server. Targeted at companies and public institutions, it offered a secure, private network solution. However, Blackshell was still in beta.
For early-stage B2B companies, the biggest barrier to entry isn’t usually the technology; it’s the paperwork. Selling to large enterprises typically triggers a procurement wall: months of legal reviews, vendor risk assessments, and lengthy onboarding forms before the sale is official.
Blackshell identified the Google Cloud Marketplace as the solution. By listing there, they could utilize Google’s existing contracts with buyers. However, it’s not as simple as just uploading your software. It requires constructing specific Virtual Machine (VM) images, handling API integrations for billing, and navigating strict security validations.
Blackshell simply didn’t have the people to handle this complex project without stopping work on their own product, and that is why they teamed up with us.
Solution: Building a sales-ready deployment
Revolgy managed the listing process from end to end. The goal was to turn a technical requirement into a business trigger, a mechanism that actively speeds up sales.
Strategic structure
Before writing code, we advised on the product type and pricing model. For a beta company, the pricing structure needs to balance aggressive user acquisition with sustainable margins.
Technical execution (VMs and Terraform)
A Marketplace listing fails if the customer cannot easily install the software. To make it as easy as possible:
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VM construction: We built the public Virtual Machine image for Stingray, handling the backend configuration required by Google.
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Infrastructure as Code: We created a Terraform deployment package. This allows Blackshell’s customers to deploy the VPN into their own cloud environment with a few lines of code, rather than a manual, error-prone setup.
Operational support
We provided a month of comprehensive support after going live to make sure everything ran smoothly as new customers signed up.
Result: From “risky” startup to verified vendor
The project successfully moved the Stingray VPN from a beta concept to a globally available product on the Marketplace.
Breaking the procurement wall
By listing on the Marketplace, Blackshell effectively borrowed trust from Google. They no longer need to ask customers for new budget approvals. Instead, customers can purchase Stingray using their existing Google Cloud committed use spend.
Partners selling through the Marketplace typically see 112% larger deal sizes and shorten procurement cycles by up to 4 weeks by using the pre-approved budgets.
Faster time-to-value
The combination of the Marketplace billing integration and the Revolgy-built Terraform package drastically reduced the time it takes for a customer to buy and use the software.
Data shows that the combined time to purchase and deploy software drops by 48% (from 9 weeks to 4.7 weeks) when using the Marketplace — you can read more in this article.
Immediate legitimacy
The listing acted as a badge of verification, and allowed the young company to prove they met the strict security standards required by public institutions and big business.
About Blackshell
Blackshell is a cybersecurity company with a clear mission: to strengthen and simplify IT security. Based in the UK and Romania, they build tools that offer military-grade protection without the complexity usually associated with network security.
Stingray’s intuitive dashboard with flexible logging options (Source: Blackshell)
Their flagship product, Stingray, is a Corporate VPN designed for everyone, from law firms to insurance companies. It focuses on Zero Trust principles and compliance (SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001) while remaining easy to use.
Blackshell combines simple management tools, intuitive dashboards, and seamless Single Sign-On (SSO) integration, so staying secure doesn’t have to mean working slower.
Looking to list your product?
You can technically list on the Marketplace yourself, but it involves navigating a maze of APIs and tax regulations. Revolgy handles the integration so you can focus on selling. Contact us for a free consultation.
