The Model
Build it. Operate it. Transfer it to you.
Build-Operate-Transfer is the path to an owned offshore team without the ramp-up risk of incorporating it yourself. We stand up the operation under our entity, run it until the model is proven, then hand it over on your terms.
The Model
Build, operate, then transfer.
The Build-Operate-Transfer framework was pioneered in infrastructure and adopted by the world's largest consultancies. We apply it to offshore teams. We carry the ramp-up risk while the operation is being proven. When the model is working, ownership transfers to you.
- 01
Build
Build the team and the operation.
We recruit, hire, and house the team under our entity. The cost of setup, employment, and infrastructure is ours to carry from day one.
Indicative timeline Weeks 1 to 4
Who carries the ramp-up risk
Ours, in full. Setup, recruitment, employment, and infrastructure are our cost to carry from day one. You commit to no Sri Lankan entity at this stage.
What you receive
- A recruited, hired team housed in a managed Colombo or Kandy office
- Workspace, fibre, backup power, and biometric access in place
- Employment under our Sri Lankan entity, payroll-ready
- A named operations lead accountable to you
- 02
Operate
Run the team alongside you.
Payroll, HR, and compliance run by us. Your work flows through the team day to day. You direct, we administer. Ramp-up risk stays with us until the model is proven.
Indicative timeline Month 1 onward
Who carries the ramp-up risk
Still ours. Ramp-up risk stays on our side of the line while the operation is proven. You direct the work day to day; we administer everything underneath it.
What you receive
- Payroll, tax, and statutory compliance run by us
- HR administration, onboarding, and retention handled
- A management and reporting layer over the team
- Your work flowing through the team, in your timezone window
- 03
Transfer
Transfer ownership when ready.
The team, the entity, the operation, handed over on your terms. No commitment to a Sri Lankan subsidiary until you choose it. The transfer is yours to trigger.
Indicative timeline When you are ready
Who carries the ramp-up risk
Transfers to you, on your trigger. Ownership moves only when the model is working and you choose to take it. There is no obligation and no fixed clock.
What you receive
- The team, the entity, and the operation, handed over in full
- A clean corporate structure under a Commonwealth framework
- Documented processes, payroll history, and compliance record
- A defined handover plan with continuity guaranteed
Why Build-Operate-Transfer
Three routes offshore. One ends in ownership.
Hiring through an Employer of Record is fast but never becomes yours. Incorporating offshore yourself ends in ownership but puts every ramp-up risk on you from day one. Build-Operate-Transfer is the route that reaches an owned entity while we carry the risk in between.
| Comparison point | EOR only Fast, but rented | DIY incorporation Owned, but all on you | Recommended Build-Operate-Transfer Owned, risk carried |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed to a working team | Fast | Slow, months of setup | Under 30 days |
| Who carries ramp-up risk | Shared, but no upside | Entirely you | Us, until proven |
| Local entity and compliance | Provider keeps it | You build it | Built by us, then yours |
| Path to outright ownership | None | From day one | On your trigger |
| Upfront capital exposure | Low | High | Low, carried by us |
| Control of the day-to-day work | Yours | Yours | Yours |
The First 30 Days
From signed contract to a working team in under thirty days.
The model moves fast because the workstreams run in parallel, not in sequence. Workspace, recruitment, onboarding, and payroll are stood up at the same time, so the team is operational before a sequential setup would have finished hiring.
- Day 0
Contract signed
We scope the roles, the seats, and the reporting line, then start every workstream at once.
- Days 1 to 10
Workspace and recruitment
Seats are allocated in a managed office while shortlists are drawn from the existing graduate pipeline.
- Days 10 to 20
Hiring and onboarding
Offers go out, employment is set up under our entity, and onboarding begins in parallel with payroll setup.
- Days 20 to 30
Team operational
The team is working in your timezone window, payroll and compliance are live, and the operation is yours to direct.
Parallel, not sequential. Every workstream starts on day zero, so the team is operational before a step-by-step setup would have finished hiring.
FAQ
Questions, answered plainly.
Everything firms ask before they start the model.
How fast can a team be operational?
From a signed contract, teams are working in under thirty days. Workspace, recruitment, onboarding, and payroll run in parallel rather than in sequence.
Who employs the team?
On the Workspace plus EOR and Build-Operate-Transfer tiers, Kerner Haus employs the team under our Sri Lankan entity. You direct the work day to day. We carry payroll, tax, and statutory compliance.
What does Transfer actually mean?
When the model is proven, the team, the entity, and the operation are handed to you on your terms. There is no commitment to a Sri Lankan subsidiary until you choose to trigger the transfer.
Are the prices per person?
Workspace and Workspace plus EOR are priced per seat per month. Build-Operate-Transfer starts at five thousand dollars per month and is scoped to the size and shape of the operation.
What qualifications do the staff hold?
The network draws on ACCA, CIMA, CPA, and LLB graduates, alongside engineering and technology professionals, all fluent in English and trained to international standards.
Can we start small and scale?
Yes. Most clients begin with a workspace or a small EOR team, then scale into the full Build-Operate-Transfer model as the operation proves out.
Start the model
Talk through the model, before any commitment.
Thirty minutes to walk you through Build, Operate, and Transfer mapped to your team profile. No proposal pressure.
Book a consultation