diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index fe53dbceb48174bde179d12302429739e072dddf..738d711710ab4d029d1a7a4f936f8a4ed11bf1ab 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -31,8 +31,7 @@ stages:
     - docker
   image: quay.io/condaforge/linux-anvil-cos7-x86_64
   before_script:
-    - rm -f ~/.condarc
-    - rm -rf ~/.conda
+    - rm -fv ~/.condarc
     - python3 ./bob/devtools/bootstrap.py -vv build
     - source ${CONDA_ROOT}/etc/profile.d/conda.sh
     - conda activate base
diff --git a/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py b/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
index 66e37d3627468d2fad9029c334ee5b731e2de0b8..a6d9af536635e4921f7d298f6ddc594dcf26fbc8 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
@@ -214,15 +214,15 @@ def ensure_miniconda_sh():
 
     # WARNING: if you update this version, remember to update hashes below
     # AND our "mirror" in the internal webserver
-    path = "https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge/releases/download/4.10.3-6/Miniforge3-4.10.3-6-%s-x86_64.sh"
+    path = "https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge/releases/download/4.10.3-6/Mambaforge-4.10.3-6-%s-x86_64.sh"
     if platform.system() == "Darwin":
         sha256 = (
-            "eabb50e2594d55eeb2a74fa05a919be876ec364e8064e1623ab096f39d6b6dd1"
+            "955a6255871d9b53975e1c1581910844bcf33cbca613c7dba2842f6269917da6"
         )
         path = path % "MacOSX"
     else:
         sha256 = (
-            "8e76a21311e4fcc9ee8497b72717b276bb960e0151c5b27816502f14bac6303f"
+            "c63907ba0971d2ca9a8775bd7ea48b635b2bdce4838b2f2d3a8e751876849595"
         )
         path = path % "Linux"
 
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     condarc = os.path.join(args.conda_root, "condarc")
 
     install_miniconda(args.conda_root, args.name)
-    conda_bin = os.path.join(args.conda_root, "bin", "conda")
+    conda_bin = os.path.join(args.conda_root, "bin", "mamba")
 
     # creates the condarc file
     condarc = os.path.join(args.conda_root, "condarc")
@@ -506,7 +506,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 
     conda_version = "4"
     conda_build_version = "3"
-    conda_verify_version = "3"
+    mamba_version = "0.15"
+    boa_version = "0.6"
 
     conda_verbosity = []
     # if args.verbose >= 2:
@@ -540,7 +541,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
                 "python",
                 "conda=%s" % conda_version,
                 "conda-build=%s" % conda_build_version,
-                # "conda-verify=%s" % conda_verify_version,
+                "mamba=%s" % mamba_version,
+                "boa=%s" % boa_version,
                 "click",
                 "twine",  # required for checking readme of python (zip) distro
             ]
@@ -561,7 +563,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
                 "python",
                 "conda=%s" % conda_version,
                 "conda-build=%s" % conda_build_version,
-                # "conda-verify=%s" % conda_verify_version,
+                "mamba=%s" % mamba_version,
+                "boa=%s" % boa_version,
                 "twine",  # required for checking readme of python (zip) distro
             ]
             + should_install_git
diff --git a/bob/devtools/build.py b/bob/devtools/build.py
index 7d5dcc852a322399078f7c97e4847d6257d9353d..704fcf7ed30b94eaa23371748da76821252d1edf 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/build.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/build.py
@@ -222,10 +222,20 @@ def get_output_path(metadata, config):
         return conda_build.api.get_output_file_paths(metadata, config=config)
 
 
+def use_mambabuild():
+    """Will inject mamba solver to conda build API to speed up resolves"""
+    # only importing this module will do the job.
+    from boa.cli.mambabuild import prepare
+
+    prepare()
+
+
 def get_rendered_metadata(recipe_dir, config):
     """Renders the recipe and returns the interpreted YAML file."""
 
     with root_logger_protection():
+        # use mambabuild instead
+        use_mambabuild()
         return conda_build.api.render(recipe_dir, config=config)
 
 
@@ -697,6 +707,7 @@ def base_build(
     # if you get to this point, just builds the package(s)
     logger.info("Building %s", recipe_dir)
     with root_logger_protection():
+        use_mambabuild()
         return conda_build.api.build(recipe_dir, config=conda_config)
 
 
diff --git a/bob/devtools/data/conda_build_config.yaml b/bob/devtools/data/conda_build_config.yaml
index ce955ffaaa3bb2b369916a6eae2f7870bcca6734..98710068856dc0e1eddc04a9d19fbf62c7a49ec2 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/data/conda_build_config.yaml
+++ b/bob/devtools/data/conda_build_config.yaml
@@ -291,10 +291,6 @@ pin_run_as_build:
 # names here should not contain dots or dashes. You should replace dots and dashes with
 # underlines.
 
-# update this version to the current date when you modify the pins below
-bob_devel_version:
-  - 2021.10.04
-
 # AUTOMATIC PARSING START
 # DO NOT MODIFY THIS COMMENT
 
diff --git a/bob/devtools/scripts/build.py b/bob/devtools/scripts/build.py
index a086e40be8ec9c276f670ab7ebe2ec683d8a5bc7..252bff15219f1ba69ccb4c2c19410de0c1b93548 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/scripts/build.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/scripts/build.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from ..build import (
     next_build_number,
     root_logger_protection,
     should_skip_build,
+    use_mambabuild,
 )
 from ..constants import (
     BASE_CONDARC,
@@ -264,9 +265,9 @@ def build(
 
         rendered_recipe = get_parsed_recipe(metadata)
 
-        logger.debug("Printing rendered recipe")
-        logger.debug("\n" + yaml.dump(rendered_recipe))
-        logger.debug("Finished printing rendered recipe")
+        logger.info("Printing rendered recipe")
+        logger.info("\n" + yaml.dump(rendered_recipe))
+        logger.info("Finished printing rendered recipe")
         path = get_output_path(metadata, conda_config)[0]
 
         # gets the next build number
@@ -288,6 +289,7 @@ def build(
             # get it right
             set_environment("BOB_BUILD_NUMBER", str(build_number))
             with root_logger_protection():
+                use_mambabuild()
                 paths = conda_build.api.build(
                     d, config=conda_config, notest=no_test
                 )
diff --git a/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py b/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py
index 834525db3843c4d070b77b928feb4991e04f3684..3751b37212d7096f27f575737837203b3f42d506 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ def create(
     this app and use the flag `--overwrite` to re-create from scratch the
     development environment.
     """
+    import pathlib
 
     recipe_dir = recipe_dir or os.path.join(os.path.realpath("."), "conda")
 
@@ -211,7 +212,9 @@ def create(
         raise RuntimeError("The directory %s does not exist" % recipe_dir)
 
     # this is not used to conda-build, just to create the final environment
-    conda = os.environ.get("CONDA_EXE")
+    conda = pathlib.Path(os.environ.get("CONDA_EXE"))
+    # replace conda with mamba
+    conda = str(conda.parent / "mamba")
     if conda is None:
         raise RuntimeError(
             "Cannot find `conda' executable (${CONDA_EXEC}) - "
diff --git a/conda/meta.yaml b/conda/meta.yaml
index d64006ed4f1e9c244da0db3503a0494dbbd662b7..fbfa05c8d674af9b796014f529679b1d97c91728 100644
--- a/conda/meta.yaml
+++ b/conda/meta.yaml
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ requirements:
     - click-plugins
     - conda=4
     - conda-build=3
-    # - conda-verify=3
+    - mamba=0.15
+    - boa=0.6
     - certifi
     - docformatter
     - git  # [linux]
diff --git a/deps/bob-devel/meta.template.yaml b/deps/bob-devel/meta.template.yaml
index fad8b156624db6108be107d5b9bf8e632cdab511..4744ee94020449e6e8c7d136f19211da22c2d24c 100644
--- a/deps/bob-devel/meta.template.yaml
+++ b/deps/bob-devel/meta.template.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
+{% set version = datetime.datetime.utcnow().strftime('%Y%m%d.%H.%M.%S') %}
+
 package:
   name: bob-devel
-  version: {{ bob_devel_version }}
+  version: {{ version }}
 
 build:
   number: 0
diff --git a/doc/templates.rst b/doc/templates.rst
index 53be9b40e635b61e2352035035035b4fda4d8bca..4c543a798e784165bca55986d8aa4f4cb72d0158 100644
--- a/doc/templates.rst
+++ b/doc/templates.rst
@@ -459,15 +459,7 @@ you should perform some extra steps:
     [your dependecy here]
 
 
-2. In the file ``bob.devtools/bob/devtools/data/conda_buid_config.yaml``,
-   update the version of ``bob-devel`` with the current date, in the format preset.
-
-  .. code-block:: yaml
-
-    bob_devel_version:
-      - 2021.09.14 <-- HERE
-
-3. Submit a merge request with your changes.
+2. Submit a merge request with your changes.
 
 
 Updating a dependency version