MVP for Startups
Startups have limited time and money. Every week of development is runway burning. That's why an MVP must be minimal yet sufficient to test the core hypothesis. No more, no less.
We help startups turn ideas into working products in 6-12 weeks. We don't build for scale prematurely — we build exactly what's needed to get initial data from real users. Then we iterate based on that data.
Types of MVPs We Build for Startups
SaaS MVP
Registration, pricing plans, core feature, dashboard. Laravel + Livewire for maximum development speed. Cashier for subscriptions. Filament for admin. In 8 weeks — a working product with first paying customers.
Marketplace MVP
Minimal two-sided platform: seller dashboard, catalog, cart, payment. No ratings, disputes, or analytics — all that comes later. The key is to verify that supply and demand meet on the platform.
AI Product MVP
Wrapper around an AI model: input interface, processing via API (OpenAI/Anthropic/custom), result output. Focus on user experience and value proposition. Can start with an API-only MVP for B2B — no frontend needed.
Mobile App MVP
PWA or React Native for quick launch on both platforms. Core function + push notifications + basic analytics. Native development is reserved for after product-market fit — when we know exactly what to build.
How We Build MVPs for Startups
Hypothesis Definition
The first meeting is not about technology, but about business. What problem are we solving? For whom? How do we monetize? Which hypothesis is critical for the startup's survival? The MVP is built around one hypothesis and one success metric.
Ruthless Prioritization
Every founder has a list of 50 features. Only 5-7 make it into the MVP. We use ICE scoring: Impact, Confidence, Ease. We ruthlessly cut 'nice to have.' Result — a product that can launch in 6-12 weeks, not 6 months.
Weekly Sprints with Demos
Every Friday — a working product demo. The founder sees progress, can change priorities, give feedback. No surprises after 3 months — the product takes shape before your eyes.
Launch and Learning Loop
After launch, we connect analytics (PostHog, Mixpanel), collect feedback, conduct customer development. Data determines the next iterations. Pivot or persevere — the decision is based on numbers, not intuition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's included in an MVP and how much does it cost?
An MVP is a minimum product to test the key hypothesis. It typically includes: 1-2 user roles, core feature (what the user comes for), registration/authentication, basic UI, and deployment. Cost depends on complexity: simple SaaS from $20,000, marketplace from $30,000, fintech from $40,000. Timeline — 6-12 weeks.
How do you determine what to include in the MVP?
We use a framework: one hypothesis, one metric, minimum features to validate. If the hypothesis is 'users will pay for X' — the MVP contains only X and a payment mechanism. Everything else (analytics, admin panel, integrations) is added after confirming product-market fit.
What happens after the MVP launch?
Launch is the beginning, not the end. We collect data: how users interact with the product, what they use, where they drop off. We conduct interviews with early users. Based on data, we decide: pivot, persevere, or scale. We stay with the project at this stage — it's the most interesting part.
How do you choose a tech stack for a startup MVP?
The main criterion is development speed, not scalability. For web MVP: Laravel + Livewire or Next.js — 8-12 weeks to launch. For mobile MVP: React Native or Flutter for both platforms at once. Avoid microservices at the MVP stage — a monolith is faster to develop and cheaper to maintain. You will scale the architecture after product-market fit.
What mistakes do startups most commonly make when building an MVP?
Three main ones: 1) Feature overload — an MVP with 30 features instead of 5, extending the timeline from 2 to 6 months. 2) Premature optimization — scalable architecture for a product without users. 3) No analytics — launching without measurement tools. Each of these mistakes doubles the budget and timeline without delivering additional value.
Can you build a startup MVP on no-code platforms?
For certain product types — yes. A marketplace on Sharetribe, landing + forms on Webflow + Airtable, a chatbot on Botpress. No-code works for the first 100 users and hypothesis testing. Limitations: performance, customization, integrations. When product-market fit is confirmed, we migrate the no-code MVP to a custom stack — preserving all data and users.
Let's Discuss Your Project
Tell us about your idea and get a free estimate within 24 hours
Or email us at hello@webparadox.com