Delivering MVP, Securing Investment for Early-Stage Startup

A startup in the college athletic recruitment space set out to create a platform that connects high school student-athletes with college coaches. The goal was to democratize the recruitment process, reduce time-to-placement, and increase access to scholarship opportunities. Keiboarder was brought in by the company's Fractional CFO to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that would help secure major investment.

The startup faced critical challenges in its early stages:

• The founder had a promising idea but lacked a concrete plan to develop a working MVP.  
• The founder had dedicated two years to ideation and securing investment but had not yet begun building the product.  

The Keiboarder team took swift action to bring the founder's vision to life:

• They collaborated closely with the founder to gather detailed requirements and construct a clickable prototype. This prototype effectively communicated the long-term vision of the product to potential clients and investors.  
• Once the prototype was finalized and the requirements were clearly defined, Keiboarder designed an MVP using Airtable, Webflow, and Memberstack. This strategic approach enabled the development of a functional product with minimal engineering investment from the founder.  

Keiboarder's efforts yielded significant outcomes:

• The company successfully launched a revenue-generating application.  
• The founder secured the necessary investment to pursue the full vision for the company.  
• The entire process, from engagement to MVP delivery, was completed in just four months.  

Keiboarder's work directly contributed to key business outcomes:

• Accelerated Product Launch: Keiboarder's efficient development process enabled the company to quickly move from ideation to a revenue-generating application.
• ‍Enhanced Investor Confidence: The tangible MVP provided concrete evidence of the company's potential, fostering confidence among investors and securing crucial funding.
• ‍Strong Foundation for Future Growth: The MVP serves as a solid foundation for the company to build upon, enabling the development of the platform's full vision.

This case study offers valuable insights for technology leaders:

• The Power of an MVP: A well-crafted MVP is essential for validating a product idea, attracting investors, and accelerating time to market. ‍
• Strategic Use of No-Code/Low-Code Tools: Utilizing platforms like Airtable, Webflow, and Memberstack can significantly reduce development time and costs, especially in the early stages of a startup. ‍
• Importance of Clear Requirements and Prototyping: Investing time in gathering detailed requirements and creating a prototype ensures that the development process is focused and aligned with the product vision. ‍
• External Expertise Can Be Transformative: Engaging external expertise, such as a Fractional CTO or a specialized development team, can provide the guidance and execution needed to overcome early-stage hurdles and achieve rapid progress.