Limited to 1 Partnership Per Year

I Build Your MVP. You Pay Less.We Share The Upside.

A strategic technical partnership for validated founders who need a technical co-founder, not just a contractor.

60-70%
Cash Discount
10-25%
Equity Stake
6 Months
Advisory Support

⚠️ This is high-risk, high-reward for both of us

Most startups fail. If yours succeeds, we both win. If it fails, we both lose (but you lose less cash).

Read This First

This program isn't for everyone. Make sure you understand what this is (and isn't) before applying.

This is NOT:

  • A discount on my regular services
  • Free development in exchange for equity
  • A "work now, pay later" arrangement
  • For everyone (see qualification criteria below)

This IS:

  • A strategic technical partnership
  • For validated founders who need a technical co-founder
  • High-risk, high-reward for both of us
  • Capped at 1 partnership per year (I'm selective)

Bottom line: You have a validated idea but lack the technical skills or the $15K-$30K to hire a developer. I'll build your MVP as a technical partner (not just a contractor) in exchange for reduced cash + equity. If your startup succeeds, we both win.

The Partnership Economics

Choose the tier that matches your MVP needs. You pay significantly less cash upfront in exchange for equity.

Starter Partnership

Perfect for validating your idea with early users

Regular Price
$4,500
You Pay (Cash)
$1,500
Save $3,000 upfront (67% discount)
Equity Stake
10-15%
Timeline:3 weeks
Apply for Partnership
MOST POPULAR

Growth Partnership

For founders ready to acquire paying customers

Regular Price
$9,500
You Pay (Cash)
$3,500
Save $6,000 upfront (63% discount)
Equity Stake
15-20%
Timeline:5-6 weeks
Apply for Partnership

Platform Partnership

Enterprise-grade for funded startups

Regular Price
$18,000+
You Pay (Cash)
$6,000
Save $12,000+ upfront (67% discount)
Equity Stake
20-25%
Timeline:8-10 weeks
Apply for Partnership

What Am I Risking?

$3K-$12K
Lost revenue vs. taking a client project
3-10 Weeks
Of my time (worth $10K-$40K at my rates)
Opportunity
Can only do 1 partnership per year

I'm betting on you. If your startup fails, I lose too. That's why I'm selective.

What You Get

A technical co-founder, not just a contractor who disappears after delivery.

During MVP Development

  • •Full MVP development (same as regular tier)
  • •Clean, scalable architecture you can build on
  • •Deployment to production with SSL
  • •Complete documentation and handoff
  • •Bug fixes (14-60 days depending on tier)

After MVP Launch

  • •Monthly advisory call (30-60 min) for first 6 months
  • •Technical guidance via Slack/email (reasonable access)
  • •Architecture decisions (when to scale, hire, rebuild)
  • •Code reviews if you hire developers
  • •Network intros (designers, marketers, other founders)

What I DON'T Do (Important)

I'm not a full-time CTO (I have other clients)
I don't write new features for free (you pay or hire devs)
I don't do customer support for your product
I don't fundraise with you (but I'll help prep pitch decks)

Are You Qualified?

This partnership is selective. Here's what I look for in founders.

You're a Good Fit If:

You Have Validation:

  • 10+ customer interviews showing real pain point
  • Waitlist of 50+ people ready to pay
  • Pre-sold beta access or committed early customers
  • Working prototype/no-code version with traction

You Have Skills I Don't:

  • Deep domain expertise (industry knowledge I lack)
  • Sales/marketing ability (you can acquire customers)
  • Network/connections in target market
  • Design sense, branding skills, or fundraising experience

You're Committed:

  • This is your full-time focus (or will be post-MVP)
  • You have 6-12 months of runway (savings or income)
  • You're coachable and can make fast decisions
  • You understand this is a long-term partnership (2+ years)

You're NOT a Good Fit If:

You Have No Validation:

  • "I think this is a good idea" (no customer research)
  • No one has committed to paying for this
  • You've never talked to potential customers
  • Building based on personal pain point alone (market of 1)

You're Not Committed:

  • This is a side project (nights & weekends)
  • You have another full-time job and plan to keep it
  • You're exploring multiple ideas at once

Wrong Expectations:

  • You think equity = free labor
  • You want me to build everything for free upfront
  • You expect me to work full-time on your startup
  • You think I'll bring funding (I'm a developer, not a VC)

Minimum Qualification Bar

I evaluate on 4 criteria: Market Validation (40%), Founder Strength (30%), Idea Quality (20%), and Founder-Fit (10%). Minimum score: 60/100 to proceed.

The Application Process

Four clear steps from application to kick-off. Transparent, no games, no long sales process.

1

Initial Application

5 minutes to fill out

Submit a simple form with your startup idea, validation evidence, and what you bring to the table.

What Happens:

  • •Your name and contact info
  • •Startup idea (2-3 sentences)
  • •Validation evidence (waitlist, interviews, traction)
  • •Why you need a technical partner vs. hiring
  • •What skills/network you bring
Outcome
I review within 48 hours. 90% are rejected here—this filters for validation and fit.
2

Discovery Call

30 minutes

If your application is strong, we'll have a conversation about your idea and partnership fit.

What Happens:

  • •I'll ask about your validation process
  • •You'll pitch your idea and target market
  • •We'll discuss technical approach
  • •I'll assess founder-fit (are we compatible?)
  • •You'll ask me questions about the partnership
Outcome
I decide within 24 hours. If yes, we move to deep dive.
3

Deep Dive

60 minutes

If we're both interested, we'll get into the details of scope, equity, and expectations.

What Happens:

  • •I'll create a technical proposal (what I'll build)
  • •We'll discuss equity split (10-25% based on tier)
  • •Post-MVP expectations and involvement
  • •Legal structure and vesting schedule
  • •You'll meet with a lawyer (recommended)
Outcome
You decide if you want to proceed. No pressure.
4

Legal & Kick-Off

1 week

If we both agree, we'll finalize legal agreements and start development.

What Happens:

  • •You get lawyer to draft partnership agreement
  • •I review and negotiate if needed
  • •We sign partnership agreement + IP assignment
  • •You pay upfront cash portion
  • •We kick off development (just like a regular client project)
Outcome
MVP development begins. Regular updates every 2-3 days.

Timeline: Application to Kick-Off

1
48 hours
→
2
24 hours
→
3
You decide
→
4
1 week

Total time from application to development start: 1-2 weeks (if you're qualified and we're aligned)

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about equity, partnership structure, selection process, and risk.

About Equity

About the Partnership

About Selection

About Risk

Have a question not answered here?

Email me at contact@mvpdevelopment.io with subject line "Partnership Program Question". Please don't send your pitch via email—apply through the form below.

Ready to Apply?

Before you apply, make sure you meet the qualification criteria.

FOR QUALIFIED FOUNDERS

Apply for Partnership

If you have validation, commitment, and the right skills, let's talk. Fill out the application form and I'll review within 48 hours.

You have 10+ customer interviews or 50+ waitlist signups
You bring domain expertise or market access I don't have
This is your full-time focus (or will be post-MVP)
You have $1,500-$6,000 to invest upfront
Apply for Partnership Program

90% rejection rate • I review all applications within 48 hours

NOT QUALIFIED YET?

Consider Regular Services

If you don't meet the partnership criteria yet, you can still work with me at regular rates. No equity required, clear fixed pricing.

• Build your MVP for full price ($4,500-$18,000+)

• No equity given, you keep 100% ownership

• Same quality code and timeline

• Upgrade to partnership later if you gain traction

View Regular Services

Remember: Most "idea people" think equity = free labor. It's not.

When I take equity, I'm betting on YOU. I'm risking $10K-$40K in opportunity cost. I'm tying my success to yours. This program is for founders who understand that trade-off.