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ENGINEERING · MVP DEVELOPMENT

MVP development services for startups

MVP development services turn a startup idea into the smallest working product that can prove demand. Senior engineers build it on code you can keep growing, for a first-time founder or a company testing a new product.

Book a 20-minute call (opens Google Calendar in a new tab)Plan your MVP scope
Led by Thanos GkanasCo-Founder, engineering

The drawing shows the features a first version could have and, under it, the core job built end to end on shared foundations, with simpler stand-ins for the rest.

We scope the MVP around the one thing it has to prove, build it in short cycles and put it in front of real users. The foundations are simple, tested and yours from day one. It is part of our custom software development for startups, and it works whether you write code yourself or never have.

01SOUND FAMILIAR?

Signs you are ready for MVP development

These are the usual starting points for an MVP build.

  • SYMPTOM 01

    We have a pitch deck and a waiting list, but no product

    Usually means: You need something real in users' hands to learn from, not more slides.

  • SYMPTOM 02

    Every quote we get is for a six-month build

    Usually means: The scope holds the whole vision instead of the one thing the MVP has to prove.

  • SYMPTOM 03

    Our prototype is held together with no-code tools

    Usually means: It proved interest. Now it needs a foundation that can take paying users.

  • SYMPTOM 04

    We are not technical and do not know who to trust

    Usually means: You need a builder who explains trade-offs in plain words and leaves you owning everything.

  • SYMPTOM 05

    We built a version once and had to throw it away

    Usually means: The first build optimized for speed only, with no tests or structure to grow on.

Led by Thanos GkanasCo-Founder, engineering

Have an idea and a rough feature list? Send us both, and we will tell you what we would build first.

Tell us about your project (opens our project form in a new tab)

02WHAT WE DO

What our MVP development services include

Everything a first release needs to reach real users and survive them, and nothing it does not.

  • Scope workshop and build plan

    We start with the riskiest assumption in your business and cut the feature list down to what tests it. You leave with a written scope, what is in, what is out and why, and a build plan with weekly milestones.

  • Product design for the first release

    We sketch the core flows, agree them with you and design only the screens the MVP needs. If demand itself is still unproven, idea validation comes before any design or code, and Roger leads that part.

  • MVP software development services, end to end

    We build the front end, back end, database and integrations the MVP needs, in a mainstream stack your next hires will know. Each week you get a working build you can click through, not a status report.

  • Foundations that last past launch

    Sign-in, access rules, backups and basic monitoring are done properly from the first week. They are expensive to retrofit, and investors and customers ask about them. If you charge from day one, we start by taking payments safely through an invoice or a hosted payment link, and add full billing later.

  • Launch, analytics and the first user tests

    We set up hosting, analytics and error tracking, run the launch with you and watch the first real sessions. What users actually do decides what we build next.

  • A handover you own

    The code, hosting, domains and app store listings sit in your accounts from the start. You get documentation, a test suite and a walkthrough, so any engineer can pick the product up.

Illustration of each account moving from the agency into your name

03IN BRIEF

What MVP development for startups should prove

MVP development for startups should prove one thing: that a specific group of users will use, or pay for, the core of your product. Everything else in the first release is a cost that delays that answer. So we begin with the assumption that would hurt the business most if it turned out wrong, and we design the smallest product that tests it with real people. That often means one type of user, one main flow and a manual step behind the scenes where automation can wait. It rarely means a full admin panel, three pricing plans or every integration on your list. A smaller first release reaches users sooner, costs less and gives you clearer evidence. When the evidence comes in, you decide what to build next with data instead of opinions, and the code is ready for it.

How to choose an MVP development company

Ask any MVP development company or agency three things: who will write the code, what they would cut from your scope, and who owns the result. A good partner pushes back on features before quoting, shows you working software every week and keeps everything in your accounts. Ask to meet the engineer who will lead your build, not only the person selling it. Ask how they handle tests, security and handover, because those decide whether the code survives launch. Compare quotes by what is in scope and what happens after launch, not by the headline price. A cheap build that has to be rewritten costs more in the end. Whichever MVP development agency you pick, make sure you can walk away with the code, the documentation and every account on the day the work ends.

04STEP BY STEP

How we build your MVP

  1. 01

    Audit

    We test the idea's riskiest assumption, agree the users and the core flow, and write the scope: what is in, what is out and why. You get a build plan with weekly milestones.

  2. 02

    Build

    We build in short cycles and show you working software every week. Every scope change faces one question: does this help prove the core assumption?

  3. 03

    Ship

    We launch with analytics and error tracking, watch the first real users with you and hand over the code, documentation and accounts.

05ENGAGEMENT OPTIONS

Ways to build your MVP with us

  • MVP scoping sessions

    We help you cut the scope and plan the build, and you choose who builds it.

    You get

    • A written MVP scope
    • A build plan and rough timeline
    • Questions to ask any builder

    Typical shape

    Thanos and you, working sessions as needed

    Quoted after a short call

    Ask for a quote

  • Full MVP build

    We scope, design, build and launch the MVP with you.

    You get

    • Scope and build plan
    • Working software every week
    • Launch with analytics and error tracking
    • Code, docs and accounts in your name

    Typical shape

    Thanos leads the build, scoped to your first version

    Quoted after a short call

    Ask for a quote

  • Build with your team

    A senior engineer joins your developers to lead or speed up the build.

    You get

    • Architecture and code review
    • Hands-on work on the hardest parts
    • Help hiring your first engineers

    Typical shape

    Set days each week

    Quoted after a short call

    Ask for a quote

06WHO IT IS FOR

Who MVP development is for

If you are still working out how to build an MVP without a technical co-founder, our page for non-technical founders compares the options.

  • Non-technical founders with a tested idea

    You know the problem and the users, and you need a technical partner to build the first version properly.

  • Technical founders short on time

    You could build it yourself, but you would rather spend the next months selling than setting up infrastructure.

  • Teams testing a new product line

    You have a company and a team, and you want a separate, small build to test a new idea quickly.

Thanos Gkanas

07LED BY

Who builds your MVP

Thanos Gkanas leads engineering at BrainStormers. He sets the architecture, reviews every change and keeps the scope honest when new feature ideas arrive mid-build.

An MVP should be small, not flimsy. I keep the scope tight and the foundations boring, so the second version is a change, not a rewrite.

Thanos GkanasCO-FOUNDER · ENGINEERING
Thanos Gkanas
Co-Founder & Head of Engineering
Thanos's profileLinkedIn

08

Related services

Already built a first version with AI tools? Start with AI code audit and fix for vibe-coded apps. If you need technical leadership after launch, an interim CTO can carry the roadmap. For product and engineering from one team, see our product development consulting.

  • AI code fixes

    Senior review and repair for apps built with AI coding tools: security, data and scale problems found, ranked and fixed.

    Thanos

  • Fractional CTO

    A senior part-time CTO for architecture, hiring, vendors and the roadmap, without a full-time salary.

    Thanos

  • Idea validation

    Research, interviews and smoke tests that end in a go, pivot or stop decision before you build.

    Roger

  • Product and engineering

    Want discovery and the build in one plan? Pair the MVP with product help.

    Roger and Thanos

09

Insights on building an MVP

  • STARTUP ENGINEERINGGUIDE

    The MVP development process, step by step

    The MVP development process in six steps, from the riskiest assumption to a launch decision, with MVP testing methods and minimum viable product examples.

    Thanos Gkanas

  • MVP scope planner

    Pick your features and see what to build first, what to cut, and a range of weeks and cost.

10FAQ

MVP development questions

What do MVP development services include?

MVP development services cover scoping, design of the core flows, building the front end, back end and database, launch and handover. Ours also include analytics and error tracking from day one, plus the documentation and tests a future engineer needs. The goal is a small product real users can use, on code you keep.

How long does it take to build an MVP?

It depends on the scope more than on the technology. A focused MVP with one type of user and one core flow ships much sooner than one with payments, several roles and many integrations. We give you a timeline after the scoping step, broken into weekly milestones you can check.

What drives the cost of an MVP build?

Scope drives cost more than anything else: the number of user types, screens, integrations and platforms. Payments, real-time features, offline mobile use and strict compliance add the most work. Design depth and the seniority of the builders matter too. Our planner shows how scope choices move the MVP development cost before you speak to anyone.

How do you decide what goes into the MVP?

We list your assumptions, pick the riskiest one and keep only the features needed to test it with real users. Everything else goes on a later list, with a reason next to each item. You can try the same exercise on your own with our MVP scope planner before we talk.

Will the MVP code last past launch, or will we rebuild it?

It should last. We keep the scope small, not the quality: sign-in, access rules, the data model and tests are done properly from the start. Parts you outgrow get replaced one at a time, while the foundation stays. A full rebuild usually means the first version was built for speed alone, which is what we avoid.

Do you build MVPs for non-technical founders?

Yes. We explain each trade-off in plain words, show you working software every week and never ask you to approve something you cannot see. Everything sits in your accounts, and the handover is written for a future engineer, so you do not depend on us after launch.

Do you test the MVP with real users before launch?

Yes. We put clickable flows and early builds in front of a handful of target users before launch, then watch the first real sessions after it. What they struggle with shapes the last weeks of the build. Our guide to the MVP development process explains how to plan those tests.

Whose accounts do the code, hosting and app stores sit in?

Yours. We set up the code repository, cloud hosting, domain, app store listings and third-party services in accounts your company owns, and we work in them as invited users. When the work ends, you remove our access, and nothing has to be transferred or rebuilt.

Led by Thanos GkanasCo-Founder, engineering

Talk to Thanos about MVP development

20-minute intro call

Book a 20-minute call (opens Google Calendar in a new tab)Tell us about your project (opens our project form in a new tab)

NEXT STEP

Build the MVP

Book a 20-minute call, or send us the idea, who it is for and what you have so far. We reply with the questions we would answer before writing any code.

You’ll talk to Thanos

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