Hybrid: cash + equity
MVP Co-Build
Our flagship offering. We ship a production-ready MVP in 8-12 weeks for a hybrid of cash and equity, then stay invested in the company's success.
Pricing
Cash starting from $5K, typically $15K or $30K + 3-15% equity. Custom packages available.
Timeline
8-12 weeks
Best for
Pre-seed founders with strong vision but limited cash runway
Outcomes
What you walk away with.
- A real, launch-ready MVP - not a prototype
- Production-grade code, hosted infra, full handover documentation
- First paying customers or pilot partners onboarded
- Investor-ready demo and traction metrics
Deliverables
What is included in scope.
Product discovery & scoping
Founder interviews, customer research, and a written product spec defining v1 scope.
UX/UI design system
User flows, core screens, design tokens, and a Figma library reusable post-MVP.
Frontend + backend build
Modern stack (Next.js, Go/Python, PostgreSQL, Redis), CI/CD, and observability from day one.
Deployment & handover
Hosted on AWS / Hetzner / Vercel, with handover docs, runbooks, and on-call playbook.
Process
How we run the engagement.
- 01
Weeks 1-2
Discovery & Architecture
- Founder & customer interviews
- Product roadmap and v1 scope
- Tech stack decisions and architecture diagram
- 02
Weeks 3-10
Build & Iterate
- Design → Development → Testing in 1-week sprints
- Weekly demos and stakeholder checkpoints
- User feedback loops with first 5-10 testers
- 03
Weeks 11-12
Launch & Handover
- Production deployment, monitoring, error tracking
- Documentation, runbooks, and on-call handover
- Post-launch growth checkpoint at 30/60/90 days
FAQ
Common questions.
How much equity do you take?
Typically between 3% and 15%, depending on startup stage, product complexity, and our level of post-launch involvement. The lower the cash component, the higher the equity, and vice versa.
Who owns the IP and the code?
You do. We sign a standard work-for-hire and IP-assignment agreement before kickoff. Steppe Venture Builders only retains an equity stake in the company, not in the code or product.
What if the MVP fails?
We share that risk. We do not refund cash, but we do not double-bill either. Our equity is structured so we only win when the company wins - that alignment makes us pickier about who we say yes to.
What is the minimum cash component?
We start from $5,000 USD cash, typically $15,000 or $30,000 for a full MVP. The rest is structured as equity. Custom hybrid splits are available case by case.
Ready to co-build?
Tell us about your idea. If we are a fit, we kick off in 7-10 days.