MVP development for startups and founders
I build MVPs for founders who want to put a product in front of paying customers. That means the first version of your SaaS or web app with accounts, payments and the one feature that matters. It is ready to grow when the idea works.
I'm all in on AI, so I move fast. I stay careful with the code, because an MVP that works often becomes the product. I also wrote a book about building SaaS products with Laravel.
I usually reply within one working day.
What goes into an MVP
Enough to learn from the first customers, built so it can grow.
The core feature
The one thing your customers pay for. We decide together what belongs in the first version and what can wait.
Accounts and teams
Sign up, login, password reset, teams and permissions. Every product needs these.
Payments
Subscriptions, credits or one-time payments with Stripe or Paddle, so you can charge from the first day.
Admin and data
An admin area where you see users, payments and what happens in the product.
AI features
If your product uses AI, I build it with checks and limits, so costs and results stay under control.
Code that can grow
Clean code on a stack that other developers know. When the MVP works, it can become the product instead of being rewritten.
How I work
You don't need to have everything figured out before we talk. An idea, access to the repo, a screen recording or a list of problems is enough. I look at what is there, tell you what I would do and what it costs, and then I build it.
I use Claude Code, Codex and my own agent workflows for reading code, planning changes, writing tests, refactoring and debugging. It is not vibe coding. It is senior engineering with a much faster loop.
AI-first, for founders
Claude Code, Codex and my own agent workflows let one developer build what used to need a small team. I decide what gets built and check every change.
I stay in control
AI writes a lot of my code. I still make every technical decision, read every change before it ships, and test it. Fast, but meticulous: the speed is only worth something if what goes live is right.
The way you want to work
Some clients want to look at every change before it goes live, others want me to deploy. Some want a weekly call, most prefer written updates. I work well asynchronously, and I still ask the important questions when they come up.
I think like an owner
I still run my own online products. So when I build or fix yours, I think about traffic, conversion, revenue and support as much as about the code, and I tell you when something is not worth building.
Ways to work with me
Fixed price, a flat monthly rate, or hourly. It's always me doing the work, not an agency. If you're not sure, describe what you need and I'll suggest one.
Examples of my work
Products I built from the first version.
A B2B SaaS from scratch
Laravel and Vue, teams, AI agent workflows on queues, several AI providers, web scraping, and credit billing with Spark and Paddle.
Signup and subscription
People could search before signing up. Then came a short registration and a Stripe subscription. Customers manage their plan and payment details themselves, which cut support requests.
Rapid SaaS with Laravel
I wrote a book about building production-ready SaaS products with Laravel 12. It covers the parts every product needs, from accounts to billing.
What clients say
"Vincent works very well asynchronously: communication stays focused, there is little unnecessary back-and-forth, and he still raises the important questions when needed."
"The end result was excellent and has been running smoothly since launch."
"If you need a senior Laravel developer who can move a SaaS product forward, I strongly recommend him."
Questions
What should be in the first version?
Only what you need to find out whether people pay. I help you cut the rest, and we keep a list for later.
Do I need a technical co-founder?
Not to build the first version. I can build it and help you with the technical decisions. Many founders hire developers later, and the code is ready for them.
Will the MVP have to be rewritten later?
It shouldn't. I build it on a common stack with clean code, so it can grow into the product.
Can you work from a prototype or a no-code tool?
Yes. A clickable prototype, a no-code app or a list of screens is a good start.
Who owns the code?
You do. The code, the repository and all accounts belong to you.
How do you charge?
Fixed price for a job with a clear outcome, a flat monthly rate for ongoing work, or hourly. Describe what you need and I'll suggest one.
Get a quote
What your product does, who it is for, and what you have so far. A few sentences are enough. I'll reply with what I would build first and what it would cost.
If you would rather talk first, book a 30-minute call or email contact@vincentschmalbach.com.