A great number of startups are in fact founded by tech-inept people. Lacking technical skills, such entrepreneurs usually look for a tech co-founder and often fail, as there are not enough of them in Europe. Without technical support, aspiring enthusiasts end up abandoning their idea, not understanding how to handle the technical part on their own.
Looking to apply for EU Funding? Check out the article on writing a successful application here.
Don't build a SaaS product. Find customers first!
Before devoting your startup budget to building a SaaS product and finding a technical co-founder, consider whether it's worth the investment. You have to make sure that you have found your customer so that you won't spend a fortune creating a product that is totally irrelevant. No need to rush, take your time, create a prototype and analyze the target audience.
For example, if you are thinking of launching an online shop, make special offers, such as discounts or coupons, and analyze how interested the audience is. If your idea turns out to be irrelevant, well, at least you have saved money you could have spent on the services of a technical co-founder.
Secrets from a girl who's seen it all.
You don't need design, coding, or technical skills. Pick a target market, a problem, and one of these:
Option #1: Create a Prototype.
A prototype can be as simple as a clickable mockup of your website or app. You don't need design skills to build a prototype. Use tools like Figma or InVision to rapidly create a prototype in days (or even hours).Option #2: Build a no-code MVP.
You can do a lot without coding these days. Use no-code tools like Adalo or Bubble to build a functional app quickly. Join a community like Makerpad to learn faster.Idea #3: Sell your services.
Not clear what product or feature you need to build? Solve the problem manually for the customers. Does that scale? Of course, no. But you'll learn a ton and know exactly what product to build later.Building a product can be a fun distraction. But spend your time finding customers instead. Sell your prototype, no-code MVP, or services so you can learn and iterate fast. Get customers to commit ... and then build your SaaS product.
If you want to learn how to build your first MVP apply for our startup game launch or start learning in our Startup School right now!
