US startups need a first release that proves the idea works, not a feature-complete product nobody has validated yet. Smerdoff builds MVPs remotely for US founders, with a fixed scope, a fixed timeline and direct access to the engineers doing the work.
the smallest version that proves the core value proposition
a real system behind the product, not a prototype that breaks at 100 users
billing, subscriptions and user accounts wired in from day one
AI functionality baked into the MVP where it is core to the product
MVP scope is agreed before development starts, so US founders know what ships and when, instead of watching the scope quietly grow.
We push back on scope that does not directly test the core assumption, so pre-seed and bootstrapped founders spend budget on what actually needs validating.
Launch usually surfaces new priorities. We can stay on to iterate on the MVP or hand off a documented codebase to an in-house team.
Smerdoff is a good fit for US founders who need a working first release fast, without hiring and managing an in-house engineering team first.
Most MVPs ship in 3-8 weeks depending on scope. We agree on a realistic, fixed timeline after a short discovery call before any code is written.
Yes. Most of our MVP clients are pre-seed or bootstrapped founders who need to prove the idea works before raising or spending more.
Yes, often faster. Written scope, milestone demos and async-first communication remove most of the coordination overhead a local team also has to manage.
Yes. We can continue as your development partner for iteration and scaling, or hand off a documented codebase if you plan to build an in-house team.
Pricing is based on a fixed scope agreed before development starts, typically from $1,500 for a focused first release, with the exact number set after discovery.
Tell us the core hypothesis, target users and any deadline you are working against. We will suggest the leanest MVP that actually tests it.