Studio · Founders
MVP development in Africa: a working version in week one
You have the idea and maybe a few customers waiting. We build the smallest version that takes a real payment, then demo progress every week.
What a founder MVP means here
An MVP is not a demo with fake buttons. It is one flow that works end to end: someone signs up, pays by M-Pesa or card, and gets what they paid for.
We help you cut the rest. Everything that is not needed to test whether customers will pay waits for version two.
How the weeks go
- Scoping call: we agree the single flow v1 must prove.
- Logic map: flows, data and integrations on paper before code.
- Week one: a working v1 of that flow, which you can click through.
- Weekly demos: each demo adds the next flow, and you steer.
Because M-Pesa, WhatsApp and AI features are part of the plan from the start, you do not rebuild when your first customers ask to pay.
Products we launched from zero
- Hesabu: financial projections for founders, our own product.
- Maoni: WhatsApp feedback after payment, our own product.
- TabFlow: prepaid dining with split payments for co-working spaces.
- Mctaba Academy: self-paced courses you pay for as you go, on M-Pesa.
We build and run these, so we know what the first month after launch asks of a product.
What affects the cost
How many flows v1 holds, which payment rails you need, whether AI is part of the core and how much design polish you want. A narrow v1 costs less than a broad one, so scope is the lever you control.
We quote after a scoping call. For the picture of the whole build, read what it costs to build an app in Kenya, and for the hiring route, in-house developer or studio.
Want your own team to build it?
If you plan to hire engineers after launch, see corporate training for how we upskill teams.
Frequently asked questions
- What can really be ready in the first week?
- A working v1 of the one flow that matters most. Most of our projects ship that in the first week, and we agree what it covers on the scoping call.
- Do I need a finished design before we start?
- No. We map the logic first and design as we build, with you reacting in each weekly demo.
- Can the MVP take M-Pesa payments from day one?
- Yes. Payments are part of the architecture from the start, so you can test willingness to pay early.
- What happens after the MVP?
- Weekly demos continue, adding flows in the order you choose. You can also take the code to your own team.
- How much does an MVP cost?
- It depends on how many flows v1 holds and which integrations it needs. We quote after a free scoping call.
Get one flow working this week
Bring the idea. We will agree the single flow to prove and scope it with you on a free call.
Book a free scoping callLast checked