The Lean Startup Approach
For US startups, speed is currency. The goal is to get to market, gather user feedback, and iterate. Building a massive, feature-complete app on day one is a recipe for burning cash. Here is the blueprint for a fast, affordable MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
1. Prioritize Core Features
Identify the *one* problem your app solves. If it’s a food delivery app, the MVP needs to order food and take payment. It doesn’t need AI recommendations or social sharing yet. Cut the fluff.
2. Use Cross-Platform Frameworks
Don’t build separate iOS and Android apps. Use **Flutter** or **React Native**. These allow you to write code once and deploy to both platforms, cutting development time and cost by ~40%.
3. Leverage Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS)
Instead of building a custom backend from scratch, use platforms like **Firebase** or **Supabase**. They provide authentication, database, and hosting out of the box, saving weeks of engineering time.
4. Outsource Non-Core Development
Keep your product manager and CTO in-house (or onshore), but consider outsourcing the coding to a skilled offshore team. This hybrid model balances quality control with cost efficiency.
Summary
Your MVP is not the finish line; it’s the starting gun. Build it fast, launch it, and let the market tell you what to build next.
