To compete against century-old industry giants — in any industry — startups must deliver exceptional products. Building a minimum viable product helps startups increase the odds of a product’s success and validate the customer appeal of a new offering.
The trajectory of your MVP depends on a variety of variables, including the right target audience, a perfect selection of killer features, an optimum monetization model, and market positioning. But more than anything else, an experienced MVP development partner adds to the success of your initiative and promotes the growth of your fresh-baked product.
Today, we’ll go over the benefits of MVP development and look at the top MVP development companies that can lead your product idea to fruition.
Why building a minimum viable product matters
It’s hard to be an industry disruptor who vies for a profitable position in the market. Startups have to juggle the lack of funding, scarce talent, changing tech development trends, and other headwinds. Minimum viable product development acts as a safety net for your initiatives, helping you successfully navigate the market dynamics with limited resources.
Bring your customers to the party
The MVP stage provides a vital sanity check with real users that contribute to validating your product idea. Quantitative and qualitative market research, target audience analysis, and competitor checks are great research tools, but the findings may not align with real-world market fluctuations.
By pushing out an MVP to the market, startups attract early adopters who provide invaluable user insights. By analyzing the feedback, app owners can see whether the product delivers value and what features have been the most successful in addressing customers' pain points. Based on the feedback, startups can also pivot their idea and make it more customer-focused.
De-risk full-scale product development
No company wants to invest in building a product nobody wants. The MVP mindset allows you to identify the simplest way to address user pain points. You build one feature at a time, focusing on high-value functionality and reducing the risk of building a product that doesn’t click with the users.
The iterative nature of MVP development also means you can progress in small steps — based on user feedback — to brush up on the product until it meets user and market demands.
Innovate without your costs going sky-high
Running out of cash is the reason behind 44% of startup flops. Some startups prefer to build feature-rich products out of the gate and then hope they will gain traction and start generating profit. However, this is hardly the case for the majority of young businesses.
Instead of investing in full-fledged products, MVP advocates make bite-sized efforts at product development, forking out only the bare minimum of features. This approach also ensures that your money goes to the features with the highest ROI, reducing the cost of development in the long run.
Accelerate time to market and secure your niche
The primary advantage of minimum viable products is their ability to save time and resources on product development. Instead of spending years developing a complete product, companies can launch a stripped-down product version in a few months.
By getting a product to market faster, companies also gain a competitive edge. Being the first to
offer a solution in a particular market segment allows for early market penetration and customer acquisition. This helps startups capture customer loyalty and establish a strong brand presence before competitors jump on the bandwagon.
Secure early funding
Today, a unique business idea is not enough to get your initiative funded. Investors want to see evidence that there is a market for the product and that it solves a real problem customers have.
For startups, a ready-to-launch MVP is an important funding milestone that demonstrates the viability of their product to potential investors.
After making it to the market, an MVP generates data that proves the market traction of your product. Glanceable, tangible indicators like early user adoption, engagement, and feedback. help investors assess the potential for growth and revenue generation of your product, making the investment opportunity more attractive.
MVP development process: from raw ideas into valuable products
Kicking off your mobile and web app development with a minimum viable product means that you move forward in small iterations. Your product can take as many iterations as necessary to reach its optimum state. That’s why you can always go back and re-calibrate your vision.
Crystalize your product vision
The process of MVP development typically begins with ideation and brainstorming, where you identify the problem you want to solve with your product. Here, you also develop a 360-degree vision of your target audience, analyze current market trends, and come up with a unique selling proposition that makes your product emerge from the pack.
Related: Why is a discovery phase crucial for your project's success?
Prototype your product before going into full gear
Once your product vision is solid, you should test your application with users to avoid over-investment. A prototype is an interactive demo version of your app and a relatively low-cost way to validate your product vision. A prototype doesn’t contain functional code; it’s a simulation of what your future app will look like.
Prioritize core features
Now, it’s time for you and your app development team to identify the must-have functionalities for your MVP. Based on the market analysis and target audience research, your mobile app development team makes a list of the vital features, groups them by value, and creates a roadmap to outline the milestones of a product development process.
Build and launch
Unlike the traditional app development process, where the entire product is built in one go, MVP development follows an iterative workflow. Your app developers build one feature at a time, test it, and push it out. As a result, you have a seamless, error-free development process that prevents resource wastage on frills.
Collect and analyze feedback
Measuring results is a vital part of the MVP development process. When your MVP is live, you gather user feedback, prioritize it according to the metrics, and turn it into meaningful insights that will inform your future product decisions.
Evolve
Based on your insights, you develop a plan for product evolution. You can polish your MVP to perfection or turn it into a full-fledged product.
Breaking down the top ten MVP development companies for your startup
Choosing an MVP development company is much like choosing a partner for life. This high-stake decision defines the well-being of your product, your company, and your team. Let us alleviate your burden of responsibility by providing a rundown of high-performing MVP development partners that can get your project off to a good start.
Orangesoft
Founded: 2011
Number of employees: ~80
Minimum project size: $25,000+
Hourly rates: $50 – $99
Offices: Poland, US
Industry expertise: Health & Fitness, FinTech, eCommerce, Entertainment, and others
Clutch rating: 5.0
With over 12 years in the market, Orangesoft is an MVP partner of choice for global startups that want to bring game-changing products to the market. The company is known for its strong mobile application development expertise that is paired with complimentary knowledge of IoT and AI-based technologies.
Along with full-cycle MVP development, Orangesoft guides startups on their way to product growth and helps uncover new opportunities for market traction. The company also has a mature startup community where business owners can engage in new partnerships through the global network.
With over 300 projects in its portfolio, Orangesoft knows how to drive your product through the fragile stage of growth, get your product backed up by investors, and capture the audience with a trailblazing offer.
If you want to bring your idea to life — on time, on budget, and on value — Orangesoft is a top choice among MVP development companies to collaborate with.
Startup House
Founded: 2016
Number of employees: ~100
Minimum project size: $10,000+
Hourly rates: $50 – $99
Offices: Poland, Norway, Finland
Industry expertise: Fintech, Healthcare, Cybersecurity, and Greentech
Clutch rating: 4.9
Startup House is an MVP software development company with full-service expertise in building innovative digital products. The company specializes in building fintech, healthcare, cybersecurity, and greentech products for startups. As an MVP development partner, Startup House promises to drive your product idea from concept to completion in 11 weeks.
Its team of 100+ experts leverages a combination of cross-platform, backend, and frontend technologies to create game-changing MVP products. Since its inception in 2014, Startup House has successfully delivered over 100 projects for global companies.
SpdLoad
Founded: 2013
Number of employees: ~70
Minimum project size: $50,000+
Hourly rates: $25 – $49
Offices: Ukraine
Industry expertise: eCommerce, Retail, Healthcare, eLearning, and others
Clutch rating: 4.9
SpdLoad offers a full spectrum of MVP development services for non-technical startup founders. Its dedicated team of experienced developers, designers, and project managers work hand-in-hand with you to transform your concept into a minimum viable product with a product/market fit.
The company is known for its immaculate track record of projects, out-of-the-box approach to MVP development, and an impressive stack of technologies. When developing an MVP, SpdLoad puts a special emphasis on the product approach, lean mentality, and the viability of your product.
Boldare
Founded: 2004
Number of employees: ~200
Minimum project size: $25,000+
Hourly rates: $50 – $99
Offices: Poland, Germany, Netherlands, US
Industry expertise: eCommerce, Health and Beauty, Media, Energy and others
Clutch rating: 4.8
Boldare has been on the market since 2004, helping startups create disruptive digital products that break new ground. As an MVP development partner, Boldare introduces your company to a pioneering environment that fosters your product growth.
Over the course of almost 20 years, the company has successfully delivered over 80 MVPs for global businesses that operate in the energy, media, eCommerce, and other sectors. To build distinctive digital products, Boldare leverages a combination of mobile and web development technologies. For your project, Boldare hand-picks a team of MVP developers, designers, and a scrum master to build products with maximum value.
Appssemble
Founded: 2016
Number of employees: ~50
Minimum project size: $50,000+
Hourly rates: $50 – $99
Offices: Romania, US, UK
Industry expertise: FinTech, Healthcare, Logistics, eCommerce and Entertainment
Clutch rating: 5.0
Appsemble is one of the top MVP app development companies with over 10 years of experience in building digital products. The company focuses on native mobile app development, building high-quality solutions for Android and iOS. Appssemble transforms innovative ideas into mobile products by harnessing the power of AR, VR & AI.
Appssemble boasts a rich portfolio with 50+ mobile products that helped startups raise €30+ million in funding. Along with product engineering expertise, appssemble provides professional advisory services for startups to help them uncover hidden opportunities for transformation and growth.
Tapptitude
Founded: 2013
Number of employees: ~100
Minimum project size: $50,000+
Hourly rates: $50 – $99
Offices: Romania, US, UK, Netherlands
Industry expertise: FinTech, Healthcare, Automotive, eCommerce and others
Clutch rating: 4.9
At the heart of the Romanian digital community since 2013, Tapptitude is a prominent MVP development company focused on rapidly turning concepts into products. Tapptitude has over 120 projects in its portfolio, with applications ranging from on-demand apps to aerial imaging solutions.
One of Tapptitude’s defining strengths lies in its end-to-end MVP development expertise, comprehensive market analysis, and efficient development cycles. This product studio works with clients as Product Partners, guiding them on a path from idea to launching a product and scaling it up.
Uptech
Founded: 2016
Number of employees: ~90
Minimum project size: $25,000+
Hourly rates: $25 – $49
Offices: Poland, Ukraine, Cyprus, Estonia, US
Industry expertise: FinTech, Proptech, Healthcare, Entertainment, and others
Clutch rating: 4.9
Uptech is a product development partner for global startups with strong tech expertise and domain knowledge. Since 2016, its skilled team has delivered 150+ products, aiding companies in idea validation, business growth, and scale-ups. Uptech crafts both mobile applications and web solutions, amplified with the latest technologies.
Uptech also has a dedicated team of product strategists and a client success team that help the company provide unmatched product development services.
Binary Studio
Founded: 2005
Number of employees: ~200
Minimum project size: $25,000+
Hourly rates: $50 – $99
Offices: UK, UAE, Ukraine
Industry expertise: Greentech, Healthcare, Proptech
Clutch rating: 4.9
Binary Studio is a boutique product development company with a focus on cross-platform mobile applications and web solutions. As your MVP partner, Binary Studio brings a rich tapestry of expertise to the table, growing your product from A to Z as a dedicated team of experts. Over 100 success stories demonstrate a high level of the company’s technology excellence and delivery practices.
As for the domain focus, Binary Studio has picked up hands-on experience in such areas as proptech, healthtech, and greentech.
Purrweb
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: ~120
Minimum project size: $5,000+
Hourly rates: $25 – $49
Offices: UAE
Industry expertise: Travel, Healthcare, Logistics, Wellness, eCommerce, and others
Clutch rating: 4.9
When it comes to delivering exceptional user experience, Purrweb is the company to go with. Purrweb has been operating in the market for almost 10 years, helping startups bring their vision to life by developing innovative solutions. The company’s services include web development services and mobile apps. Purrweb is not afraid to take up the challenge of building your MVP in under 4 months — no matter how limited your budget is.
OAK'S LAB
Founded: 2016
Number of employees: ~200
Minimum project size: $25,000+
Hourly rates: $50 – $99
Offices: Czech Republic
Industry expertise: FinTech, Healthcare, Proptech, Automotive, and others
Clutch rating: 4.9
OAK’s LAB is a product engineering partner for early-stage and growth-stage startups with an impressive track record of projects. The company applies a winning combination of dual-track agile practices to lead the project from ideation to MVP launch to product-market fit. OAK’s Lab has had a hand in creating over 35 startups whose focus spans cutting-edge fintech applications, healthtech solutions, and more.
As your MVP development partner, the company can implement your vision regardless of the platform and project complexity.
Characteristics of the right MVP development partner for your startup idea
Sometimes, even the raddest startup idea misfires because it doesn’t receive due implementation. That’s why doing a background check on your MVP development team is essential to ensure a project’s success. Let’s paint a clear picture of what an ideal MVP development partner looks like for fledgling companies.
Full cycle approach
MVP product engineering includes far more than coding and design. It takes a mix of business analysis, product strategy expertise, quality assurance, and post-launch product evolution to give your product traction.
That’s why it’s more convenient and cost-effective to find a tech partner that has it all. End-to-end expertise accelerates time-to-market, ensures fast issue resolution, and fosters a consistent product development strategy.
Relevant experience
Years of experience in the same or adjacent domain as your product’s is another deal-breaker when choosing in favor of a partner. It’s not enough to build a tech-perfect application. Your product should target the challenges of your industry and align with the market trends.
Choosing a partner with hands-on experience in your domain means that your dev team is well aware of your business context, technical challenges in the niche, and your target audience. Also, an MVP partner with a domain background can tilt your perspective on your product and offer a more optimal solution for your business challenge.
Suitable tech stack
Rigid and limited tech stacks can become a problem for innovative, cutting-edge solutions. On the other hand, an MVP partner claiming to have practical knowledge of every technology out there should also be a red flag for startups. We recommend choosing a tech company with narrow expertise but broad skill sets in the area.
If you’re looking to build a mobile application, opt for a tech partner that specializes in native mobile app development. Ideally, your partner should have a complementary knowledge of technologies that marry well with your product. For mobile apps, it can be AI-based features or IoT development.
Strong product-oriented mindset
The product approach is what separates tech partners from software development vendors. Along with tech proficiency, your partner should possess strategic product knowledge to see how your tech solution aligns with your product strategy. Some MVP development partners also have their own business ecosystem where startups can find partners and network with industry leaders to generate buzz for their products.
Social proof
Even if your potential technical partner checks all the boxes listed above, testimonials and reviews will give you a better picture of what to expect from the company. Be sure to check references, contact former clients, and gauge feedback on industry listings like Clutch and Goodfirms.
Choosing a great MVP partner is choosing a great product
There's a lot that can stop your startup from taking off. An MVP development partner should be a heavy hitter on the way to your success, not a bottleneck. Betting on an experienced team of digital innovators is the best way to scale your startup idea to new heights and ensure the longevity of your product in the market.
Orangesoft is a leading tech partner for startups that want to make a mobile product with a lasting impact. Many startups like yours succeeded with our products. You can, too. Just contact us, and we’ll take it from there.
