Artem Khudenko

Yesterday I read a lengthy discussion on YC HackerHews that no-code is just "a buzzword". So here are my two cents 1) No Code is BIG. Gartner estimates that "by 2024, low-code application development will be responsible for more than 65% of application development activity". So no-code is something we should take very seriously because as a trend and as an industry it will only grow. The capabilities for product development are huge, while no code & low code tools will only improve in functions. For example, I founder a no-code startup, called WeLoveNoCode (https://welovenocode.com/) which helps startup founders hire no-code developers and build products 10x faster. We got $1M funding, grow to $150K MRR, and made 2000+ projects. It's not a joke, this market is huge! 2) No code is USEFUL No-code is the art of creating solutions (native apps, websites, web apps), which could have been written with code but instead using visual methods (without coding). Most no-code tools use a visual drag-and-drop interface. In addition, a lot of them have pre-built templates that you can customize. There is also a slight difference between "low-code" and "no-code." With "low-code," you can do many things with a drag-and-drop interface; however, some coding is required for a finished product. So you ANYWAY need some background in coding. Low-code is typically great for people with intermediate technical skills. No code is a new way of building products, very different products. It's not magic. What can be built with no-code? * Mobile apps, * web apps, * websites, * workflow * automation, * marketing tools, * payment systems and the list goes on. Basically, "typical" products & MVPs benefit the most from no code. So the founder can build something in weeks, really fast. For example, WeLoveNoCode connects founders with the best no-code developers to create their software and apps without a single line of code in like ten days. You can do all of these on a monthly subscription plan. 2.) No code has proven its place already and it has A LOT of the advantages: * will save you money * you can build and test your ideas quickly * anyone can use it > Designers, product managers, marketing managers now can make their ideas tangible products. Just like a new thing, tools have to be learned, and they all have their learning curves. However, it will take you much less time and resources to learn how to use no-code tools. Unlike low-code tools, no-code tools have a limit to how much you can customize them. So if you want to change every aspect of your product or build very complex products, no-code tools may bring some limitations. However, there's so much innovation and growth with these tools, so I expect fewer barriers in a few months.

Feel free to mention yours! I want to launch the "MVP tools list" and want to add not well-known but still super useful tools to launch products faster.

Hello friends! Recently I summarised learnings on closing the $1M round for my startup. I thought it could be useful for other founders who are going into $500k - $1M fundraising. If we haven't met before, I'm running WeLoveNoCode, a marketplace to hire no-code developers for building MVPs & validating hypotheses (https://www.welovenocode.com/). It would be awesome to share more of how we are building WeLoveNoCode with the community. So here are "to-do" items that I used (feel free to copy it into your Notion): Preparation & Planning [ ] Get familiar with the fundraising process, spend some time reading. [ ] Set up fundraising plan: [ ] Wrire down a timeline to pitch investors & close round: starting date, ideal close date. 3 months for fundraising. (I closed in less than a month but 3 months is a more realistic timeline). Consider the time of the year: NY holidays and summer can be slower business seasons. [ ] Define roles: who will help in fundraising. [ ] Define round you need to close, valuation, how much equity are you open to giving on this round, SAFE/equity/loan. [ ] Put all tasks below with responsible in the tasks management system. Make strong pitch deck + financial modeling [ ] Make v1 of the pitch deck [ ] Make 10-15 slides pitch deck. Figma templates for pitch decks: https://www.welovenocode.com/pit... Comment: I made more than 30 versions of the pitch deck before it was good. [ ] Get the sweetest traction you can find. Run market research to show data behind your market potential. [ ] Get designer and copywriter to clean up the deck. [ ] Cover the WHY behind your startup. Treat your deck as a sales pitch: having a good story behind building your startup will make emotional connections. [ ] Get feedback from founders who raised similar rounds ideally from investors you want to get in. [ ] Make business model (BM) ready to be shown, cover: [ ] Have unit economy [ ] Cover MoM user and revenue growth [ ] Cover User acquisition strategy and CAC in BM [ ] Do not BS. Double-check numbers for accuracy. [ ] Get feedback on BM from your mentors & adviser to be sure it's meeting investors' expectations. Angels, VCs have a typical set of expectations and you need to meet them in your presentation and your pitch deck. [ ] Answers on typical questions which you got asked often Pitch investors [ ] Create a list of investors you'd love to pitch [ ] Set up a CRM system. Research relevant investors. [ ] Asked for the intro, look for ways to get into the investors' radar via the network. [ ] Make forwardable emails & intro requests. Get pCalendly link with timeslots. Close the deal! [ ] Start having investors call, moving via your funnel. [ ] Make constant follow-ups + investor updates. Get an assistant to help you update investors weekly. [ ] Ask for introductions from everyone, even if you get rejection. [ ] Create Momentum with growth numbers & traction, PR, PH launches. [ ] CLOSE the first LOI. [ ] Push other interested investors to join the round. Get LOI signed. [ ] Go via Due & Diligence. [ ] Have a lawyer to help you if needed. [ ] Get docs signed. Push to get money on the bank account. [ ] Plan PR of your round: https://www.welovenocode.com/fre...