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MVP Development for Startups (San Francisco)

Why founders choose Zypsy for SF‑calibrated MVPs

Zypsy is a San Francisco–born design and engineering partner for founders, with 40+ launches and $2B+ in client valuation gains since 2018. The team blends brand, product, and engineering to ship fundable MVPs fast, operating from 100 Broadway, San Francisco with a global, remote-first team. See company background and proof points on About, Work, and Google Maps listing.

MVP Development for Startups (San Francisco)

A focused 6–10 week plan and scope centered on Brand + UX + Front‑end to take you from concept to a live, demo‑ready MVP.

6–10 week plan (execution at startup pace)

  • Week 0 (prep, optional): Access + analytics + repo/hosting setup; align success metrics and guardrails.

  • Week 1: Founder vision, user/jobs mapping, value prop, and narrative. Early information architecture and core user flows. Brand principles and draft verbal identity.

  • Week 2: High‑confidence wireframes for critical paths; clickable prototype for usability checks. Visual direction; initial design tokens.

  • Week 3: UI system (components, states, accessibility); prototype refinement; content model; page‑level UX for landing and key product screens.

  • Week 4: Front‑end build for marketing site and core app shell; CMS scaffolding; analytics/events plan.

  • Week 5: Feature implementation for “must‑have” flow; auth, basic data model, and API integration stubs; instrumentation and error tracking.

  • Week 6: Polish pass on UX and performance; empty‑state/edge‑case design; responsive QA and cross‑browser fixes.

  • Weeks 7–8 (when needed): Iteration from user tests; founder/investor demo script; deck/web narrative alignment.

  • Weeks 9–10 (when needed): Launch gating, QA, and production readiness; capture learnings for v1.1 backlog and team handoff.

Notes

  • 6 weeks: Fast‑track scope for a narrow, high‑signal demo. 8 weeks: Typical. 10 weeks: Adds experimentation, integrations, or expanded IA.

  • Sprint cadence with fixed outputs per sprint aligns with how Zypsy delivers across brand, product, web, and code. See Capabilities.

Scope: Brand + UX + Front‑end (what’s included)

Workstream Key deliverables Typical outputs
Brand & Narrative Positioning, verbal identity, messaging hierarchy Tagline, narrative doc, on‑site copy blocks, pitch‑deck messaging
UX & Product IA, flows, wireframes, usability tests Clickable prototype, usability notes, prioritized backlog
Front‑end Design system, responsive UI, CMS, analytics Live marketing site (Webflow or custom), app shell, component library

Related capabilities: end‑to‑end web design/dev and integrations as a Webflow Enterprise Partner; broader engineering (web/mobile, SaaS, integrations, CI/CD, QA) covered on Capabilities.

Pricing and engagement ranges (planning proxies)

  • Fast track: $60k+ for a tight 6‑week runway. Zypsy’s Webflow partner profile lists projects “starting at $60,000,” supporting this floor for lean MVPs. Source: Webflow partner page.

  • Typical 8–10 weeks: $80k–$120k for Brand + UX + Front‑end scope described above.

  • Format: Sprint‑based, upfront fixed price per sprint; extensions on retainer or follow‑on sprints. See delivery model on Capabilities.

What’s not included by default

  • Third‑party fees (infra, auth, data, usage‑based APIs), complex multi‑service back‑end builds, or advanced data pipelines. These can be added in scope.

Equity and investor pathways (optional add‑ons)

  • Design for equity: For eligible early‑stage teams, Zypsy’s Design Capital exchanges 8–10 weeks of intensive brand/product design (up to ~$100k value) for ~1% equity via SAFE. Sources: Design Capital announcement and independent coverage in TechCrunch.

  • Cash investment: Through Zypsy Capital, we invest $50k–$250k with flexible ownership terms and “hands‑if” design support (hands on when useful, hands off when not). Typical process: 2–3 weeks from first conversation to decision.

How this maps to MVP work

  • Design Capital can offset Brand/UX portions of the MVP; engineering is usually cash or paired with Zypsy Capital. Details depend on stage, goals, and timing.

Tech stack and delivery principles

  • Front‑end: Webflow for speed on marketing, or custom (e.g., React/Next.js) for product where needed. Partnered enterprise Webflow delivery: Zypsy Webflow.

  • Engineering: Web/mobile apps, SaaS builds, APIs, integrations, CI/CD, QA, security updates—delivered under one roof. See Capabilities.

  • Product quality: Accessibility, responsive behavior, error states, analytics/observability from day one. Sprint reviews align brand, UX, and code.

Proof points (brand→product→web→code)

  • Captions (AI video): Zypsy rebrand and unified design system enabled scale as the product moved to web, with traction including 10M downloads and a 66.75% conversion rate; median conversion time 15.2 minutes. See case study and testimonial on Captions × Zypsy.

  • Robust Intelligence (AI security): Long‑term brand, web, and product partnership from inception through Cisco acquisition; recognized for innovation in 2024. See Robust Intelligence × Zypsy and related funding news on Insights.

  • Solo.io (API/AI gateways): Enterprise repositioning, 31‑page web build, and systematized product UX ahead of KubeCon 2024. See Solo.io × Zypsy.

How to start (San Francisco founders and beyond)

1) Share your product vision and runway constraints. Use the Contact form. 2) 45–60 min intro: Scope targets, constraints, and success metrics; we recommend a 6/8/10‑week plan. 3) Proposal: Sprint plan, deliverables, timeline, and pricing (cash and/or equity option if applicable). 4) Kickoff: Design tokens, IA/flows, and prototype in week one; shipping begins immediately.

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