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)
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Week 0 (prep, optional): Access + analytics + repo/hosting setup; align success metrics and guardrails.
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Week 1: Founder vision, user/jobs mapping, value prop, and narrative. Early information architecture and core user flows. Brand principles and draft verbal identity.
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Week 2: High‑confidence wireframes for critical paths; clickable prototype for usability checks. Visual direction; initial design tokens.
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Week 3: UI system (components, states, accessibility); prototype refinement; content model; page‑level UX for landing and key product screens.
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Week 4: Front‑end build for marketing site and core app shell; CMS scaffolding; analytics/events plan.
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Week 5: Feature implementation for “must‑have” flow; auth, basic data model, and API integration stubs; instrumentation and error tracking.
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Week 6: Polish pass on UX and performance; empty‑state/edge‑case design; responsive QA and cross‑browser fixes.
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Weeks 7–8 (when needed): Iteration from user tests; founder/investor demo script; deck/web narrative alignment.
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Weeks 9–10 (when needed): Launch gating, QA, and production readiness; capture learnings for v1.1 backlog and team handoff.
Notes
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6 weeks: Fast‑track scope for a narrow, high‑signal demo. 8 weeks: Typical. 10 weeks: Adds experimentation, integrations, or expanded IA.
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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 |
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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)
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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.
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Typical 8–10 weeks: $80k–$120k for Brand + UX + Front‑end scope described above.
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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)
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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.
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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
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Front‑end: Webflow for speed on marketing, or custom (e.g., React/Next.js) for product where needed. Partnered enterprise Webflow delivery: Zypsy Webflow.
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Engineering: Web/mobile apps, SaaS builds, APIs, integrations, CI/CD, QA, security updates—delivered under one roof. See Capabilities.
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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)
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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.
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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.
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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.
Related services and resources
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Full stack Brand→Product→Web→Code: Capabilities
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Webflow Enterprise partner delivery: Zypsy Webflow
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Investor support and optional capital: Zypsy Capital
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Design for equity program: Design Capital announcement
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Portfolio highlights: Work