You bring the idea. We become the build.
OSSOFTS Studio is our build-for-equity program for founders with a real idea and no technical team. We design, build, and launch the product — then stay on as your engineering partner as the business grows.
One partnership, four stages
We take an equity stake instead of full payment upfront — so we're building toward the same outcome you are.
Apply & idea review
You bring the idea and domain knowledge. We review it for fit — market, feasibility, and whether we're the right build partner.
Scope & equity agreement
If it's a fit, we agree on scope and an equity stake — typically between 10–25%, set based on scope, risk, and stage.
Build & launch
We design, build, and ship the product as a technical co-founder would, not a vendor working off a spec sheet.
Grow together
After launch, you pay an agreed monthly fee for ongoing engineering support — one that steps down as your revenue grows and the pressure comes off.
Most software companies won't build for equity. We do.
Finding a technical co-founder is slow and expensive. A dev agency wants cash you may not have. OSSOFTS Studio removes that blocker — we become the technical team, and we're only paid if the thing we build actually works.
| Hiring a technical co-founder | A traditional dev agency | OSSOFTS Studio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $0 cash, but 30–50%+ equity and months spent searching | Typically $50k–$250k+, paid regardless of outcome | $0 cash — 10–25% equity instead |
| Commitment after launch | Full-time, if you can find and afford one | Often ends at delivery unless you sign a separate retainer | Built-in monthly engineering support that steps down as you grow |
| Risk if it doesn't work out | Equity is already given up, salary commitments may remain | Cash is already spent regardless of outcome | We only earn if you launch — no cash spent chasing an invoice |
| Who's actually accountable | Depends entirely on who you found | A vendor relationship — accountable to the contract, not the outcome | A team with equity in the outcome, not just the invoice |
What the engagement actually looks like
Equity stake, set based on scope, risk, and stage — agreed before any build work starts.
Upfront cash cost for the build itself — the equity is the payment for the initial engagement.
A monthly engineering fee begins after launch, structured to decrease as the company's own revenue grows.
What you bring
- A specific problem you understand deeply, ideally in a market you have real experience in
- Time and commitment to run the business once it's built — this isn't a side project for us or for you
- Openness to a long-term, aligned partnership rather than a one-off vendor relationship
- A clear enough scope that we can commit to a realistic build, even if the details still need work
- Willingness to be selective with us — we turn down more applications than we accept
What OSSOFTS brings
- Product design and engineering, from architecture through launch, as a technical co-founder would
- A team that treats the equity stake as real skin in the game, not a marketing line
- Ongoing technical partnership after launch, not a handoff and disappearance
- The same engineering standard we hold client work to — regulated-industry-grade, not a weekend MVP
- A written agreement before any build work starts — equity terms, IP ownership, and scope, all on paper
Frequently asked
Have an idea worth building?
Applications are reviewed for fit — not every idea moves forward, but every application gets a real answer.