How the day works
You sit down with an experienced CTO who drives professional AI coding tools like Claude Code and Cursor. The AI types fast. The CTO knows what to ask for, what to keep and what to throw away.
- 1
Intro call
Tell us what you're building. If an AI app builder can do it, we'll tell you to use one. If it needs a CTO and a developer or two for months, we'll say that. If it's right in the middle, we'll book your day and tell you whether it looks like one day or two. Already sure? Skip the call and apply.
- 2
Prep, before we meet
The work starts well before 9am. We read everything you've sent, draft the spec and the data model, and set up the project, so the day is spent building. It's why the first day costs more than the ones after it.
- 3
The day itself
About 9am to 7pm, in person in Boston or virtually from anywhere, or split into two half days. You're in the room for every decision that matters.
- 4
After the day
The code is yours to hand to any developer or keep building yourself. When you hit features that are too complex to build alone, come back for a follow-on day.
Hour by hour
By the time we sit down, the spec and the data model are already drafted. A precise spec and a well-designed database are what make the rest of the day fast, and what keep the AI from inventing things you didn't ask for.
- Before 9am
- Before we meetWe read everything you've sent, draft the spec and data model, and set up the project, so the day doesn't start from a blank page.
- –
- Get clearWe walk through the draft spec together and get clear on what we're building first. Nothing is locked: plenty of days pivot by lunch.
- –
- FoundationsRepo, database, sign-in and a deploy pipeline, all in your own accounts.
- –
- The core feature(s)What your users come to do, built and working.In person? Working lunch is on us.
- –
- Everything around itEmails, payments, admin screens: whatever the spec calls for.
- –
- ShipDeployed and tested end to end.
- –
- HandoffA walkthrough of the code and a list of what comes next.
What it's built with
A modern, proven stack that any developer you hire later will already know.
Every line here is a recommendation, not a rule. If your product has a good reason to use something else, we use something else, and we'll talk it through with you before the day.
| Language | TypeScript, front to back |
|---|---|
| Web app | Next.js if the MVP needs server-rendered public pages, Vite and React if it doesn't, with Mantine either way |
| API | NestJS, cleanly separated from the front end, so there's a proper front end and a proper back end |
| Database | PostgreSQL on Cloud SQL, with Drizzle for queries and migrations |
| Sign-in | Clerk |
| Payments | Stripe, if you charge for anything |
| Resend | |
| Mobile | Capacitor, only if the MVP needs a mobile app |
| Hosting | Cloud Run in your own Google Cloud account, deployed by GitHub Actions |
Where and when
In person in Boston
Side by side at Venture Lane. Lunch is on us.
Virtual from anywhere
Over a video call, from anywhere in the world. It works just as well.
One day or two halves
A full day, or two sessions of about 4 hours on different days. We're not strict; some run to 6.
Find out if you're one of the four.
If you already know you're a fit, apply and we'll schedule your day. If you're not sure, talk to us first. If we're not the right answer, we'll say so and point you somewhere better.