What's included in the $25K-$60K MVP cost?

Complete production-ready SaaS platform including: Frontend web application (React/Next.js or Vue), backend API with microservices architecture, database setup with migrations and backups, user authentication (email/password, OAuth, SSO), payment integration (Stripe, PayPal, or similar), admin dashboard with analytics, AI-powered features (LLM integration, vector search), cloud infrastructure setup (AWS/Azure/GCP), CI/CD pipeline with automated testing, monitoring and error tracking (DataDog, Sentry), security hardening and penetration testing, documentation (technical and user guides), 2 weeks post-launch support. Price depends on: Feature complexity and number of user roles, AI model requirements (off-the-shelf vs custom), integration complexity with third-party services, expected scale (users, data volume, TPS requirements).

How do you handle AI integration without external vendors?

We have in-house AI expertise eliminating vendor dependencies: LLM Integration: Direct API integration with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Vertex AI, or AWS Bedrock, custom prompt engineering and optimization, fallback strategies for API failures. RAG Systems: Vector database setup (Pinecone, Weaviate, Qdrant), semantic search with embedding models, document ingestion pipelines with chunking strategies. Custom ML Models: Training pipelines with your data, model serving infrastructure with auto-scaling, A/B testing frameworks for model performance. Data Infrastructure: Real-time analytics with ClickHouse or BigQuery, event tracking and user behavior analysis, BI dashboards with Metabase or custom solutions. This integrated approach: Saves 2-4 weeks versus coordinating external AI vendors, reduces costs by 30-40% (no vendor markup), ensures faster iterations based on feedback, maintains IP ownership of all AI components.

Is the architecture truly production-ready or just an MVP that needs rebuilding?

Our platforms are architected for 10x growth from day one: Microservices Design: Services isolated by domain, independent scaling and deployment, fault tolerance with circuit breakers, API gateway for unified entry point. Cloud-Native Infrastructure: Kubernetes orchestration with auto-scaling (handles traffic spikes automatically), containerization for consistent deployment, serverless functions for event-driven tasks, multi-region deployment for high availability. Database Architecture: Read replicas for scaling queries, connection pooling and caching (Redis), database sharding strategies defined upfront, backup and disaster recovery configured. Performance: Sub-second API response times, CDN for static assets and images, database query optimization, background job processing for heavy tasks. Unlike typical MVPs that hit scaling walls at 1000 users requiring expensive rewrites, our architecture handles millions of users without fundamental changes. You add capacity (horizontal scaling), not rebuild code.

What happens after the 12-week delivery?

Post-launch options tailored to startup needs: Included (Weeks 13-14): Bug fixes and critical issues, performance optimization based on real traffic, team training and knowledge transfer, documentation handoff. Monthly Retainer ($5K-15K/month): New feature development (2-4 features/month), ongoing maintenance and updates, infrastructure monitoring and scaling, priority support with 4-hour response SLA, security patches and dependency updates. Dedicated Team Augmentation: Add 1-3 engineers to your team ($15K-20K/month per engineer), integrate with your workflow and processes, scale up for growth, down during slow periods. Exit with Full Ownership: Complete codebase with MIT/Apache license, infrastructure setup documentation, deployment scripts and CI/CD configs, admin access to all cloud resources and services. Most startups choose: 2-3 month retainer to stabilize post-launch, then transition to internal team or continue with us for ongoing development.

How do you ensure enterprise-grade security for startups?

Security built-in from day one, not bolted on later: Authentication & Authorization: Multi-factor authentication (TOTP, SMS, email), role-based access control (RBAC) with granular permissions, OAuth 2.0 / OpenID Connect integration, session management with secure tokens (JWT with refresh rotation). Data Protection: Encryption at rest (AES-256) and in transit (TLS 1.3), secrets management with AWS Secrets Manager or HashiCorp Vault, PII data masking and anonymization, database encryption and backup encryption. Infrastructure Security: Network isolation with VPCs and security groups, Web Application Firewall (WAF) blocking common attacks, DDoS protection with Cloudflare or AWS Shield, regular security patches and dependency updates. Compliance Frameworks: ISO 27001 security controls implementation, GDPR compliance (data deletion, portability, consent), SOC 2 preparation assistance, penetration testing with vulnerability reports. Security Monitoring: Real-time threat detection and alerting, audit logs for all system access and changes, automated vulnerability scanning (Snyk, GitHub Dependabot), incident response procedures documented.

Can you integrate with existing systems and third-party APIs?

Yes, we specialize in complex integrations: Common Integrations (No Extra Cost): Payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Braintree), authentication providers (Auth0, Okta, Google/Microsoft SSO), email services (SendGrid, AWS SES, Postmark), cloud storage (AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob), analytics (Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude). Custom API Integrations: REST APIs with proper error handling and retries, GraphQL APIs with efficient query batching, Webhooks for real-time event processing, rate limiting and quota management, data transformation and mapping. Legacy System Integration: Database connectors (Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL), file-based data exchange (CSV, XML, JSON), SOAP web services (with modern REST wrapper), message queues (RabbitMQ, Kafka, SQS), scheduled ETL jobs for data synchronization. Each integration includes: Comprehensive error handling and logging, monitoring and alerting for failures, documentation of endpoints and data flows, automated tests ensuring reliability. Integration complexity affects timeline, not core architecture quality.

What makes you different from other dev shops and agencies?

Three key differentiators: 1. AI & Data Engineering In-House: Most agencies outsource AI work or use no-code tools. We have ML engineers who build custom models, data engineers who design scalable pipelines, infrastructure specialists who optimize GPU workloads. This means: Faster iterations (no vendor coordination), 30-40% cost savings (no vendor markup), full IP ownership of AI components, seamless integration of AI into product features. 2. Production-Grade from Day One: Typical agencies build MVPs that require expensive rewrites at scale. We architect for growth: Microservices instead of monoliths, Kubernetes auto-scaling configured upfront, database sharding strategies defined, CI/CD and monitoring from week 1. Cost comparison: Our $40K production-ready platform vs competitor's $25K MVP + $80K rebuild = $65K savings. 3. Startup-Focused Engagement: Flexible payment (50% upfront, 50% at milestones), weekly demos ensuring transparency, post-launch support included (2 weeks), option to hire our developers full-time after project. We act as technical co-founders, not just vendors. Your success determines our reputation and referrals.

Complete SaaS Development for Startups

From Zero to Production-Ready Platform

Q: How can you deliver production-ready SaaS in 8-12 weeks when agencies take 6+ months?

We achieve 3x faster delivery through: Pre-built component library reducing development time by 40%, AI-assisted code generation for boilerplate and standard features, DevOps automation eliminating manual deployment overhead, dedicated full-time teams (no resource juggling across projects), proven architecture patterns avoiding trial-and-error, weekly demos ensuring no surprises or rework at the end. Traditional agencies: switch developers between projects, design architecture from scratch each time, manual testing and deployment processes, deliver everything at once (waterfall approach). We deliver iteratively with production deployment from week 1.

We don't just build MVPs—we architect complete, scalable SaaS platforms. With AI, data engineering, and DevOps expertise in-house, your product ships production-ready from day one.

Rapid MVP with auth, payments & admin dashboards included

AI-powered features pre-integrated (LLM APIs, RAG, ML models, vector search)

Production-Grade SaaS Platform

Complete Features

Cloud-native DevOps with auto-scaling, CI/CD, monitoring & high uptime

Enterprise security & built to scale (10x growth ready, GDPR-compliant)

Tech Stack You Own

React/Next.jsNode.jsPostgreSQLAI APIsKubernetesAWS/Azure/GCP

Development Metrics

Rapid

Delivery

High

Performance

Reliable

Infrastructure

Fast

Time to market

Cost vs Agencies

PricingCompetitive

PlatformProduction-Ready

Quality guaranteedBuilt by Cognilium

Why Traditional Agencies Fail Startups

Slow delivery, high costs, and platforms that break under growth. Startups need speed and scale, not prototypes.

Long Agency Timelines

Traditional agencies take many months to deliver MVPs. By the time you launch, competitors have captured market share and investor interest has cooled.

💸 Miss market window, lose first-mover advantage

High Development Costs

Agencies charge premium prices for basic MVPs, burning runway before you validate product-market fit. Hidden costs for change requests and post-launch support.

💸 Runway depleted before achieving traction

MVPs That Don't Scale

Most dev shops build prototypes, not production platforms. At scale, you face expensive rewrites. Architecture designed for demo, not growth.

💸 Expensive rebuild costs when you start scaling

No AI/Data Expertise

Agencies outsource AI work to vendors or skip it entirely. Your 'smart' features are basic rules, not intelligent systems. Data infrastructure bolted on later.

💸 Product lacks AI differentiation investors demand

Startups need production-ready platforms fast. That's exactly what we deliver.

See Our Approach

Full-Stack SaaS Platform

Complete production-ready platform with AI, data engineering, DevOps, and enterprise security—all in one team.

Rapid MVP Development

Launch rapidly with core features, user authentication, payment integration, and admin dashboards. Sprint-based development with weekly demos and iterative feedback.

User authentication (email/password, OAuth, SSO)
Payment integration (Stripe, PayPal, subscriptions)
Admin dashboard with analytics and user management
Core workflows and business logic

AI-Powered Features Built-In

Pre-integrated LLM APIs, RAG pipelines, ML models, vector search, and intelligent automation. No extra vendors needed—everything in-house.

LLM integration (OpenAI, Anthropic, Vertex AI, Bedrock)
RAG systems with vector databases (Pinecone, Weaviate)
Custom ML models with training pipelines
Real-time analytics and event tracking

Cloud-Native Architecture

Auto-scaling on AWS/Azure/GCP, microservices design, high uptime SLAs, fast response times. Kubernetes orchestration and serverless functions.

Kubernetes with auto-scaling and self-healing
Microservices with API gateway
CI/CD pipeline with automated testing
Monitoring with DataDog, Prometheus, Grafana

Enterprise Security & Compliance

Multi-factor auth, encryption, role-based access, ISO 27001 frameworks, GDPR-ready from day one. Built to scale—architecture handles significant growth without rewrite.

Multi-factor authentication (TOTP, SMS, email)
Encryption at rest and in transit (AES-256, TLS 1.3)
RBAC with granular permissions
GDPR compliance (data deletion, portability)

Proven Results for Startups

Production-ready SaaS platforms built by Cognilium.

Cost-Effective

Solutions

Competitive pricing

Rapid

Delivery

Faster time to market

High

Performance

Production-ready platform

Scalable

Architecture

Built by Cognilium

Perfect For Startups That Need

🎯 Investor-Ready MVP

AI differentiation and data-driven insights that impress investors

🔒 Enterprise Security

B2B platforms requiring SOC2, GDPR compliance from day one

📈 Fast Scaling

Products that must scale fast without technical debt or rewrites

Technology Stack You Own

Modern, proven technologies that you fully own. No vendor lock-in, complete codebase access.

Frontend

Modern, responsive user interfaces

React/Next.js 15

Flutter (mobile)

Tailwind CSS

Backend

Scalable API and microservices

Node.js

Python FastAPI

Go microservices

GraphQL/REST

Database

High-performance data storage

PostgreSQL

MongoDB

Redis caching

Vector databases

AI Layer

Intelligent features and automation

OpenAI/Anthropic

Vector DBs

Custom ML models

RAG pipelines

Infrastructure

Cloud-native deployment

Kubernetes

Docker

Serverless functions

AWS/Azure/GCP

Monitoring

Real-time insights and alerting

DataDog

Prometheus

Grafana

Error tracking

Complete Ownership

You own the complete codebase, infrastructure, and data. MIT/Apache license, full documentation, admin access to all services.

✓ Full source code

✓ Infrastructure setup

✓ Deployment scripts

✓ Technical documentation

Our Development Process

From idea to production-ready SaaS platform with weekly demos and iterative feedback.

Discovery Phase

Product Discovery & Architecture

Product discovery sessions to define core features and user workflows, architecture design with scalability patterns, tech stack finalization based on requirements.

Deliverables:

Product requirements document
Architecture design
Tech stack finalized
Cost & timeline estimate

Development Phase

Core Development with Weekly Demos

Sprint-based development with weekly demos, iterative feedback and feature refinement, user authentication and payment integration, admin dashboards and core workflows.

Deliverables:

Working features weekly
User auth & payments
Admin dashboard
Core workflows complete

Testing Phase

Testing & Security Hardening

Comprehensive testing (unit, integration, end-to-end), security penetration testing and vulnerability assessment, performance optimization and load testing.

Deliverables:

All tests passing
Security hardened
Performance optimized
Compliance validated

Launch Phase

Production Deployment & Launch

Production deployment with zero-downtime strategy, monitoring and alerting setup with real-time dashboards, team training on platform operations and maintenance.

Deliverables:

Production deployed
Monitoring live
Team trained
Documentation delivered

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about building production-ready SaaS.

We achieve faster delivery through: Pre-built component library reducing development time significantly, AI-assisted code generation for boilerplate and standard features, DevOps automation eliminating manual deployment overhead, dedicated full-time teams (no resource juggling across projects), proven architecture patterns avoiding trial-and-error, weekly demos ensuring no surprises or rework at the end. Traditional agencies: switch developers between projects, design architecture from scratch each time, manual testing and deployment processes, deliver everything at once (waterfall approach). We deliver iteratively with production deployment from the start.

Ready to Launch Your SaaS?

Get production-ready platform with competitive pricing. AI-powered features built-in from day one.

Competitive

Pricing

Rapid

Delivery

High

Performance

Get Strategy Assessment Discuss Your SaaS Idea

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