Kirill, the founder of an educational project, came to meet us. His mission was one of those that ignite hearts: to save the disappearing Tofalar language through VR.

But from a business perspective, his idea looked like the perfect recipe for burning money:

• 1. Take an expensive, not fully validated technology (VR).
• 2. Apply it to an ultra-niche, non-paying market (a small ethnic group).
• 3. Add a founder without a technical background.

Any classic investor would say this is a direct path to failure and write-offs. Kirill knew this himself. His mission was on the edge of financial disaster before it even began. He didn't come to us just for code. He came for confidence that his dream wouldn't turn into the most expensive failure of his life.

He told us about meeting Saizana, a teacher and native speaker:

> "She proudly showed me their new paper primer. And then she said: 'This is our treasure, but it loses to any smartphone in 30 seconds.' That's when I realized: if we fail, if we make 'just another app,' we won't just waste money. We'll waste her last hope."

How Founders Burn Money: Kirill's Three Biggest Fears

Kirill's fears are a textbook list of how MVP budgets go up in smoke:

Way #1: Build something beautiful but useless

His biggest fear: "What if we spend 80% of the budget building a technologically advanced VR, only to find out it doesn't solve the main problem — kids aren't engaged? It'll be the most expensive toy no one wants."

Way #2: Lose control over development

"I'm not a tech guy. How will I know the budget isn't bloated? That 'unexpected complexities' are real and not just a way to pull more money? Losing control is a straight road to uncontrolled budget burn."

Way #3: End up with a 'black box' instead of an asset

"What if I get a product only this same team can maintain? Any change would cost a fortune. I wouldn't be buying a product, I'd be buying expensive slavery that burns money monthly."

Solution: An Investment Protection Plan

We approached the task as a financial special operation: protect Kirill's capital by minimizing risks at every step.

Step 1. R&D as a Service: Extinguish the fire before it starts

Instead of betting the entire budget, we isolated the biggest risk. We didn't ask: "How do we build the whole platform?" We asked: "What's the cheapest, fastest way to test if VR can even 'beat the smartphone' for a child's attention?" That's how the pilot project "Living Dictionary" was born. We spent a fraction of the potential MVP budget to answer a question worth the whole project. This wasn't an expense — it was buying certainty.

Step 2. CTO as a Service: Your budget control panel

We built Kirill a simple web interface to manage the entire process. It wasn't just empathy. It was a financial control tool. He saw where each week of development went. He could change content himself without expensive programmers. We eliminated the very possibility of "unexpected costs."

Step 3. End-to-End MVP: Turning expenses into an asset

The outcome wasn't just code. It was a working asset: a product tested on real users, generating delight, video feedback, and clear proof of value. We didn't just spend Kirill's money. We turned it into something more — traction.

Result: When Money Doesn't Burn, but Multiplies

The very first pilot was a stunning success. But the main result was financial. With not just an idea but a working, validated product in hand, Kirill was able to attract attention and win a presidential grant. His initial, risky investments didn't go up in smoke. They paid off many times over, opening the way for full-scale funding and project growth.

This is our philosophy. Your Idea. Engineered for Growth.

Your Budget Is Fuel for Growth, Not Firewood

You have an idea and a budget you're ready to invest in it. That capital is the most valuable thing you have. Before you hand it over, make sure your partner is thinking not about how to spend it, but about how to protect and multiply it.

Visit our website www.terekhindt.com to book a Go-to-Market MVP Scoping Session.

Let's create a plan together that turns your money not into smoke, but into fuel for your business growth.