Two ways in. Both are plain.
Make an idea builds a prototype for you. Buy an idea sells you a finished app with its premium domain.
- Type two thingsAn idea name (1 to 60 characters) and a short description (10 to 500 characters) in the Idea Computer. No chat, no settings.
- Confirm the cost69 credits ($69), spent only if the build finishes. Press Y to start, N to cancel or E to edit.
- Sign in only if neededSign in happens inside the Idea Computer, and only when you start a build. Your idea is kept while you sign in or top up.
- The build runs unattendedAbout two hours, on our servers. The monitor shows six stages, elapsed time and overall progress. There is no countdown.
- Leave and come backFour ways back to the same record: the done email, My builds, the build page, and WATCH n in the Idea Computer.
- Receive the resultA hosted demo, the source files, UX and brand files, a technical build spec and a next-step prompt. We email the links.
The six stages
| Stage | Name | Estimate | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUSINESS THINKING · kept private | about 15 min | Kept private, never shown |
| 2 | BRAND AND UX FILES | about 10 min | ux/, brand files, landing concept |
| 3 | TECHNICAL BUILD SPEC | about 40 min | build-spec.md |
| 4 | BUILDING THE APP | about 45 min | src/ (often 200+ files) |
| 5 | DEPLOYING THE DEMO | about 5 min | Hosted demo URL |
| 6 | PACKAGING THE FILES | about 5 min | package.zip and the next-step prompt |
What you get
- A hosted demo, free for 7 days.
- The app source files as one download.
- UX and brand files.
- A technical build spec (build-spec.md).
- A next-step prompt that takes the prototype to production, round by round.
What it costs
69 credits per build (1 credit = $1). Credits are reserved when the build starts, spent only when it finishes, and returned automatically if it fails. Packs: Starter 69 credits for $69, Builder 200 credits for $180, Studio 500 credits for $425. Studio covers up to 7 full builds (7 x 69 = 483) with 17 credits left over. Premium hosting is 10 credits for 365 days, with the footer credit removed. See credit rules and refunds.
Honest note. This is a prototype. Small faults, like a missing logo or a rough edge, are normal. Use the build spec and the next-step prompt to take it further. Builds are made by AI, and free demos carry the footer credit "Designed and built by startiup.com".
Your ideas are private. They are never listed, sold or shown to anyone.
The name
The name reads start / i / up. The i stands for the individual and their idea. The logo draws it: the i sits inside a tall block, like the cursor on an old computer screen.