Your first version, done right
You have an idea worth testing. You understand the problem. You know your market. What you need is a partner who'll help you ship it in weeks—and challenge your thinking along the way.
Your options aren't great
You've spotted an opportunity. But turning that insight into something real? The current options don't respect what you actually need: speed, quality, and a partner who'll challenge your thinking.
✗ Hire an agency
3-6 months and £30-150k. By the time you launch, the market may have moved.
✗ Find a vibe coder
Fast and cheap, but no product thinking. You get what you asked for—even when that's wrong.
✗ Build it yourself with no-code
Possible for simple ideas, but you hit a ceiling fast. And when you need to scale, you're locked in.
✓ Version Zero
Product expertise meets fast execution. The right thing built quickly—with code you own.
The critical friend you need
You bring the vision, the market insight, the understanding of the problem. We bring the product expertise, the technical execution, and the honesty to tell you when something won't work.
Critical
We won't just build what you ask for. We'll question your assumptions, challenge your scope, and push back when we think you're heading in the wrong direction. The founders who succeed are the ones who test their ideas honestly.
Friend
We're on your side. Every question we ask, every feature we cut, every uncomfortable conversation—it's all in service of helping you succeed. We'd rather lose a project than watch you waste money building the wrong thing.
Packages
Clear scope. Fixed price. No surprises.
Discovery Sprint
From £500
Clarify what to build before writing code. Get a clear plan you can take anywhere.
- ✓60-min discovery call
- ✓User story mapping
- ✓Technical architecture
- ✓Prioritised scope doc
B2B SaaS MVP
From £3,000
Production-ready MVP in 2-4 weeks. Multi-tenant, authenticated, deployed.
- ✓Multi-tenant architecture
- ✓Auth & user management
- ✓3-5 core features
- ✓Full code handover
- ✓1 week bug fixes
Proof of Concept
From £300
A working demo in 2-3 days. Perfect for pitches or early validation.
- ✓One-page functional app
- ✓Core interaction demo
- ✓Deployed & shareable
- ✓Source code included
MVP Rescue
From £500
Got something half-built that doesn't work? We'll audit it and tell you: fix, refactor, or rebuild.
- ✓Codebase audit
- ✓Issue documentation
- ✓Clear recommendation
- ✓Repair scope (if fixable)
How we think about MVPs
Building the right thing matters more than building things right.
Your insight is the hard part
Anyone can write code. The valuable thing—the thing that makes startups succeed—is understanding a problem worth solving. You've done that work. Our job is to help you test whether your solution fits.
Scope is a feature, not a constraint
The best MVPs do one thing well. Every feature you add is a hypothesis you're not testing properly. We'll help you cut ruthlessly—not to save time, but to save your ability to learn from what you ship.
You own everything
No lock-in, no proprietary frameworks, no dependency on us. When we're done, you get the code, the documentation, and the knowledge to continue without us. If we've done our job well, you won't need us.
How it works
From idea to deployed MVP in 2-4 weeks
Discovery call
We talk through your idea, your users, and what success looks like. I'll tell you honestly if an MVP is the right move.
Scope & quote
You get a clear scope document with exactly what's included, what's not, and a fixed price. No surprises.
Build sprint
I build your MVP with regular check-ins. You see progress, give feedback, and stay in control.
Launch & handover
Your MVP goes live. You get the code, the docs, and a week of bug fixes. It's yours.
Built by a founder, for founders
I'm Will—product manager, founder, and builder based in Manchester. I've launched multiple startups from zero, worked with venture builders helping portfolio companies ship their first products, and seen dozens of MVPs succeed and fail.
Version Zero exists because good ideas deserve better than the current options. Agencies are too slow and expensive. Vibe coders are too fast and careless. Founders need a partner who moves quickly and thinks critically.
When you work with me, you're working with me directly—not an offshore team, not a junior dev. Happy to meet in person if you're local, or work remotely if you're not.
Is this right for you?
We're not for everyone—and that's intentional.
You're a good fit if:
- ✓You have an idea you're ready to test with real users
- ✓You're comfortable being challenged on your assumptions
- ✓You want speed but not at the expense of building the wrong thing
- ✓You have budget (£500-£5k depending on scope)
- ✓You're ready to be involved—this is a collaboration, not a handoff
You're not a good fit if:
- ✗You want someone to just build what you spec without questions
- ✗You're looking for the cheapest possible option
- ✗You need a native mobile app (we focus on web)
- ✗You want ongoing development without clear milestones