The verdict in three sentences
To raise a pre-seed round in 2026, a non-technical founder needs an MVP used by 5 to 15 pilot customers, not a clickable mock-up. A custom build at EUR 35,000 to 80,000 excl. VAT (about GBP 30,000 to 69,000) is the best trade-off as soon as you handle sensitive data, recurring billing or specific business logic. Public grants and innovation tax credits can cover a significant share of a well-scoped first phase.
The three options and their real cost
The no-code versus code debate is often framed badly. The real question is: what does a product cost that can convince an angel or pre-seed fund, then last 18 months without a rewrite?
| Option | Upfront budget | Timeline | 18-month cost | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No-code (Bubble, Softr, Glide) | EUR 8,000 to 20,000 | 4 to 8 weeks | EUR 15,000 to 35,000 | Performance and debt above 500 users |
| Agency-built custom MVP | EUR 35,000 to 80,000 | 10 to 14 weeks | EUR 50,000 to 105,000 | Higher upfront investment |
| Salaried CTO | EUR 75,000 gross a year (about EUR 105,000 loaded) | 5 to 7 months to launch | EUR 160,000 and more | Slow hiring, departure risk |
| Co-founder CTO with equity | EUR 0 to 4,000 a month | 4 to 8 months | EUR 30,000 to 70,000 | 10 to 25% dilution |
| Uncoordinated freelancers | EUR 20,000 to 45,000 | 12 to 20 weeks | EUR 40,000 to 80,000 | No product owner, uneven quality |
These are 2026 orders of magnitude for major European tech hubs. Senior developer day rates in London range from roughly EUR 600 to 900.
What a B2B MVP must contain, and nothing more
An effective MVP is limited to one core feature that solves the problem the customer pays for. Everything else is minimal infrastructure.
| Building block | Content | Share of budget | Indicative budget excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core feature | The flow that creates value (calculation, workflow, matching) | 40 to 50% | EUR 15,000 to 35,000 |
| Authentication and roles | Login, team invites, admin and user roles | 8 to 10% | EUR 3,000 to 6,000 |
| Stripe billing | Subscriptions, free trial, invoices, VAT handling | 10 to 12% | EUR 4,000 to 8,000 |
| Dashboard and admin | Account tracking, usage metrics | 10% | EUR 3,500 to 7,000 |
| Interface and onboarding | Light design system, first-use journey | 12 to 15% | EUR 4,500 to 10,000 |
| Infrastructure and security | UK or EU hosting, backups, logs, GDPR | 8% | EUR 3,000 to 6,000 |
What does not belong in an MVP: a native mobile app, full multilingual support, integrations with 6 tools, advanced reporting. Each adds 3 to 6 weeks without helping the raise.
Funding the MVP with public support
In France, the Bourse French Tech grant reaches EUR 30,000 for companies under one year old. In the UK, Innovate UK Smart Grants and the R&D tax relief scheme (merged scheme at around 20% for most SMEs in 2026, higher for R&D-intensive companies) can offset part of eligible development costs, while SEIS makes your round more attractive to angels. Check eligibility before work starts: most schemes exclude costs incurred before the application.
Mini case study
Thomas, founder of a startup automating expense management for consulting firms, has no technical co-founder. He is targeting a EUR 600,000 pre-seed round.
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- Custom MVP: EUR 52,000 excl. VAT, 12 weeks, with Stripe and 1 approval workflow
- Innovation grant obtained: EUR 30,000
- Interest-free founder loan: EUR 20,000
- Remaining from own funds: EUR 2,000
After 10 weeks of pilots, 9 firms pay EUR 290 a month, or EUR 2,610 in monthly recurring revenue. That number, more than code quality, opened the doors to funds.
FAQ
Should I start in no-code and rewrite later?
It makes sense if you are testing whether a market will pay at all, with a budget under EUR 15,000. Once you target 50 or more B2B customers, a rewrite often costs EUR 40,000 to 70,000, more than a custom MVP built from day one.
Who owns the code of an agency-built MVP?
You do, fully, on delivery and final payment. Investors check this IP assignment in every due diligence, so put it in the contract.
How much does maintenance cost after launch?
Budget 15 to 20% of the initial build per year, so EUR 7,000 to 16,000 for a EUR 50,000 MVP. That covers hosting, security updates and about 3 days of improvements a month.
Are agency development costs eligible for grants?
In most schemes, yes: external development services are eligible expenses, often up to 70% of the programme. The application must usually be filed before work begins.
How long until the first users?
With 2 weeks of scoping and 2-week sprints, pilots use the product between week 8 and week 10. The paid version usually follows around week 12.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your core feature and fundraising timeline: we will price an MVP between EUR 35,000 and 80,000 excl. VAT, delivered in 10 to 14 weeks, with a grant funding plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
