The verdict in three sentences
An industrial subcontracting SaaS MVP connecting OEM buyers and machine shops costs between EUR 35,000 and 70,000 with delivery in 12 to 16 weeks. Scope must stay on the RFQ, secure CAD upload, quote comparison loop, plus simple supplier scoring. With a target subscription of EUR 99 to 399 per month and German programmes such as EXIST behind them, Berlin founders can validate the market before raising a seed round.
The scope of an MVP that sells
The buyer (a manufacturing engineering team, an aerospace SME, a hardware start-up) posts a request: STEP or DXF drawing, material, quantity, tolerances, deadline. Qualified shops receive it, reply with price and lead time, and the buyer compares. Everything else (embedded payment, production tracking, quality control) waits for version 2.
| MVP feature | Priority | 2026 range (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer and shop accounts, company KYC (Handelsregister) | Must have | 5,000 to 9,000 |
| RFQ creation and matching by machine capability | Must have | 7,000 to 14,000 |
| Encrypted CAD upload, 3D viewer, online NDA | Must have | 6,000 to 12,000 |
| Quote comparison and per-RFQ messaging | Must have | 6,000 to 11,000 |
| Shop scoring (on-time rate, response rate, reviews) | Important | 4,000 to 8,000 |
| Stripe subscriptions and invoicing | Important | 3,500 to 7,000 |
| Back office and analytics | Important | 3,500 to 9,000 |
| MVP total | 35,000 to 70,000 |
Drawing security is the number one sales argument. Manufacturers refuse to email a drawing to a stranger. Encryption at rest, expiring links, watermarks and a download log reassure buyers and justify the subscription.
Timeline and funding in 2026
| Week | Step | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Product workshop, 10 customer interviews | Priority journeys locked |
| 3 to 4 | Wireframes and clickable prototype | Validated by 3 pilot buyers |
| 5 to 11 | Core and quoting build | Internal beta |
| 12 to 14 | CAD upload, scoring, payments | Closed beta with 15 shops |
| 15 to 16 | Fixes, production release | Commercial launch |
On funding, EXIST Business Start-up Grant supports university-linked founders for 12 months with personal stipends (around EUR 2,500 to 3,000 per month per founder) plus up to EUR 30,000 for materials and EUR 5,000 for coaching. Berlin founders can add IBB programmes and the German Accelerator network.
| Source | Typical amount | Main condition |
|---|---|---|
| EXIST Business Start-up Grant | Stipends + up to EUR 30,000 material costs | University or research link |
| IBB Pro FIT / Berlin Start | EUR 50,000 to 400,000 (loan and grant mix) | Innovative Berlin company |
| Business angels pre-seed | EUR 100,000 to 400,000 | Demonstrated traction |
| High-Tech Gründerfonds seed | EUR 800,000 to 1 million first ticket | Tech company under 3 years old |
| Founder contribution | EUR 10,000 to 30,000 | Signal to investors |
Mini case study
Lena, founder of a Berlin start-up spun out of a precision engineering background, targets 60 paying shops at EUR 199 per month and 25 buyers on a Pro plan at EUR 399 per month after 12 months. Target monthly recurring revenue: 60 x 199 + 25 x 399 = EUR 21,915, about EUR 263,000 a year. Her MVP costs EUR 52,000: EUR 30,000 from EXIST material costs, EUR 20,000 from an angel bridge, EUR 2,000 of her own. With EUR 1,500 a month of support and EUR 4,000 of monthly marketing, she reaches operating break-even around 28 paying subscribers, a realistic goal by month six if 10% of shops met at trade fairs (Hannover Messe, EMO) convert.
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FAQ
Can we launch for less than EUR 35,000?
A no-code prototype at EUR 10,000 to 15,000 can test demand, but it does not handle CAD encryption properly. To sell to manufacturers, a custom core remains the safer choice.
Which drawing formats must we support?
STEP, IGES, DXF and PDF cover more than 90% of machining and sheet metal requests. The web 3D viewer accounts for EUR 3,000 to 5,000 of the budget.
Commission or subscription?
The MVP usually starts on a EUR 99 to 399 monthly subscription, which is more predictable. A 3 to 5% commission on orders can be added in version 2, once payments are embedded.
Who owns the code?
The start-up owns 100% of the source code and rights, which matters for due diligence. The Git repository is transferred on delivery.
What does maintenance cost after launch?
Allow EUR 1,000 to 2,500 per month depending on the pace of changes, EU hosting included.
Let's scope your project. Tell us who your users are and your three key features: we will price an MVP between EUR 35,000 and 70,000 delivered in 12 to 16 weeks. 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.
