The verdict in three sentences
A platform that sells idle meeting rooms in hotels and offices in London or New York can be tested with an MVP limited to search, booking, payment and calendar sync, with no mobile app and no pricing algorithm. The business model rests on a 15 to 20% commission collected through Stripe, and on enough occupancy in the first partner rooms. At Kolonell, this MVP fits the simple application grid, 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR), delivered in 8 to 12 weeks, with infrastructure costs of roughly 60 to 180 USD per month.
What goes into the MVP and what waits for version 2
The classic founder trap is launching with everything established players offer. An MVP must prove two things: that hotels and offices will publish their free slots, and that companies will book and pay online. Everything else can wait for the first 50 bookings.
| Feature | MVP | Version 2 | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room page (photos, capacity, equipment, hourly rate) | Yes | Richer | No clear listing, no booking |
| Search by neighborhood, date and capacity | Yes | Map and advanced filters | Clients search by proximity first |
| Booking and card payment | Yes | Invoicing for corporate accounts | Validates willingness to pay |
| Google Calendar and Outlook sync | Yes | Hotel system connectors | Prevents double bookings |
| Host dashboard (slots, bookings, payouts) | Yes | Analytics and dynamic pricing | Essential to recruit hosts |
| Reviews and ratings | No | Yes | Pointless before 100 bookings |
| Mobile app | No | Custom quote | A responsive site is enough to test |
| Add-ons (coffee, catering, video kit) | No | Yes | Basket size comes after validation |
Calendar sync belongs in the MVP. Offices manage their rooms in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365: the application reads availability through the Google Calendar API and Microsoft Graph, and blocks the slot as soon as a booking is paid. Without it, hosts keep two calendars and drop out within weeks.
MVP budget and recurring costs
The budget compares with three alternatives: a local agency, a freelancer, or a no-code marketplace builder. Each has its place, but the gaps are wide.
| Option | Upfront budget | Recurring cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolonell, simple application (MVP) | 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR) | Maintenance 35,000 / 75,000 / 120,000 FCFA per month (53 / 114 / 183 EUR) | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Kolonell, medium application (version 2) | 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) | Same | 3 to 4 months |
| London agency, equivalent MVP | 25,000 to 70,000 GBP | 800 to 2,500 GBP per month retainer | 3 to 6 months |
| New York agency, equivalent MVP | 40,000 to 120,000 USD | 1,500 to 4,000 USD per month retainer | 3 to 6 months |
| Freelance full stack developer | 15,000 to 40,000 USD | Variable, dependency risk | 3 to 5 months |
| No-code marketplace builder | 0 to 2,000 USD setup | 100 to 300 USD per month | 2 to 6 weeks |
| Infrastructure (hosting, database, email) | Included at launch | 60 to 180 USD per month | Immediate |
On payments, Stripe Connect collects the commission and pays the host their share. As a 2026 order of magnitude, a UK card costs about 1.5% + 20p per transaction and a US card about 2.9% + 30 cents, while each active host account costs around 2 USD per month plus a small payout fee. On a 240 USD booking at an 18% commission, the platform keeps 43.20 USD, of which about 7.26 USD goes to Stripe card fees in the US.
A no-code tool is still a good way to validate demand in 3 weeks, but it quickly limits fine-grained calendar sync and corporate invoicing. A custom-built MVP keeps the code, the data and the freedom to change the model.
The 8 to 12 week plan
The typical schedule includes 2 weeks of scoping and wireframes, 5 to 7 weeks of development in weekly iterations, then 1 to 3 weeks of testing with 5 to 10 pilot hosts. The founder should spend about half a day a week on reviews and recruit the first hosts in parallel: that is the condition for launching with at least 20 rooms live. Legal groundwork includes platform terms of service, consumer protection disclosures, UK GDPR or US state privacy rules for booking data, and sales tax rules in New York where applicable.
Mini case study
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Priya, a founder in London, has signed 40 partner rooms in the City, Shoreditch and Soho at an average of 55 GBP per hour. She chooses a Kolonell MVP at 5,500 EUR. Assumption at month 6: 4 hours booked per room per week.
Calculation: 40 rooms × 4 h × 55 GBP × 4.33 weeks = 38,104 GBP of monthly volume. At an 18% commission, the platform keeps 6,859 GBP. With about 350 two-hour bookings, Stripe fees reach 1.5% × 38,104 + 350 × 0.20 = 642 GBP, and infrastructure about 100 GBP. Monthly margin before marketing: about 6,117 GBP. At month 3, with only 10 active rooms at that pace, the margin is about 1,450 GBP per month, enough to pay back the MVP in roughly 3 to 4 months.
FAQ
Can the MVP launch in under 8 weeks?
Yes, by dropping Outlook sync or the host dashboard, which brings it to 6 weeks. It is rarely a good trade, because those two modules drive host recruitment.
What commission should we charge at launch?
Platforms in this space take roughly 15 to 20% from hosts, sometimes with a 3 to 5% service fee on the client side. Starting at 15% makes it easier to sign the first 20 hosts.
Can the MVP invoice companies monthly?
The MVP takes card payments. Monthly invoicing with 30-day terms belongs to version 2, priced in the medium application grid at 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR).
How much does hosting cost after launch?
As an order of magnitude, 60 to 180 USD per month up to a few thousand bookings a month. This is paid directly to the infrastructure providers.
Does the founder own the code?
Yes, source code and data are transferred to the client. This matters for fundraising, because investors check technology ownership during due diligence.
Let's scope your project. Describe your first hosts and the booking journey you want, and we will propose an MVP scope with go-live in 8 to 12 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.
