Article

From Idea to MVP: How More Than Monkeys Engineers Startup Products That Win

Every startup faces the same challenge: how to turn a raw idea into a working product without wasting time or money. Everyone talks about building an MVP, but few explain how to do it well.

That’s where More Than Monkeys comes in.

We’re not just mobile app developers. We’re product engineers. We specialise in helping startups and small businesses go from idea to MVP - and then scale those products into sustainable businesses.

What Do We Mean by MVP?

MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product. It’s the first working version of your product that solves a real customer problem with the smallest set of features possible.

An MVP is not a prototype, and it’s not your final vision. It’s a testable product you can put in front of customers to validate whether the idea has traction, before you spend months or years building everything else.

Getting MVPs right is one of the hardest parts of startup life. That’s why we focus on it.

Why Startups Struggle to Build MVPs

We’ve seen the same mistakes repeat across early-stage companies:

  • Overbuilding — launching with too many features before testing the basics.

  • Under-validating — building without proving customers actually want the product.

  • Weak technical foundations — apps that break as soon as user numbers grow.

  • Chaotic delivery — slow, unpredictable cycles that kill momentum.

These aren’t just engineering mistakes. They’re product mistakes. And solving them requires a product engineering mindset.

What Is Product Engineering?

Product engineering is more than just coding. It’s the combination of software engineering, product thinking, and agile delivery to build products that users love and that can scale.

  • From the engineering side: modern, scalable, cloud-native systems.

  • From the product side: features chosen to solve real customer problems.

  • From the delivery side: iterative cycles that build momentum instead of chaos.

This is the philosophy that guides how we work at More Than Monkeys.

Our Product Engineering Approach

At More Than Monkeys, we combine MVP strategy, software engineering, and product delivery to help startups build the right thing — not just build something.

Engineering for Startups

We design apps and platforms that are robust, scalable, and fit for growth.

  • Cross-platform mobile apps with Flutter.

  • Cloud-native backends on AWS.

  • CI/CD pipelines and automated testing baked in from day one.

Product Thinking

Every decision is guided by customer value:

  • Start with the smallest viable product (the real MVP).

  • Validate assumptions with real-world feedback.

  • Prioritise features that drive adoption and retention.

Agile Delivery

Fast, transparent, iterative delivery keeps ideas moving.

  • Weekly releases.

  • Clear roadmaps.

  • Build–measure–learn cycles.

Case Studies: From Idea to Mobile App MVP

Yepic.com – Mobile MVP for Tradespeople

Yepic wanted a mobile app to help tradespeople manage jobs, track time, and get paid faster. We:

  • Defined the MVP feature set (job tracking, photos, messaging).

  • Built a cross-platform app with Flutter and an AWS backend.

  • Scaled from 0 to 15,000 users in 12 months.

Cricket Allrounder – Scaling a Global App

Cricket Allrounder launched a coaching app for young players. Growth exploded to 75,000 users across 70 countries. Because we engineered it cloud-native, scaling wasn’t a scramble — it was seamless.

Why Founders Choose More Than Monkeys

Startups don’t need generic mobile app developers. They need partners who can:

  • Define a real MVP, not a bloated feature list.

  • Engineer apps that can handle growth.

  • Blend product strategy with delivery expertise.

That’s what we call product engineering.

What Founders Say

  • “They helped us take a sketch of an idea and launch a working MVP.”

  • “More Than Monkeys helped us think like a product company, not just build software.”

  • “The engineering quality is second to none. When our user base tripled, nothing broke.”

Final Thoughts

Building an MVP is about more than coding. It’s about combining product strategy, engineering craft, and agile delivery to turn startup ideas into products people love.

At More Than Monkeys, that’s what we do. From MVP mobile app development to scaling cloud platforms, we help startups move fast, learn faster, and build things that last.

Got an idea you want to talk about?  Get in touch below to book a free, no-obligation discovery call with one of your team