Services for Non-Technical Founders: Fractional CTO, App Development, and Product Strategy
Don acts as Fractional CTO and developer. Steve leads product and design. Most teams engage with us on a monthly retainer across two lanes.
What We Do
Six services across strategy, design, and development. Pick the one that matches where you are, or talk to us and we'll help you figure out the right mix.
Fractional CTO
Part-time technical leadership for non-technical founders. Don brings 17+ years of shipped apps to your team without the full-time cost.
Learn more →MVP Development
Get to market fast with a focused MVP. We turn AI prototypes into production-ready products that scale.
Learn more →Flutter App Development
Cross-platform iOS and Android apps built with Flutter. One codebase, real performance, production-ready.
Learn more →AI App Development
AI-enabled apps for non-technical founders. Beyond the prototype into software users actually trust.
Learn more →UI/UX Design
Design and development happen together. No handoffs, no wireframe purgatory. Working software from day one.
Learn more →Product Strategy
Strategy happens through building, not before it. Validate feasibility, scope your MVP, ship to market.
Learn more →| Advise | Build | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Get | Advise | Concept | Core | Collab | Pro |
| Fractional CTO | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tech R&D | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clickable Demos & Prototype | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brand Foundation | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| App UI Mockups | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Deck Design Support | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Marketing Website Design & Dev | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web (Rails), Mobile (Flutter) Dev | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom AI / API Integrations | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shared Slack Channel | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Full-stack UI/UX + Brand Delivery | — | — | — | — | ✓ |
All engagements are monthly retainers. Pause, cancel, or switch anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does Eight Bit Studios work with?
We work primarily with non-technical founders building their first real product. If you've got a prototype from Cursor, Bolt, or Lovable and need to turn it into something people actually pay for, or you need a technical partner who can help you figure out what to build and then ship it, we're your fit.
How do Eight Bit Studios engagements work?
All engagements are monthly retainers across two lanes: Advise (strategic guidance, fractional CTO, R&D) and Build (full product development). You can pause, cancel, or switch lanes anytime. No fixed-bid contracts, no time-and-materials billing, no long-term lock-in.
What's the difference between Advise and Build?
Advise is when you need help deciding what to build. That includes fractional CTO leadership, technical R&D, and clickable prototypes. Build is when you're ready to ship. That includes full-stack web and mobile development, custom AI integrations, and end-to-end product delivery.
Do you work with enterprise clients or just startups?
We focus on startups and early-stage founders, but we've also done significant work for larger companies like Vivid Seats, Allstate, Cars.com, and Nielsen. Our sweet spot is helping founders ship their first real product or rescue an AI prototype that hit the wall.
What technologies does Eight Bit Studios use?
We build with Flutter (cross-platform mobile), Ruby on Rails (backends and web), and Supabase (infrastructure). For AI, we do custom integrations with OpenAI, Anthropic, and other providers, not just thin wrappers. We're stack-opinionated because it lets us ship faster for founders.
Where is Eight Bit Studios based?
We're headquartered in Chicago with a secondary presence in Dallas. We work remote-first with founders across the country, but we're happy to meet in person if you're local.
Getting Started
Tell us what you're working on. We'll figure out the right lane together. And if we're not the right fit, we'll point you to someone who is.
Submit & Review
Tell us what you're building. We review your details and reach out to learn more.
Discuss & Align
We talk through your goals and requirements, then align on scope, timeline, and budget.
Agree & Engage
We finalize the agreement and kick off your project. Building starts.