When we launched OILA, our imagination imagined the usual startup path: idea, accelerator, investor, growth, unicorns, IPO — well, you get the idea. We passed the best accelerator in Kazakhstan — Silkway / Google for Startups, pitched more than ten times, jumped around networking like clockwork. And you know what? We have not attracted a single investor.

No, seriously. They liked us — the idea was normal, the problem was real, the founders were charismatic (of course). But there was a lack of MRR magic, the most beautiful growing curve, without which investors cannot sleep well. And while we were waiting for the investor, we... just kept working. The old-fashioned way. On your own. On the bootstrap. In a hoodie, without an office, and with faith in an idea.

And I'll tell you what. While we were developing our product, AI was developing too. 

Right in front of our eyes, at a dizzying pace. And at some point we noticed that:

• the code can now be written using GitHub Copilot;
• texts — ChatGPT, Jasper and others generate copyright on any topic faster than you can open Google Docs.;
• Images — Midjourney, DALL·E, ReCraft create illustrations and design references that used to cost hundreds of dollars;
• Voice — ElevenLabs turns text into natural voiceover in a couple of clicks.

Previously, to launch all this, you had to hire people or attract investments, but now you just opened a browser, turned on a couple of AI tools, and you're already a startup with a full—stack team of 2.5 people (including yourself).

And that's where we got thinking: “Do we really need an investor at all?

Previously, the path was like this: idea → money → product → growth

and now: idea → AI → product → growth → investment (???)

Most startups today are IT companies. And IT is about code and content. Both have become much cheaper. This means that the cost of starting and entering the market tends to zero. This means that the entrance barrier disappears. This means that the competition is growing. So... margins are falling.

And venture is starting to scratch his head here: where are the very multiple X's for which all this was started? If any startup can now roll out a product alone, why would it share a part of the company? 

Pitches, presentations, networking, accelerators are all fun, of course, but... the founder's time is the most expensive resource. And instead of telling us for the third time in a week that our TAM is worth 17 billion dollars, can we just finish the product? Make it cool. Talk to users. Turn up the funnel. Run tests. Run an ad.

Maybe the investor will come himself when he sees that you are growing and you don't care anymore?

We are not against investments. If an investor knocks on our door tomorrow and says “Here's a receipt for you and complete freedom of action,” of course, we'll give you a hug and coffee. But you don't have to wait for him anymore. Because today you can do as much with AI as five years ago it took half a million dollars and a team of ten people.