How do we launch an AI agent for business through donations and why it might work

Our history and faith in the donation model

We have created Scalemate, an AI agent for startups and small businesses in the spirit of Y Combinator. The product helps founders test hypotheses, analyze the market, prepare for pitch, and scale.

Current indicators:

150 new users per month

The product is completely free

Collected: 200 rubles of donations

Goal: 10,000 rubles for the first advertising campaign

We believe that donations can be an excellent starting capital for the first experiments.

Why Donations can work for a Startup

Strengths of the donation model

1. Minimum entry barriers

You don't need to create a complex payment system right away

Focus on the product, not on monetization

Quick validation of audience interest

2. Creating a loyal community

Donors become product evangelists

Emotional connection with the project

Organic word-of-mouth growth

3. Proof of Concept

Even 200 rubles = someone is ready to support

An indicator that the product brings value

A signal for future investors about the market's interest

, Our donation strategy

Stage 1: Proof of Concept (now)

Goal: 10,000 rubles for advertising

150 users × 67 rubles average donation = real

Buying the first advertising campaigns for growth

Stage 2: Scaling the donation model

Implementation of support tiers (100₽, 500₽, 1000₽)

Gamification of donations (statuses, accesses)

Regular donations (subscription support model)

The mathematics of growth:

Scenario 1 (conservative):

150 users × 2% donors × 1000₽ = 3,000₽/month

Enough for small advertising experiments.

Scenario 2 (optimistic):

500 users × 5% donors × 800₽ = 20,000₽/month

Allows you to hire the first part-time developer

Scenario 3 (breakthrough):

2000 users × 3% donors × 500₽ = 30,000₽/month

Ramen profitability has been achieved!

Specific actions:

Week 1-2:

Add a beautiful donation widget to the product

Create a "Support project" page with a story

Launch a newsletter to existing users

Risk 1: Income unpredictability Resolution: Gradual transition to recurring donations

Risk 2: Low conversion rate
Solution: To test different amounts and approaches

⚠️ Risk 3: Difficulty of scalingresolution: Parallel development of the B2B direction

Why do we believe in this particular path?

1. A product with a social mission To help startups — it resonates with the audience

2. Low operating costs The AI product does not require large server capacities

3. Strong engagement of 150 users/month with organic growth is a good signal

4. Willingness to evolve Donations as the first step, not the final model

Plan B: If the donations don't work out

After 3 months: if we don't collect 5,000₽/month of donations

Switching to freemium: basic features for free, advanced features for a fee

Launching B2B sales: packages for accelerators and corporations

Our belief in the donation model

We believe that donations are:

An honest way to monetize

An indicator of the real value of the product

The opportunity to create a loyal community

Start-up capital for the following stages

200 rubles for a start is not a failure, but the first step. Every successful project started small.

If you believe in Scalemate and want to support the development of an AI assistant for startups, we will be grateful for any support. Together, we will build a tool that will help thousands of founders realize their ideas.

Support the project: https://yoomoney.ru/fundraise/1B2JQ3DT3DK.250623

Follow our path on Telegram: https://t.me/invmatch

AI agent for founders https://dan2004005.github.io/adviser-/ai%20adviser%202.html