For founders and early-stage companies in Western markets, including Western Europe and the United States, technical product development is usually structured through a few common engagement formats. At BZ Development I typically collaborate with clients through three types of arrangements depending on the stage of their product and the type of support they need.
MVP development - fixed scope engagement
For teams that need to turn an idea or early concept into a working product, the collaboration usually begins with an MVP phase. This includes an initial discovery session to understand the business model and product goals, defining the technical architecture, designing the core user flows, and building the first functional version of the product. Deployment and a short post-launch support period are also included so the product can be released and stabilized.
Typical range: EUR 5,000 to EUR 12,000.
Typical timeline: 6 to 8 weeks, when scope is clearly defined.
Ongoing product development - monthly retainer
Once the first version of the product is live, many teams move to a continuous development model. In that setup, I usually work with clients through a monthly retainer that reserves a certain amount of development capacity for feature improvements, product iteration, performance optimization, and ongoing technical maintenance. This includes regular sync calls with the founder or product owner, task prioritization, and continuous technical guidance as the product evolves.
Typical range: EUR 1,500 to EUR 3,000 per month.
Structure: multi-month commitment for meaningful progress.
Technical audit or consultation - entry point
For founders who already have a product or codebase but want a clearer understanding of its technical quality or scalability, the collaboration can start with a technical audit. This involves reviewing the existing codebase, infrastructure setup, and architecture decisions, followed by a written report that highlights potential risks, bottlenecks, and practical recommendations for improvement.
Typical range: EUR 500 to EUR 1,500 as a one-time project.
The goal is to give founders a clear overview of what they currently have and what the next technical steps should be, whether they continue with their current team or decide to move forward together.
