From Seed Funding to Series A: Launching a High-Growth On-Demand Car Wash Platform in 6 Months.
Industry On-Demand Services / Tech Startup
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$1.5M Seed Funding
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6 Month Timeline
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Austin, TX Market
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$8M Series A Secured
Client's Testimonial
Developers.dev was the perfect accelerator for our vision. Their 'Mobile App MVP Launch Kit' was exactly what we needed. They weren't just developers; they were product strategists who challenged our assumptions and helped us build a better, more scalable product, faster. We hit all our pre-launch milestones and secured our Series A thanks to the robust platform they delivered.
Founder & CEO, ShineOn Demand
Client Introduction
ShineOn Demand was founded by two tech entrepreneurs with a vision to create the "Uber for car washing." They had secured $1.5M in seed funding but had no in-house technical team. Their goal was to launch a highly polished Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in the competitive Austin, Texas market within six months to prove their business model and secure Series A funding.
Problem
ShineOn needed more than just an app; they needed a complete, two-sided marketplace platform connecting customers with vetted, mobile car wash technicians. They needed it built quickly, but it also had to be scalable enough to handle the rapid growth they projected.
Key Challenges
Aggressive Timeline
An extremely aggressive 6-month timeline to design, build, and launch the entire platform.
Dual Mobile Applications
Developing two separate mobile apps: one for customers and one for technicians.
Complex Dynamic Pricing
Implementing a complex dynamic pricing algorithm based on demand, location, and vehicle size.
Technician Vetting & Payouts
Building a secure and reliable system for technician vetting, onboarding, and payouts.
Our Solution
We proposed our "Mobile App MVP Launch Kit" accelerated growth POD. This fixed-scope sprint model was perfect for their needs. The team was comprised of a product strategist, a UI/UX designer, an iOS developer, an Android developer, and two backend engineers specializing in geospatial applications and AI.
📱 Dual Mobile Applications
We developed two distinct native apps. The customer app focused on a simple 3-tap booking process, while the technician app was a powerful tool for managing jobs, optimizing routes, and tracking earnings.
🧠 AI-Powered Dynamic Pricing
Our AI/ML team developed and integrated a machine learning model that adjusted prices in real-time based on demand signals, weather patterns, and technician availability to maximize revenue.
🤝 Technician Onboarding Portal
We built a web-based portal for ShineOn's operations team to manage applications, conduct background checks, and onboard new technicians.
☁️ Scalable Cloud-Native Backend
The entire platform was built on AWS using serverless architecture (Lambda) and managed databases (RDS) to ensure it could scale automatically and cost-effectively from day one.
Implementation and Execution
UI/UX Design Sprint
We began with an intensive one-week UI/UX design sprint to rapidly prototype the entire user journey.
Project Sprints
The project was broken down into six, one-month sprints with clear deliverables for each.
Cross-Platform Dev
We utilized Flutter for cross-platform development of the initial apps to accelerate the timeline, with a plan to migrate to native later.
AI Model Training
The AI pricing model was trained on historical city traffic and weather data.
Communication & Alignment
Daily stand-ups and a shared Slack channel ensured constant communication and alignment with the ShineOn founders.
Successful Launch
The platform was launched on schedule and handled over 1,000 bookings in its first month without issue.
Positive Outcome
🚀 Successful Market Launch in 6 Months
The platform was delivered on time and on budget, enabling ShineOn to launch in their target market as planned.
💰 Secured $8M Series A Funding
The successful MVP launch, user growth, and sophisticated technology platform were key factors in ShineOn securing their next round of funding.
📈 20% Higher Average Order Value
The dynamic pricing engine successfully increased the average price per wash during peak hours.
👍 High Technician Retention
The intuitive technician app and transparent earnings tracker led to high satisfaction and low churn among their service providers.
Why Choose Us
💡 AI Enabled Services
AI Enabled Services
🧑🤝🧑 POD (Cross functional teams) basis services
POD (Cross functional teams) basis services
🔄 Free-replacement of non-performing professional
Free-replacement of non-performing professional
🗓️ 2 week trial (paid)
2 week trial (paid)
🏷️ White Label services with Full IP Transfer
White Label services with Full IP Transfer
🔒 Secure, AI-Augmented Delivery
Secure, AI-Augmented Delivery
🌟 Vetted, Expert Talent
Vetted, Expert Talent
🏢 Experience with startups and enterprise organizations
Experience with startups and enterprise organizations
🏅 Certified developers
Certified developers
Conclusion
For startups like ShineOn Demand, partnering with a firm that offers both speed and strategic insight is critical. Developers.dev provided the technical horsepower and product expertise needed to transform a vision into a venture-backed reality, creating a foundation for a future market leader.