When we first started building Gadlet, I was a seasoned professional from totally different scene. While Rolf has plenty of experience on multiple start-ups, I was just stepping into this world. I may not fit the stereotype of founder even though I usually wear hoodies– and to be honest, that made me a bit nervous. We poured our evenings, weekends, and little more money than we’d planned into a prototype for an AI-assisted code generation tool. It felt like a humble beginning: just us working, some coffee beside, and an idea we couldn’t shake. At the start, Gadlet was just a passion project. Today, it’s on the cusp of something bigger, and I would like to share how we got here.

Bootstrapped Beginnings

First progress came from sheer perseverance. With no outside funding, Gadlet moved forward on time, grit, and personal funds. In life we have learned the value of hard work and modesty, so we weren’t shouting about our project from the rooftops. Instead, we focused on integrating our AI coding assistant into real workflows, line by line. Having long backgrounds in software development and organizational integration, we were pragmatic about our goals. We knew from experience that fancy promises mean nothing until the software actually works for people. So we kept things simple: build a tool that helps people write code faster and better, especially if they don’t have a full team to rely on. Those months reminded us of humility. There’s nothing like debugging your own product at 2 AM to remind you that no one is an overnight success.

We have also worn many hats and we still do. In my previou live, I have always had teams for everything – now we are the team. One day we are developers fixing bugs, the next day QA testers breaking things on purpose, and on other days, executives planning on business. It is exhausting but exhilarating. Each small victory, like our AI successfully generating a snippet of code that will save someone an week of work, feels huge. It confirms that we are onto something real.

Raising the Stakes: The Fundraising Journey

Fast-forward to now: Gadlet is transitioning from quiet, bootstrap mode into a more business-oriented phase. Recently we made the decision to seek outside investment to help Gadlet grow. This step wasn’t easy. Asking others for money (even with equity exchange) is daunting when you’ve prided yourself on independence. But we recognized that to truly help the many people we built Gadlet for, we’d need more resources. Bootstrapping got us far; to go further, we had to raise the stakes.

We approached fundraising like we approached product-building – sincerely and willing to learn. Instead of flashy pitches or inflated projections, we had real conversations. In fact, the past few months of talking to potential investors and partners felt like an extension of Gadlet’s education. I joked to a friend of mine that we got a crash course in MBA-level communication. More importantly, we got to discuss our vision with very smart, diverse people.

Conversations That Shaped Our Vision

During this journey, we have spoken with many experts. Experts in software development, AI, legislation, marketing, business development and financing, even in traditional industries. Each conversation has taught us something new, refined Gadlet’s direction.These weren’t typical investor Q&As; they were genuine dialogues confirming and shaping our vision.

Clarifying the Vision

All these discussions served as reality checks and a compass for Gadlet’s vision. Initially, we described Gadlet technically (“AI-driven code generation to accelerate development for resource-constrained innovators”). Through countless conversations, we learned to clearly articulate our mission: Gadlet helps creative people with limited resources turn their software ideas into reality. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, a project manager at a non-tech company, or someone with an app idea and no coding team – we want to help you. This message resonated deeply, confirming we’re addressing a genuine need.

Confirming a Real Need in the Market

It’s an exciting time for AI-assisted code generation. Analysts and big tech players have validated the high demand for these solutions. For a humble startup like ours, seeing broader validation is inspiring and reassuring. We’re part of a wave that’s building momentum. Our role is clear – cater to creative individuals and small teams lacking Google’s resources or an army of developers. From lawyers automating their practices to consultants dreaming of SaaS products, people consistently expressed the need for Gadlet’s capabilities.

Balancing Optimism with Pragmatism

As we shift into this next phase, we’re cautiously optimistic. The excitement from investors is energizing, yet we remain grounded in reality. Years in business taught us not to inhale our own hype. Technical risks, market misjudgments, and competitive threats are very real. Prospective backers appreciated our transparency and realism, diving deeply into contingency plans. Despite these risks, the potential upside of Gadlet remains compelling. Success would mean more than profitability – it would genuinely empower countless people stuck with unexecuted ideas and tasks.

Looking Ahead and Staying Authentic

Now, standing at this inflection point, we feel gratitude, determination, and yes, a few butterflies. We’re preparing to welcome partners who share our vision and help us accelerate. We’re committed to building an exceptional team dedicated to empowering the “little guy” in software development. Authenticity remains core to Gadlet’s culture – humility, hard work, and user-centricity. This story isn’t glossy success; it’s ongoing progress, learned along the way. And no job is too small for us: we still roll up our sleeves daily to write code and talk to people.

I conclude with an open invitation. If this resonates – let’s continue the conversation. Connect with us on LinkedIn, share your experiences, and find ways to help each other. The community around Gadlet is something we cherish deeply.

Thank you for reading. Reach out or comment – we’d love to hear your stories and questions. You can reach us also from Linkedin.

Sincerely Yours, Mikko