Development services for Startups
50+
Successful Launches
90%
Client Satisfaction
100K+
Users Reached
40%
Faster Development
Your vision, our expertise
Empowering Startups to Launch, Scale, and Succeed
At Lightflows, we specialise in transforming bold ideas into commercially successful digital products. With years of experience partnering with startups, we understand the unique challenges new businesses face—tight budgets, rapid timelines, and the need for scalable solutions.
Our bespoke approach combines innovative thinking, cutting-edge technology, and a deep commitment to your growth. Whether you’re building an MVP or scaling your operations, Lightflows is your partner for success.
Development solutions for startups
Building software for a startup is more than just coding—it’s about creating a foundation for growth, innovation, and long-term success.
Our solutions
01
Custom application development
02
Virtual CTO services
03
Scalable MVPs
04
Integration solutions
05
Cloud-based platforms
06
Data-driven solutions
07
End-to-End product lifecycle management
01 /
Custom application development
Custom applications are at the heart of any successful startup—that’s why you’re doing this. We develop bespoke software tailored specifically to your business needs and target audience. Whether it’s a mobile app, a powerful web platform, or a combination of both, we create innovative solutions that solve real-world problems while delivering commercial value.
02 /
Virtual CTO services
For many startups, hiring a full-time Chief Technology Officer (CTO) isn’t feasible in the early stages. That’s where our Virtual CTO services come in. We offer startups access to senior-level technical expertise and strategic guidance without the long-term commitment of a full-time hire. Our Virtual CTOs work closely with your team to make informed technology decisions, align development with business objectives, and create a roadmap for scalable growth.
03 /
Scalable MVPs
A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is more than just a prototype; it’s your gateway to validating your business idea and capturing early adopters. We’ve helped many startups build MVPs that deliver unique business value. Our approach ensures that your MVP is not only functional but also scalable, enabling you to add features and expand as your business grows. With rapid development cycles, you can launch your MVP quickly, gather valuable feedback, and iterate effectively to maximise your product’s potential.
04 /
Integration solutions
Our integration solutions enable your product to connect with third-party APIs, payment gateways, CRMs, and other essential systems, ensuring a unified and efficient workflow. By eliminating data silos and enhancing interoperability, we help you streamline your operations, save time, and improve user satisfaction. Whether you’re integrating existing tools or need custom-built connections, we provide solutions that align with your business objectives.
05 /
Cloud-based platforms
Scalability and reliability are critical for startups, and cloud-based platforms provide the foundation for both. Our cloud solutions are designed to optimise your operations by making your software accessible from anywhere, anytime, while ensuring top-notch security and performance. We work with leading cloud providers such as Amazon AWS, Azure and Digital Ocean to build platforms that grow with your business, whether dealing with spikes in user activity, expanding into new markets, or adding advanced functionalities.
06 /
Data-driven solutions
Data is one of your most valuable assets, and we help you harness its power to make informed decisions. From customer behaviour analytics to operational metrics, KPIs and OKRs, we design systems that turn raw data into strategic opportunities. This allows you to refine your product, improve user engagement, and identify new revenue streams, all while maintaining full compliance with data protection regulations.
07 /
End-to-End product lifecycle management
Launching a startup product is only the beginning. Our end-to-end product lifecycle management services ensure your software continues evolving and thriving. From initial development and deployment to updates, scaling, and ongoing support, we’re your partner throughout the entire journey.
Your digital journey
Working in the fast paced world of tech, our sweet spot is helping entrepreneurs and buinesses bring their product ideas to life. And with over 15 years of experience, we’ve learnt a thing or two.
In addition to working with established businesses, we have helped several funded startups achieve success, developing MVPs, building their digital products, scaling their tech and infrastructure, and eventually selling those businesses. We can bring that experience to you.
Let’s talk about your plans and see if we can help.
Why Lightflows for your startup
We have delivered projects to companies in many sectors.In this section you’ll find details of this experience, that may be relevant to you.
Proven track record of commercial success
We’ve helped startups achieve remarkable milestones, including HomeViews, which scaled to success and was acquired by Rightmove, a UK property leader. Our focus on building scalable, user-centric solutions ensures your startup is primed for commercial success.
Startup-focused expertise
We understand the challenges startups face and design solutions to fit tight budgets, rapid timelines, and evolving goals. Our tailored approach ensures your software is agile, scalable, and aligned with your vision.
End-to-end support
From idea to launch and beyond, we guide you through every step of your journey. Our proactive support ensures your software evolves seamlessly, allowing you to focus on building your business.
Cutting-edge technology and methodologies
A partner in growth
We see ourselves as more than a service provider—we’re your partner. Our collaborative approach ensures every solution is crafted to support your long-term success and vision.
Ready to start the
conversation?
What our clients say
Lightflows have been the best tech-partner we’ve ever worked with.
Olly McGinn
COO, Co-founder HomeViews
What our clients say
A big thank you to the whole team that worked with us to achieve this!
Peter Hamilton
CEO, 123 Sheets
What our clients say
I’ve collaborated the Lightflows team on several large-scale website projects and can recommend without hesitation.
Phil Wareham
Senior Designer
Popular product types for startups
These app types are not only popular but also proven to deliver strong market traction when built with the right expertise. Our capabilities go far beyond these categories—if you have a vision, we’re here to make it happen.
E-Commerce and Marketplace Apps
Platforms for buying, selling, or trading goods with secure payments, personalised recommendations, and scalable features for diverse industries.
On-Demand Services Apps
Connect users with services instantly, offering real-time tracking, scheduling, and location-based functionality for convenience and efficiency.
Social Networking Apps
Niche platforms for communities or specific interests with messaging, content sharing, and engagement tools to foster interaction and collaboration.
Health and Fitness Apps
Personalised health tools, fitness trackers, and telemedicine platforms integrating AI and wearables to promote wellness and user engagement.
FinTech Apps
Financial management solutions including payments, investments, and cryptocurrency apps with intuitive designs, robust security, and regulatory compliance.
Case Studies
Case Studies
Case Studies
Case Studies
Business benefits for startups
A bespoke, or custom web app has all the benefits of traditional software, except it is cost-effective, easily accessible and scales with your businesses needs. We’ve delivered innovative web apps to companies in many industries, including finance, technology, construction and recruitment. Partner with us for accelerated software delivery and a stress-free experience when building your product.
Cost savings
Web apps can be developed and distributed quickly, which can help to keep development costs down.
Scalability
Custom web apps can adapt and change as business needs change, ensuring that the software can grow with your company. Scalable server architecture allow you to dial resources up and down at will.
Speed of development
With many open source frameworks, building blocks and powerful toolkits, we can build custom software solutions quickly, allowing businesses to get their products to market faster.
Reliability
Well architected web apps ensures that your software is reliable, reducing the need for costly maintenance and making it easier to identify and fix bugs.
Web app security
Our security team employ features that protect against common web vulnerabilities, giving business owners peace of mind knowing that their and their customer’s data will be safe and secure.
Third-party integration
Web apps can be integrated with many other services such as payment gateways, marketing tools, and more, giving businesses access to a wide range of functionality to enhance their software.
Let’s work together
Do you have a project in mind? Or do you need some further information about our services? Feel free to get in touch below.
Enquiry Form
FAQ about services for startups
The cost of software development depends on your project’s complexity, scope, and required features. At Lightflows, we offer transparent pricing tailored to startups, ensuring you get maximum value within your budget. After discussing your requirements, we’ll provide a detailed estimate. For larger project, we also offer a comprehensive discovery and planning phase.
Timelines vary depending on the project’s size and complexity, but we prioritise efficiency without compromising quality. For most startups, we can deliver an MVP in 8–12 weeks, with full product development timelines customised to meet your goals.
Absolutely. We offer discovery workshops and consultancy services to refine your vision, identify key features, and create a roadmap that aligns with your business objectives. Our collaborative approach ensures clarity from the outset.
We’ve partnered with numerous startups, including success stories like HomeViews, which scaled with our help and was later acquired by Rightmove. Our team understands startups’ unique challenges, making us a trusted partner in building innovative, scalable solutions.
Yes, MVP development is one of our specialities. We help startups create functional, scalable products with core features to validate their ideas, attract users, and secure investment.
We use modern, reliable technologies that support scalability and performance. Our tech stack includes React, Node.js, JavaScript, and Laravel, ensuring we deliver high-quality, future-proof solutions.
Yes, we offer ongoing support to ensure your product remains up-to-date, secure, and optimised as your business grows. From bug fixes to feature enhancements, we’re here to support you long after launch.
Scalability is built into everything we develop. We use robust architecture and cloud-based platforms to ensure your software can handle growth, whether it’s more users, new features, or expanded markets.
Quality is at the heart of our process. We follow rigorous QA and testing practices, including automated and manual testing, to ensure your software performs flawlessly. Every product we deliver is optimised for reliability, speed, and user experience.
We keep communication transparent and collaborative. You’ll have regular updates through agile sprints, progress meetings, and clear documentation. We also use tools like Slack and Jira to keep you in the loop every step of the way.
Yes, we specialise in seamless integrations with APIs, payment gateways, CRMs, analytics tools, and more. We ensure your software works harmoniously with existing services to enhance functionality.
We use agile methodologies to maintain flexibility and ensure efficient and transparent progress. This approach allows us to adapt quickly and keep your project moving forward smoothly.
Yes, we handle deployment and hosting to ensure a smooth launch. We’ll guide you in choosing the right hosting solution, whether it’s AWS, Azure, or another platform, and manage the deployment process end-to-end.
Absolutely. Our team includes expert UX/UI designers who create intuitive, engaging interfaces tailored to your users. We focus on creating designs that enhance usability and drive customer satisfaction.
Flexibility is key in startup development. If your project scope changes, we’ll work closely with you to assess the impact, update timelines and budgets, and adapt our approach to ensure your new goals are met effectively.
