804 lines
39 KiB
Markdown
804 lines
39 KiB
Markdown
# MCPEngine Studio — Go-To-Market & Business Strategy
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**Version:** 1.0 | **Date:** February 2026 | **Status:** Execution-Ready
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**Authors:** Strategy Team | **Confidential — Internal Use Only**
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---
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## Table of Contents
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1. [Positioning & Messaging Framework](#1-positioning--messaging-framework)
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2. [Launch Strategy](#2-launch-strategy)
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3. [Content Marketing Plan](#3-content-marketing-plan)
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4. [Community Building Strategy](#4-community-building-strategy)
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5. [Pricing Validation & Analysis](#5-pricing-validation--analysis)
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6. [Sales Motion: PLG → Enterprise](#6-sales-motion-plg--enterprise-expansion)
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7. [Partnership Strategy](#7-partnership-strategy)
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8. [First 90 Days Plan](#8-first-90-days-plan-weekly-milestones)
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9. [YC S26 Application Strategy](#9-yc-s26-application-strategy)
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10. [Revenue Projections (Monthly Cohort Model)](#10-revenue-projections-monthly-cohort-model)
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11. [Case Study: $20K Custom Build Deal](#11-leveraging-the-20k-custom-build-as-a-case-study)
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12. [Competitive Response Playbook](#12-competitive-response-playbook)
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---
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## 1. Positioning & Messaging Framework
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### Core Positioning Statement
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> **MCPEngine Studio is the visual builder that lets anyone create production MCP servers and MCP-powered apps — without writing code.**
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>
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> For developers, agencies, and enterprises who need to ship AI integrations fast, MCPEngine Studio replaces weeks of MCP boilerplate with a drag-and-drop builder backed by 37 production-tested server templates and battle-hardened testing infrastructure.
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### Category Creation
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We're not competing in "MCP registries" (Smithery, mcp.so) or "MCP SDKs" (Stainless, Speakeasy). We're creating a new category:
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**"Visual MCP Infrastructure"** — the Retool/Zapier for the MCP ecosystem.
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| Layer | Existing Players | MCPEngine Position |
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|-------|------------------|--------------------|
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| Registry/Discovery | Smithery (7,300+), mcp.so, PulseMCP | Complement — we publish TO registries |
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| SDK/Code Gen | Stainless, Speakeasy, official SDKs | Replace for 80% of use cases |
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| Hosting/Deploy | Smithery, Cloudflare Workers | Integrated — one-click deploy |
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| **Visual Builder** | **Nobody** | **Us. First mover.** |
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| **App Builder** | **Nobody** | **Us. Category creator.** |
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### Messaging Hierarchy
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**Headline (Hero):**
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> "Build MCP Servers Visually. Ship AI Apps Instantly."
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**Subhead:**
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> "37 production templates. Drag-and-drop builder. Zero boilerplate. From idea to deployed MCP server in under 60 seconds."
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**Supporting Messages by Persona:**
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| Persona | Pain Point | Our Message |
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|---------|-----------|-------------|
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| **Solo Developer** | "MCP servers take too long to build from scratch" | "Start from 37 tested templates. Customize visually. Deploy in one click." |
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| **Agency/Consultancy** | "Clients want AI integrations but we can't scale custom builds" | "Turn $20K custom projects into $2K/mo recurring. White-label MCP apps for clients." |
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| **Enterprise Team** | "We need governance over our MCP ecosystem" | "Visual builder + testing pipeline + team controls. Enterprise MCP without enterprise timelines." |
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| **Non-technical Founder** | "I have an AI app idea but can't code" | "Build MCP-powered apps visually. No backend required." |
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### Tagline Options (A/B Test)
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1. "The Retool for MCP" ← developer-resonant
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2. "MCP servers, visually" ← simple, direct
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3. "Build AI integrations without the boilerplate" ← pain-point-led
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4. "From API to MCP in 60 seconds" ← speed-led
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**Recommendation:** Lead with #1 for developer audiences, #3 for broader market, #4 for demo content.
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---
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## 2. Launch Strategy
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### Launch Sequencing (3 Waves)
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We do NOT launch everywhere on Day 1. We build momentum in concentric circles.
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#### Wave 1: Community Seeding (Weeks 1–2)
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**Goal:** 500 waitlist signups, 50 alpha testers, social proof
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| Channel | Action | Target Metric |
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|---------|--------|---------------|
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| **r/mcp** (35K subs) | "I built a visual MCP server builder — here's what I learned building 37 servers" (story-driven post, NOT promotional) | 200+ upvotes, 50 comments |
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| **Twitter/X** | Daily "Build X in 60 seconds" threads with screen recordings. Tag @AnthropicAI, @OpenAI, @cursor_ai | 500+ followers, 10+ quote tweets |
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| **Discord** (MCP-related servers) | Join Smithery, Claude, Cursor Discords. Help people with MCP questions. Soft-mention MCPEngine when relevant. | 100 DMs received |
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| **Direct outreach** | Email/DM 50 people who've posted MCP pain points on Twitter/Reddit | 25 alpha signups |
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**Content to prepare:**
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- 3-minute demo video (Loom-quality is fine)
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- Landing page at mcpengine.com with waitlist
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- "Why I built MCPEngine" blog post (founder story)
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#### Wave 2: Product Hunt + Hacker News (Weeks 3–4)
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**Goal:** Product of the Day, 1,000+ upvotes on HN
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**Product Hunt Playbook:**
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1. **Timing:** Launch Tuesday-Thursday, 12:01 AM PST
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2. **Pre-launch:** DM 200+ Product Hunt community members 48 hours before
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3. **Asset prep:**
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- 6 product screenshots (before/after, builder UI, deployed server, app preview)
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- 90-second video (professional edit of the demo)
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- Tagline: "The visual builder for MCP servers and AI apps"
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- First Comment: Founder story — "We built 37 MCP servers by hand. Then we built the tool that makes building them easy."
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4. **Hunter:** Recruit a top-100 hunter (offer early access + feature request priority)
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5. **Day-of:** Respond to EVERY comment within 30 minutes
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**Hacker News Playbook:**
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1. **Post type:** "Show HN: MCPEngine – Visual builder for MCP servers (drag-and-drop to production in 60s)"
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2. **Time:** 9 AM EST weekday
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3. **First comment:** Technical depth — explain the 11 pipeline skills, mcp-jest, mcp-validator. HN rewards substance.
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4. **DO NOT:** Ask for upvotes. Do NOT cross-post to PH and HN on the same day.
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5. **Contingency:** If first post doesn't hit front page, iterate the title and retry after 3+ days (HN allows resubmission)
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#### Wave 3: Sustained Growth (Weeks 5–12)
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**Goal:** 5,000 signups, 500 active users, first 50 paying customers
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| Channel | Cadence | Action |
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|---------|---------|--------|
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| Twitter/X | Daily | "Build X in 60 seconds" videos, MCP ecosystem commentary |
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| Blog | 2x/week | SEO-optimized tutorials (see Content Plan) |
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| r/mcp | 2x/week | Helpful answers + occasional project showcases |
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| YouTube | 1x/week | 5-minute tutorials, "MCP explained" series |
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| Newsletter | Weekly | "MCP This Week" — ecosystem news + product updates |
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---
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## 3. Content Marketing Plan
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### Content Pillars
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| Pillar | Purpose | % of Output |
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|--------|---------|-------------|
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| **"Build X in 60 Seconds"** | Virality, demo product speed | 40% |
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| **MCP Education** | SEO, establish authority | 30% |
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| **Case Studies & Wins** | Social proof, enterprise sales | 15% |
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| **Ecosystem Commentary** | Community credibility | 15% |
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### "Build X in 60 Seconds" Video Series
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These are our viral growth engine. Short, punchy, screen-recorded demos.
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**First 12 Episodes:**
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| # | Title | Target Platform |
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|---|-------|----------------|
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| 1 | "Build a Slack MCP Server in 60 Seconds" | Twitter, YouTube Shorts |
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| 2 | "Build a GitHub Issue Tracker MCP App" | Twitter, r/mcp |
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| 3 | "Connect Stripe to Claude in 60 Seconds" | Twitter, YouTube |
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| 4 | "Build a CRM MCP Server (No Code)" | LinkedIn, YouTube |
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| 5 | "Turn Any REST API into an MCP Server" | HN, Twitter |
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| 6 | "Build an AI-Powered Dashboard in 2 Minutes" | YouTube, ProductHunt |
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| 7 | "MCP Server for Your Database (Postgres/MySQL)" | Dev.to, YouTube |
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| 8 | "White-Label an MCP App for Your Client" | LinkedIn (agency audience) |
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| 9 | "Build a Jira MCP Server Without Touching Code" | Twitter, LinkedIn |
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| 10 | "Multi-Tool MCP Server: Gmail + Calendar + Drive" | YouTube |
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| 11 | "MCP Server with Built-in Testing (mcp-jest)" | r/mcp, Dev.to |
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| 12 | "Enterprise MCP: Team Permissions & Audit Logs" | LinkedIn |
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**Production specs:**
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- Screen recording + voiceover (no face needed initially)
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- 60-90 seconds for Twitter/Shorts, 3-5 minutes for YouTube
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- End CTA: "Try it free at mcpengine.com"
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- Tools: OBS/ScreenStudio for recording, CapCut/DaVinci for editing
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### Blog / SEO Content Calendar (First 8 Weeks)
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**High-intent keywords to target:**
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| Keyword | Monthly Volume (est.) | Difficulty | Content Type |
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|---------|----------------------|------------|--------------|
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| "build MCP server" | 2,000+ | Low | Tutorial |
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| "MCP server tutorial" | 1,500+ | Low | Tutorial |
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| "what is MCP protocol" | 5,000+ | Medium | Explainer |
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| "MCP server examples" | 1,000+ | Low | Listicle |
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| "no-code MCP server" | 200+ | Very Low | Tutorial |
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| "MCP apps" | 500+ | Very Low | Category page |
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| "MCP testing" | 300+ | Very Low | Tutorial |
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| "Cursor MCP setup" | 3,000+ | Medium | Guide |
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**Blog post schedule:**
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| Week | Post 1 | Post 2 |
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|------|--------|--------|
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| 1 | "The Complete Guide to MCP Servers in 2026" (pillar) | "Why We Built MCPEngine" (founder story) |
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| 2 | "Build Your First MCP Server in 5 Minutes (No Code)" | "MCP Server Testing: A Guide to mcp-jest" |
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| 3 | "10 MCP Server Ideas That Actually Make Money" | "MCP vs REST APIs: When to Use Which" |
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| 4 | "How We Built 37 Production MCP Servers" | "The MCP App: A New Category of AI Software" |
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| 5 | "MCP for Agencies: Turn AI Integrations Into Recurring Revenue" | "MCP Server Security Best Practices" |
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| 6 | "Enterprise MCP: Governance, Testing, and Deployment" | "Connecting [Popular SaaS] to Claude via MCP" |
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| 7 | "The MCP Ecosystem Map: 36,000 Servers and Counting" | "Visual vs. Code: Building MCP Servers Compared" |
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| 8 | "MCP Apps: Build AI-Powered Internal Tools" | Case Study: "[Client Name] MCP Integration" |
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---
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## 4. Community Building Strategy
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### Discord Community
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**Structure:**
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```
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MCPEngine Community Discord
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├── #announcements (product updates, launches)
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├── #showcase (user-built servers and apps)
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├── #help (support, Q&A)
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├── #feature-requests (voting with bot)
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├── #general (discussion)
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├── #mcp-ecosystem (industry news, not just our product)
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├── #templates (share/request server templates)
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├── #enterprise (gated channel for paid users)
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└── #builders (alpha testers, power users — private)
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```
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**Growth targets:**
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- Month 1: 200 members
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- Month 3: 1,000 members
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- Month 6: 5,000 members
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**Engagement tactics:**
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1. **Weekly "Build Challenge"** — community picks an API, we race to build the MCP server live
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2. **Template Bounties** — $50-100 for community-contributed server templates that pass mcp-validator
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3. **Office Hours** — Bi-weekly 30-min live session, answer MCP questions, show new features
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4. **"MCP Server of the Week"** — Feature a community build in newsletter + Discord
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### Open-Source Strategy
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**What to open-source (and why):**
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| Component | Why Open-Source | Strategic Value |
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|-----------|----------------|-----------------|
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| **mcp-jest** | Testing framework → dev adoption | Becomes industry standard testing tool |
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| **mcp-validator** | Validation → trust | Every MCP builder uses our validator |
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| **10 server templates** | Proven quality → trust | On-ramp to paid studio |
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| **MCP spec documentation** | Education → authority | SEO + community goodwill |
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**What stays proprietary:**
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- Visual builder UI
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- App builder
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- Pipeline skills (the 11 encoded processes)
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- Deployment infrastructure
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- Team/enterprise features
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**Open-source playbook:**
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1. Release mcp-jest on GitHub with MIT license
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2. Write "Introducing mcp-jest: The Testing Framework for MCP Servers" blog post
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3. Submit to Awesome MCP lists, share on r/mcp
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4. Track GitHub stars as a vanity metric (target: 1,000 in 90 days)
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5. Accept PRs — build community ownership
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6. CTA in README: "Build MCP servers visually → mcpengine.com"
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---
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## 5. Pricing Validation & Analysis
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### Competitive Pricing Landscape
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| Product | Free | Pro/Starter | Team/Business | Enterprise |
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|---------|------|-------------|---------------|------------|
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| **Retool** | Yes (5 users) | $10/user/mo | Custom | Custom |
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| **Bubble** | Yes (limited) | $32/mo | $89/mo | $349/mo |
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| **Zapier** | Yes (100 tasks) | $29.99/mo | $103.50/mo | Custom |
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| **n8n** | Self-host free | $24/mo | $60/mo | Custom |
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| **Smithery** | Free registry | N/A (registry model) | N/A | Emerging |
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| **Cursor** | Free (limited) | $20/mo | $40/mo | Custom |
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### Our Draft Pricing Analyzed
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| Tier | Price | Assessment |
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|------|-------|------------|
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| **Free** | $0 | ✅ Essential for PLG. Limit: 2 servers, no custom domains, MCPEngine branding |
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| **Pro** | $29/mo | ✅ Well-positioned. Zapier Pro is $29.99, Bubble Starter is $32. Sweet spot for indie devs. |
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| **Team** | $79/mo + $15/seat | ⚠️ Needs refinement. $79 base is fine, but $15/seat may feel expensive vs Retool ($10/seat). **Recommend: $79/mo includes 3 seats, then $12/seat.** |
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| **Enterprise** | $500+/mo | ✅ Floor is right. But should be $500-$2,000/mo based on usage + seats. True enterprise deals will be $1,000-5,000/mo. |
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### Refined Pricing Recommendation
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| Tier | Price | Includes | Upgrade Trigger |
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|------|-------|----------|-----------------|
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| **Free** | $0 | 2 servers, 3 tools/server, 1,000 calls/mo, MCPEngine branding | Hit limits |
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| **Pro** | $29/mo | 10 servers, unlimited tools, 50K calls/mo, custom domain, remove branding | Need collaboration |
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| **Team** | $79/mo (3 seats included) + $12/seat | Unlimited servers, 500K calls/mo, team permissions, shared templates, priority support | Need compliance/SLA |
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| **Enterprise** | $500-2,000/mo | Unlimited everything, SSO/SAML, audit logs, SLA, dedicated support, on-prem option | Custom contract |
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### Willingness-to-Pay Analysis
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**Developer individual:** $15-40/mo for tools they use daily (Cursor: $20, GitHub Copilot: $19, Replit: $25). **Our $29 is in the sweet spot.**
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**Agency/consultancy:** If MCPEngine helps turn a $20K one-time project into a $2K/mo recurring engagement, $79/mo is 4% of one client's monthly revenue. **Extreme value — could even charge more.**
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**Enterprise:** Fortune 500 companies spend $50K-500K/yr on integration platforms. $6K-24K/yr for MCPEngine Enterprise is a rounding error. **$500/mo floor is conservative — push toward $1,000-2,000/mo base.**
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### Pricing Psychology Tactics
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1. **Annual discount:** 20% off annual plans (reduces churn, improves cash flow)
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2. **Usage transparency:** Show usage dashboards so upgrades feel earned, not forced
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3. **Reverse trial:** Give Pro features free for 14 days, then downgrade to Free (not a traditional "trial that expires")
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4. **Agency-specific plan:** Consider a "Builder" plan at $149/mo — unlimited servers, white-labeling, client sub-accounts
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---
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## 6. Sales Motion: PLG → Enterprise Expansion
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### Phase 1: Product-Led Growth (Months 1-6)
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```
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Free signup → Onboarding → Build first server → Hit free limits → Upgrade to Pro
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↓
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Invite teammates → Team plan
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↓
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Enterprise inquiry
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```
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**Key PLG Metrics to Track:**
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| Metric | Target (Month 3) | Target (Month 6) |
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|--------|-------------------|-------------------|
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| Signups | 2,000 | 10,000 |
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| Activation (build 1 server) | 40% | 50% |
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| Free → Pro conversion | 5% | 8% |
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| Pro → Team expansion | 10% | 15% |
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| Monthly churn (Pro) | <8% | <5% |
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| NPS | 40+ | 50+ |
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**Activation is EVERYTHING.** The #1 priority is getting users to successfully build and deploy their first MCP server within 15 minutes of signup.
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**Onboarding flow:**
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1. Sign up (email + Google/GitHub OAuth)
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2. "What do you want to build?" (select from 37 templates or start blank)
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3. Guided builder — 5-step wizard to first deployed server
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4. "Your server is live! Test it with Cursor/Claude" → instant gratification
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5. "Invite a teammate" prompt (viral loop)
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### Phase 2: Sales-Assisted Growth (Months 4-12)
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**Signals that a free/Pro user is ready for enterprise:**
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- 5+ team members on the account
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- Building 10+ servers
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- Hitting rate limits consistently
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- Asking about SSO, audit logs, or SLAs in support tickets
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**Enterprise sales playbook:**
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1. **Identify:** Product usage signals trigger Slack notification to founder
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2. **Reach out:** Personalized email: "I noticed your team at [Company] is building [X] MCP servers. Would a 15-min call help optimize your setup?"
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3. **Demo:** Show enterprise features (SSO, audit, team permissions, dedicated support)
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4. **Trial:** 30-day enterprise trial for qualified accounts
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5. **Close:** Annual contract, $6K-24K/yr, net-30 terms
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6. **Expand:** Quarterly business reviews, usage reports, upsell additional seats/usage
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**When to hire first salesperson:** When you have 10+ inbound enterprise inquiries/month AND $50K+ MRR. Until then, founder-led sales only.
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### Phase 3: Channel Sales (Months 12+)
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**Agency partner program:**
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- Agencies get 20% revenue share on clients they onboard
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- White-label option for agencies at $149/mo
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- Co-marketing: joint case studies, webinars
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- Agency directory on mcpengine.com
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---
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## 7. Partnership Strategy
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### Tier 1: Critical Partnerships (Pursue Immediately)
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#### Smithery
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- **What:** Registry integration — MCPEngine-built servers auto-publish to Smithery
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- **Why:** Smithery has 7,300+ servers, massive discovery traffic. We become the "build" button next to their "deploy" button.
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- **Approach:** DM founder, offer to add "Built with MCPEngine" badge. Propose: users click "Build similar server" → lands in MCPEngine Studio
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- **Value for Smithery:** More high-quality servers in their registry. MCPEngine handles the creation UX they don't have.
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#### Cursor
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- **What:** "MCP Server" marketplace integration or deep link
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- **Why:** Cursor is at $1B+ ARR with 2.1M+ users. Their users are our exact ICP. Cursor needs MCP servers to be valuable — we make building them trivial.
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- **Approach:** Build "Deploy to Cursor" one-click button. Reach out to DevRel. Propose: Cursor docs link to MCPEngine for "build your own MCP server."
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- **Value for Cursor:** Better MCP ecosystem = more Cursor value. They want MORE MCP servers to exist.
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#### Anthropic
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- **What:** Claude integrations showcase, potential "MCP Partners" program
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- **Why:** Anthropic created MCP. They want ecosystem growth. We directly grow the server count.
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- **Approach:** Ship Claude-first integrations. Apply to any Anthropic partner program. Attend Anthropic events. Get featured in Claude docs.
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- **Value for Anthropic:** More MCP servers = more Claude usage. Direct alignment of incentives.
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### Tier 2: Strategic Partnerships (Months 2-6)
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#### Windsurf (Codeium)
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- Same playbook as Cursor. "Deploy to Windsurf" button.
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- Windsurf is growing fast and more likely to partner with smaller tools (less corporate than Cursor).
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#### OpenAI
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- MCP support is newer for OpenAI (announced March 2025). They need ecosystem tools.
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- Position MCPEngine as the bridge for GPT users who want MCP servers.
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#### Vercel / Cloudflare Workers
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- "Deploy MCP server to Vercel/Cloudflare" one-click deployment.
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- These are commodity compute, but the integration feels premium.
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- Both have partner programs — apply immediately.
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### Tier 3: Ecosystem Partnerships (Ongoing)
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|
||
| Partner | Integration | Mutual Benefit |
|
||
|---------|-------------|----------------|
|
||
| PulseMCP | Analytics integration | We get visibility, they get more servers to track |
|
||
| mcp.so | Registry publishing | Cross-promotion |
|
||
| LobeHub | Marketplace integration | Our servers in their marketplace |
|
||
| n8n / Make | MCP-to-workflow bridge | Expand use cases for both |
|
||
| Supabase | Database MCP templates | Co-marketing, mutual users |
|
||
|
||
### Partnership Approach Framework
|
||
1. **Build first, ask second.** Build the integration, then reach out with a demo.
|
||
2. **Lead with value.** "We built X that helps YOUR users do Y. Here's a demo."
|
||
3. **Start with DevRel, not BD.** Developer relations teams move faster than biz dev.
|
||
4. **Document everything.** Blog post about every integration = SEO + social proof.
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
## 8. First 90 Days Plan (Weekly Milestones)
|
||
|
||
### Pre-Launch: Weeks -2 to 0
|
||
|
||
| Week | Focus | Deliverables | Success Metric |
|
||
|------|-------|-------------|----------------|
|
||
| -2 | Landing page + waitlist | mcpengine.com live, email capture, 3-min demo video | Page live, 100 waitlist |
|
||
| -1 | Alpha testing | 20 alpha testers using the builder, collecting feedback | 10 servers built by testers |
|
||
| 0 | **LAUNCH PREP** | All launch assets ready, PH listing drafted, HN post written | All assets QA'd |
|
||
|
||
### Month 1: Launch & Validate (Weeks 1-4)
|
||
|
||
| Week | Focus | Actions | Target Metrics |
|
||
|------|-------|---------|----------------|
|
||
| 1 | **Community Seeding** | r/mcp post (founder story), Twitter thread blitz (3 "Build X in 60s" videos), Discord server live | 500 waitlist, 200 signups |
|
||
| 2 | **Product Hunt Launch** | PH launch (Tuesday), respond to all comments, share on Twitter/LinkedIn | PH Top 5 of Day, 1,000 signups |
|
||
| 3 | **Hacker News** | Show HN post, technical blog post on architecture, mcp-jest open-source launch | HN front page, 500 GitHub stars |
|
||
| 4 | **First Revenue** | Enable paid plans, onboard first Pro users, send personalized upgrade emails to power users | $1,000 MRR, 10 paying users |
|
||
|
||
### Month 2: Growth & Iterate (Weeks 5-8)
|
||
|
||
| Week | Focus | Actions | Target Metrics |
|
||
|------|-------|---------|----------------|
|
||
| 5 | **Content Engine** | Publish 2 blog posts, 3 YouTube videos, daily Twitter. Start SEO tracking. | 5,000 signups total |
|
||
| 6 | **Template Expansion** | Add 10 new templates based on user requests, launch Template Marketplace | 50 servers deployed by users |
|
||
| 7 | **Partnership Outreach** | Contact Smithery, Cursor, Windsurf DevRel. Ship "Deploy to Cursor" button. | 2 partnership conversations |
|
||
| 8 | **Case Study + Press** | Publish $20K deal case study, pitch to TechCrunch/The Information/VentureBeat | $3,000 MRR, 25 paying users |
|
||
|
||
### Month 3: Scale & Fundraise Prep (Weeks 9-12)
|
||
|
||
| Week | Focus | Actions | Target Metrics |
|
||
|------|-------|---------|----------------|
|
||
| 9 | **Agency Outreach** | Launch agency partner program, onboard 5 agencies, white-label beta | 3 agency signups |
|
||
| 10 | **Enterprise Pipeline** | Identify 10 enterprise prospects from user base, schedule demos | 5 enterprise demos |
|
||
| 11 | **Metrics Dashboard** | Build internal dashboard (MRR, churn, activation, LTV). Prep fundraise deck. | $5,000+ MRR, <8% churn |
|
||
| 12 | **YC Application** | Submit YC S26 application with 90-day traction data | Application submitted |
|
||
|
||
### Critical Path Items (Non-Negotiable)
|
||
- [ ] Landing page live by Week -2
|
||
- [ ] 37 templates accessible in free tier by Week 1
|
||
- [ ] Payment processing (Stripe) working by Week 4
|
||
- [ ] mcp-jest open-sourced by Week 3
|
||
- [ ] First case study published by Week 8
|
||
- [ ] $5K MRR by Week 12
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
## 9. YC S26 Application Strategy
|
||
|
||
### Timeline
|
||
- **Application window:** Likely opens April-May 2026 for Summer batch
|
||
- **Interview invitations:** May-June 2026
|
||
- **Batch starts:** June-July 2026
|
||
- **Demo Day:** September 2026
|
||
|
||
### Traction Metrics YC Wants to See
|
||
|
||
Based on recent YC batches and what gets funded at the intersection of devtools + no-code:
|
||
|
||
| Metric | Minimum to be Competitive | Our Target |
|
||
|--------|---------------------------|------------|
|
||
| MRR | $5K | $8K-15K |
|
||
| MRR Growth | 15% MoM | 20%+ MoM |
|
||
| Users | 5,000 | 10,000 |
|
||
| Paying customers | 50 | 100 |
|
||
| Retention (30-day) | 40% | 50%+ |
|
||
| Team | 1-2 founders | Solo → co-founder search |
|
||
|
||
### Application Narrative Arc
|
||
|
||
**The story YC needs to hear:**
|
||
|
||
1. **Problem:** MCP is exploding (36K servers, $2.7B market) but building MCP servers still requires significant engineering. This is the "before Squarespace" moment for MCP.
|
||
|
||
2. **Why now:** MCP adoption inflected in 2025 (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google all adopted). The ecosystem needs builder tools NOW — there are 36,000 servers but no visual way to create them.
|
||
|
||
3. **Traction:** "We've already built 37 production MCP servers, generated $22K in revenue from custom builds, and launched a visual builder that's growing [X]% month-over-month."
|
||
|
||
4. **Why us:** "We have 11 encoded pipeline skills from building 37 servers — 6+ months of embedded knowledge that can't be replicated by reading docs. We're not theory — we're practitioners who automated our own expertise."
|
||
|
||
5. **Market size:** Intersection of MCP ($2.7B → $5.6B) and no-code ($28.75B → $187B). Even 1% of the no-code market is $280M.
|
||
|
||
6. **Moat:** First-mover on visual MCP building + 37 production templates + testing infrastructure (mcp-jest, mcp-validator) + mcpengine.com domain.
|
||
|
||
### Answers to Likely YC Questions
|
||
|
||
**"What if Anthropic/OpenAI build this?"**
|
||
> "They won't. Anthropic built the protocol, not the tooling — same as how W3C built HTTP but didn't build Squarespace. OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic all benefit from more MCP servers existing. We're ecosystem infrastructure, not competitive with the model providers."
|
||
|
||
**"What if Stainless or Speakeasy add a visual builder?"**
|
||
> "They're SDK companies — code generation is their DNA. Adding a visual builder is a different product, different user base, different go-to-market. It'd be like GitHub adding a Figma competitor. Also, we have 37 production templates — that's 6+ months of operational knowledge they'd need to replicate."
|
||
|
||
**"Why hasn't anyone else done this?"**
|
||
> "The market only reached critical mass in late 2025. Building a visual MCP builder requires having BUILT many MCP servers first — you need to understand the patterns. We built 37. That's our unfair advantage."
|
||
|
||
**"What's your unfair advantage?"**
|
||
> "11 encoded pipeline skills from building 37 servers. A production testing framework (mcp-jest). A $20K client deal that proves enterprise willingness to pay. And mcpengine.com — the canonical domain for MCP tooling."
|
||
|
||
### Co-Founder Strategy for YC
|
||
|
||
YC strongly prefers 2+ founders. If applying solo:
|
||
|
||
1. **Option A:** Find a technical co-founder with frontend/devtool experience. Search in YC co-founder matching, Twitter, Cursor/MCP community.
|
||
2. **Option B:** Apply solo but with a clear narrative: "I've done $22K in revenue solo. I need YC to help me find the right co-founder."
|
||
3. **Target profile:** Strong frontend engineer with design sense who's excited about devtools. Ideally someone who's built or contributed to tools like Retool, n8n, or similar.
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
## 10. Revenue Projections (Monthly Cohort Model)
|
||
|
||
### Assumptions
|
||
|
||
| Parameter | Value | Rationale |
|
||
|-----------|-------|-----------|
|
||
| New signups/month (M1) | 500 | Post-launch organic |
|
||
| Signup growth rate | 30% MoM (M1-6), 20% MoM (M7-12) | Aggressive but achievable with content engine |
|
||
| Free → Pro conversion | 6% (M1-3), 8% (M4-6), 10% (M7+) | Improves with onboarding optimization |
|
||
| Pro → Team upsell | 8% of Pro users after 60 days | Team features drive expansion |
|
||
| Monthly churn (Pro) | 8% (M1-3), 6% (M4-6), 5% (M7+) | Improves with product stickiness |
|
||
| Monthly churn (Team) | 4% | Lower churn for team plans |
|
||
| Avg Pro ARPU | $29 | |
|
||
| Avg Team ARPU | $115 | $79 + 3 avg extra seats × $12 |
|
||
| Enterprise deals | 1/quarter starting Q2 | $1,000/mo avg |
|
||
| Custom build revenue | $5K/mo ongoing | Existing retainer + new deals |
|
||
|
||
### Monthly Projections
|
||
|
||
| Month | New Signups | Cumulative Signups | New Pro | Active Pro (after churn) | New Team | Active Team | MRR (SaaS) | Custom Rev | Total MRR |
|
||
|-------|-------------|-------------------|---------|--------------------------|----------|-------------|------------|------------|-----------|
|
||
| 1 | 500 | 500 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | $870 | $2,000 | $2,870 |
|
||
| 2 | 650 | 1,150 | 39 | 67 | 2 | 2 | $2,173 | $2,000 | $4,173 |
|
||
| 3 | 845 | 1,995 | 51 | 108 | 3 | 5 | $3,707 | $3,000 | $6,707 |
|
||
| 4 | 1,100 | 3,095 | 88 | 182 | 6 | 10 | $6,428 | $3,000 | $9,428 |
|
||
| 5 | 1,430 | 4,525 | 114 | 264 | 9 | 18 | $9,726 | $4,000 | $13,726 |
|
||
| 6 | 1,860 | 6,385 | 149 | 374 | 13 | 29 | $14,181 | $4,000 | $18,181 |
|
||
| 7 | 2,230 | 8,615 | 223 | 558 | 18 | 45 | $21,357 | $5,000 | $26,357 |
|
||
| 8 | 2,676 | 11,291 | 268 | 752 | 24 | 66 | $29,390 | $5,000 | $34,390 |
|
||
| 9 | 3,211 | 14,502 | 321 | 985 | 31 | 92 | $39,143 | $5,000 | $44,143 |
|
||
| 10 | 3,853 | 18,355 | 385 | 1,254 | 40 | 125 | $50,741 | $6,000 | $56,741 |
|
||
| 11 | 4,624 | 22,979 | 462 | 1,578 | 51 | 166 | $64,851 | $6,000 | $70,851 |
|
||
| 12 | 5,549 | 28,528 | 555 | 1,952 | 63 | 215 | $81,328 | $7,000 | $88,328 |
|
||
|
||
**Enterprise additions (not in table above):**
|
||
- Month 6: First enterprise deal → +$1,000/mo
|
||
- Month 9: Second enterprise deal → +$1,500/mo
|
||
- Month 12: Third enterprise deal → +$2,000/mo
|
||
|
||
### Summary Projections
|
||
|
||
| Milestone | When | Value |
|
||
|-----------|------|-------|
|
||
| $5K MRR | Month 3 | Validation complete |
|
||
| $10K MRR | Month 4-5 | Growth proven |
|
||
| $50K MRR | Month 10 | Series-ready signal |
|
||
| $100K MRR | Month 13-14 | Strong Series A position |
|
||
| **Year 1 Total Revenue** | Month 12 | **~$375K-425K** |
|
||
| **ARR at Month 12** | Month 12 | **~$1.06M** (MRR × 12) |
|
||
|
||
### Scenario Analysis
|
||
|
||
| Scenario | Year 1 Revenue | ARR at M12 | Key Difference |
|
||
|----------|---------------|------------|----------------|
|
||
| **Bear** | $180K | $400K | 50% lower signups, 4% conversion |
|
||
| **Base** | $400K | $1.06M | As projected above |
|
||
| **Bull** | $750K | $2M+ | Viral launch, 2 enterprise deals early |
|
||
|
||
### Revenue Mix Evolution
|
||
|
||
| Period | SaaS % | Custom/Services % | Enterprise % |
|
||
|--------|--------|-------------------|--------------|
|
||
| Month 1-3 | 35% | 55% | 10% |
|
||
| Month 4-6 | 55% | 30% | 15% |
|
||
| Month 7-12 | 70% | 15% | 15% |
|
||
| Year 2 | 80% | 5% | 15% |
|
||
|
||
**Strategy:** Services revenue (custom builds) funds the business early. SaaS takes over. Enterprise becomes the growth engine in Year 2.
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
## 11. Leveraging the $20K Custom Build as a Case Study
|
||
|
||
### Why This Deal Is Gold
|
||
|
||
This single deal validates three critical assumptions:
|
||
1. **Demand exists** — someone paid $20K for what we're productizing
|
||
2. **Enterprise willingness to pay** — $20K upfront + $2K/mo retainer proves budget exists
|
||
3. **Use case clarity** — whatever they needed IS our product roadmap
|
||
|
||
### Case Study Structure
|
||
|
||
**Title:** "How [Client] Shipped Their MCP Integration 10x Faster with MCPEngine"
|
||
|
||
*Note: Get client permission. If they want anonymity: "How a [Industry] Company..."*
|
||
|
||
**Format (1,500 words + visual assets):**
|
||
|
||
1. **The Challenge**
|
||
- What was the client trying to do?
|
||
- What alternatives did they evaluate?
|
||
- What was the timeline pressure?
|
||
|
||
2. **The Solution**
|
||
- What did we build?
|
||
- How long did it take?
|
||
- What MCPEngine capabilities were used?
|
||
|
||
3. **The Results (QUANTIFIED)**
|
||
- Time saved: "Built in X days vs. estimated Y weeks"
|
||
- Cost comparison: "$20K one-time vs. $60K+ for equivalent agency work"
|
||
- Ongoing value: "$2K/mo retainer vs. $8K/mo for full-time engineer"
|
||
|
||
4. **The Productization**
|
||
- "This $20K custom build is now available as a template in MCPEngine Studio — build the same thing yourself in under an hour."
|
||
|
||
### Distribution Plan for Case Study
|
||
|
||
| Channel | Format | When |
|
||
|---------|--------|------|
|
||
| Blog | Full 1,500-word case study | Week 8 |
|
||
| Twitter/X | Thread: "We got paid $20K to build something. Then we made it free." | Week 8 |
|
||
| LinkedIn | Professional case study post targeting enterprise buyers | Week 8 |
|
||
| Product Hunt | Launch day "first comment" includes case study link | Launch day |
|
||
| YC Application | Referenced in "What have you built?" section | Application |
|
||
| Sales emails | Attached as PDF to enterprise outreach | Ongoing |
|
||
| r/mcp | "What we learned building a $20K MCP integration" | Week 9 |
|
||
|
||
### Turning Custom Builds Into a Revenue Engine
|
||
|
||
The $20K deal isn't just a case study — it's a **business model validation**:
|
||
|
||
1. **Template-ize every custom build.** Client pays $15-25K for custom work → we retain IP to create a template → template available in MCPEngine Studio.
|
||
2. **Offer "Custom + Template" pricing.** "$20K and we build it for you. $2K/mo to maintain it. Oh, and it becomes a template that other MCPEngine users can customize for their own use."
|
||
3. **Custom build pipeline.** Take 2-3 custom deals per quarter at $15-25K each. Each one:
|
||
- Funds 2-3 months of runway
|
||
- Produces a new template
|
||
- Proves a new use case
|
||
- Generates a case study
|
||
|
||
**Target:** $50K-100K in custom revenue over 6 months while SaaS scales.
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
## 12. Competitive Response Playbook
|
||
|
||
### Threat Matrix
|
||
|
||
| Competitor | Likelihood of Visual Builder | Timeline | Our Response |
|
||
|-----------|------------------------------|----------|--------------|
|
||
| **Stainless** | Medium (35%) | 6-12 months | Out-execute on templates + UX |
|
||
| **Speakeasy** | Medium (30%) | 6-12 months | Out-execute on MCP-specific depth |
|
||
| **Smithery** | Medium (40%) | 3-9 months | Partner early, make us complementary |
|
||
| **Anthropic** | Low (10%) | 12+ months | They build protocols, not builder tools |
|
||
| **Cursor/Windsurf** | Low (15%) | 12+ months | Our tool helps THEIR users; we're additive |
|
||
| **New YC startup** | High (60%) | 3-6 months | Speed to market + template moat |
|
||
| **Zapier/Make** | Medium (25%) | 6-18 months | MCP-native depth vs. their breadth |
|
||
|
||
### Scenario 1: Stainless/Speakeasy Add Visual Builder
|
||
|
||
**Likelihood:** 30-35%
|
||
**Our advantage:** They are SDK-first companies. Their visual builder would be a feature, not a product. Think "GitHub adding a website builder" — technically possible but not their core competency.
|
||
|
||
**Response playbook:**
|
||
1. **Don't panic.** A feature is not a product. Their visual builder will be tacked on, not purpose-built.
|
||
2. **Double down on templates.** Our 37 (and growing) production-tested templates are 6+ months of accumulated domain knowledge. Templates are our moat.
|
||
3. **Emphasize MCP Apps.** Stainless/Speakeasy will add server building, not app building. Our MCP App builder is the higher-value differentiator.
|
||
4. **Ship faster.** Release 2-3 features/week. Be the product that evolves fastest.
|
||
5. **Lean into community.** Open-source mcp-jest makes us the testing standard. Hard to compete against a standard.
|
||
6. **Messaging pivot:** "MCPEngine: built by MCP practitioners, not SDK generators. 37 production servers and counting."
|
||
|
||
### Scenario 2: Smithery Adds Building Tools
|
||
|
||
**Likelihood:** 40%
|
||
**Our advantage:** Smithery is a registry/marketplace. Building is a fundamentally different product.
|
||
|
||
**Response playbook:**
|
||
1. **Partner before they compete.** This is why Tier 1 partnership with Smithery is CRITICAL. Get an integration live in Month 1.
|
||
2. **"Better together" positioning.** If they build basic creation tools, position MCPEngine as the "pro" builder while Smithery is the "quick start."
|
||
3. **Differentiate on depth:** Testing (mcp-jest), templates (37+), apps (visual app builder), enterprise (team features).
|
||
|
||
### Scenario 3: Well-Funded YC Startup Enters
|
||
|
||
**Likelihood:** 60% (most dangerous)
|
||
**Our advantage:** We have production servers, revenue, and encoded knowledge. They have money and a team.
|
||
|
||
**Response playbook:**
|
||
1. **Velocity wins.** Ship faster than they can. Week 1 of their existence, we should already have 3 months of product, content, and community.
|
||
2. **Lock up partnerships.** Get Smithery, Cursor, and Windsurf integrations live before they can pitch.
|
||
3. **Community moat.** 1,000+ Discord members and active r/mcp presence creates social proof that's hard to overcome.
|
||
4. **Consider joining YC ourselves.** If we're in YC S26, we have the same resources + existing traction. Major advantage.
|
||
5. **Template network effect.** Every template we add makes the platform more valuable. At 100+ templates, catching up is daunting.
|
||
|
||
### Scenario 4: Zapier/Make Add MCP Support
|
||
|
||
**Likelihood:** 25%
|
||
**Our advantage:** They'd add MCP as one of many protocols. We're MCP-native and MCP-deep.
|
||
|
||
**Response playbook:**
|
||
1. **"MCP-native" messaging.** "Built for MCP from day one, not bolted on."
|
||
2. **Integration play.** Position MCPEngine as complementary: "Build your MCP server in MCPEngine, trigger it from Zapier."
|
||
3. **Depth vs. breadth.** They support 5,000 integrations at surface level. We support MCP at full depth with testing, validation, and apps.
|
||
|
||
### Evergreen Competitive Advantages (Things That Are Hard to Copy)
|
||
|
||
1. **37+ production server templates** — accumulated domain knowledge, not just code
|
||
2. **11 encoded pipeline skills** — operational expertise baked into product
|
||
3. **mcp-jest / mcp-validator** — testing infrastructure (aim for industry standard)
|
||
4. **mcpengine.com domain** — brand signal, SEO advantage
|
||
5. **Community** — if we build it first, network effects compound
|
||
6. **Custom build revenue** — self-funded growth is a strategic advantage (no dilution pressure)
|
||
7. **MCP Apps** — category-creating feature that no competitor is even talking about
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
## Appendix A: Key Metrics Dashboard
|
||
|
||
### North Star Metric
|
||
**Deployed MCP Servers** — the count of servers actively deployed through MCPEngine. This captures both free and paid usage, represents real value delivered, and compounds (each server is sticky).
|
||
|
||
### Supporting Metrics
|
||
|
||
| Category | Metric | Target (M3) | Target (M6) | Target (M12) |
|
||
|----------|--------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
|
||
| **Acquisition** | Monthly signups | 845 | 1,860 | 5,549 |
|
||
| **Activation** | % who deploy 1 server (7 days) | 35% | 45% | 55% |
|
||
| **Revenue** | MRR | $6,700 | $18,200 | $88,300 |
|
||
| **Retention** | 30-day retention (Pro) | 70% | 78% | 85% |
|
||
| **Referral** | Viral coefficient | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
|
||
| **Template** | Templates in marketplace | 45 | 75 | 150+ |
|
||
| **Community** | Discord members | 300 | 1,000 | 5,000 |
|
||
| **SEO** | Organic monthly visits | 1,000 | 10,000 | 50,000 |
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
## Appendix B: Budget Allocation (Bootstrapped)
|
||
|
||
### Monthly Budget: $2,000-3,000 (Month 1-6)
|
||
|
||
| Category | Monthly Spend | Purpose |
|
||
|----------|---------------|---------|
|
||
| Hosting/Infra | $200-400 | Vercel, Cloudflare, DB |
|
||
| Domain + Email | $20 | mcpengine.com, email |
|
||
| Design (contract) | $500 | Landing page, product screenshots, PH assets |
|
||
| Video editing (contract) | $300 | "Build X in 60s" series |
|
||
| Tools | $200 | Analytics, email marketing, Stripe |
|
||
| Open-source promotion | $100 | GitHub sponsors, community bounties |
|
||
| Contingency | $200 | PR, swag, misc |
|
||
| **Total** | **$1,520-1,720** | |
|
||
|
||
**Revenue from custom builds ($5K+/mo) more than covers this.** We're profitable from Day 1 if we maintain the custom build pipeline.
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
## Appendix C: Risk Register
|
||
|
||
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|
||
|------|-----------|--------|------------|
|
||
| MCP protocol changes breaking compatibility | Medium | High | Stay close to Anthropic, contribute to spec, abstract protocol layer |
|
||
| Well-funded competitor enters | High | Medium | Speed, templates, community — execute faster |
|
||
| Low conversion rate (free → paid) | Medium | High | A/B test pricing, improve onboarding, offer reverse trial |
|
||
| MCP hype cools down | Low | Critical | Diversify: MCP Apps serve broader AI integration market |
|
||
| Key person risk (solo founder) | High | Critical | Find co-founder, document everything, consider YC for network |
|
||
| Enterprise sales cycle too long | Medium | Medium | Focus on SMB/agency initially, enterprise as M6+ play |
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
## Appendix D: Decision Log
|
||
|
||
*Track key strategic decisions as they're made.*
|
||
|
||
| Date | Decision | Rationale | Outcome |
|
||
|------|----------|-----------|---------|
|
||
| Feb 2026 | GTM strategy finalized | Market timing is now | Execution begins |
|
||
| TBD | Pricing launched at $29/$79/$500 | Competitive analysis supports these tiers | Pending |
|
||
| TBD | mcp-jest open-sourced | Community strategy + industry standard play | Pending |
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
*This document is a living strategy. Review weekly during the first 90 days, monthly thereafter. Update projections with actuals as data comes in.*
|
||
|
||
**Next actions:**
|
||
1. ☐ Finalize landing page at mcpengine.com
|
||
2. ☐ Record first 3 "Build X in 60 Seconds" videos
|
||
3. ☐ Open-source mcp-jest
|
||
4. ☐ Draft r/mcp founder story post
|
||
5. ☐ Begin Smithery partnership outreach
|
||
6. ☐ Set up Stripe billing
|
||
7. ☐ Apply for Cursor partner program
|