Start a project

We build your dream.
You pay when it pays.

Co-Build is Nerdware's partnership program for startups and nonprofits. No up-front cost. We share in the revenue when the product earns — and 5–10 partnerships a year, selective by design.

Built for the under-funded and the under-served

Co-Build is for two kinds of teams: founders with conviction but no Series-A money, and nonprofits with a mission and a tight budget. If you can't pay an agency $80k up front but you can build something that earns, we'd like to talk.

For Startups

Founders with a real idea, not enough runway.

You've got the vision. You've validated it with users. You just don't have $50k–$200k to hand an agency. We become your build partner — code, design, infra — and share in what you earn.

  • Pre-seed to early-stage founders
  • Validated audience, not just an idea on a napkin
  • Committed founder(s) working on this full-time
  • A product that can earn — SaaS, mobile, marketplace
Typical engagement: 3-6 month build · 3-5 year revenue share
For Nonprofits

Mission-driven orgs that need real software.

You're trying to serve more people with less infrastructure. We'll build the donor portal, the program-management tool, the app — and take our share from the lift it gives your earned-revenue lines.

  • 501(c)(3) or international equivalent
  • An earned-revenue stream — services, dues, paid programs
  • A defined audience and clear mission
  • A team that can drive adoption once we ship
Reduced revenue share · flexible terms for charitable work

A simple loop. Skin in the game on both sides

We've stripped the partnership down to four phases. Each is short, each is bounded, and the terms are in writing before anyone commits anything.

01
Phase · Pitch

Tell us about it.

A 200-word brief or a 25-minute call. What you're building, who it's for, and where you are.

02
Phase · Align

We dig in together.

If it's a fit, we draft the build scope, the share terms, and the timeline. Plain English, no agency jargon.

03
Phase · Build

We design and ship.

3–6 months of design, code, and infra. You stay focused on customers, partnerships, and the story. Zero invoices.

04
Phase · Grow

We share the upside.

When the product earns, we collect an agreed percentage of revenue for a defined window. Then it's all yours.

The deal, in plain English

Not every project fits this model. The shape it usually takes is below. Every contract is custom — these are typical ranges.

Build phase
3–6 mo
From kickoff to launched product. Two-week sprints, weekly demos, real users on staging from week three.
Revenue share
15–30%
Percent of revenue after launch, depending on build size and risk. Lower band for nonprofits and mission work.
Share window
3–5 yrs
Once the window closes, the share ends. No tail, no perpetual obligation. Buyout clause available throughout.

We're picky — but it's not what you'd think

We don't care about your school, your investors, or your deck polish. We care about whether you can articulate what you're building, whether there's a real audience for it, and whether you'll keep showing up.

✓ A good fit
✓

You can clearly articulate the vision

If you can't explain what you're building in two sentences, we can't build it.

✓

There's a real audience or beneficiary

You've talked to actual potential users — not just imagined them in a deck.

✓

There's a path to revenue

Even nonprofits need an earned-revenue line: services, dues, fees, paid programs.

✓

You're full-time on this

We need a committed partner on your side. Side-project energy doesn't ship product.

✕ Not for us
✕

You want a quick MVP and then to vanish

Revenue share requires a live, growing product. We won't build it for a graveyard.

✕

You expect us to handle sales & growth

We build the product. You drive the market. That's the trade.

✕

You can't decide what you actually want

We push back on bad ideas, but you have to bring some. We're not a strategy firm.

✕

You want zero accountability either way

Skin in the game cuts both directions. We're partners. That means follow-through.

The questions we get most often

Don't see yours? Send it through the contact form below and we'll get back to you within a business day.

Equity gives us a piece of the company forever, with voting rights and a seat on the cap table. Revenue share is a contract — a percentage of revenue, for a defined period, with no governance rights. When the window closes, the relationship ends. You stay in full control the whole time.
Then we made an investment that didn't return. You owe us nothing. We share the risk — that's the whole point. We're picky on the front end precisely because we can't afford to be wrong often.
It's a function of build size, complexity, market risk, and how much existing work you bring to the table. A 3-month build for a validated SaaS might be 15% for 3 years. A 6-month build for a riskier marketplace might be 25% for 5 years. We put the math on the table before either side signs anything.
Yes. Every contract includes a buyout schedule with pre-agreed multiples — typically declining over the share window. If you 10x in year one and want us off the books, you can pay out the remainder at a discount.
You do. From day one. Every line of code, every design file, every domain and account is in your name. We just have a contract that says 'pay us X% of revenue from this product for Y years.' Nothing about the asset itself belongs to us.
No. We build software — web, mobile, backend, AI integrations. If your product is mostly hardware or requires multi-year R&D before launch, we're not the right partner for this model.
Fill out the contact form — should take 5–10 minutes. If we think there's a fit, we'll send a calendar link for a 25-min intro call within a business day. If we don't, we'll tell you honestly and quickly so you can move on.
We aim for 5–10 active partnerships per year. We're often booked 2–3 months out on the build side, so applying early helps. Nonprofit applications get a slight preference in scheduling.

Got a project worth partnering on?

Pitch us your ideaSee paid work options