Let's get you out of idea mode

Answer a few quick questions to get started. If you're ready to build and have a budget in mind, we'll book your complimentary consultation.

Still figuring it out? The same questions will point you to the right next step.

No pressure, just great advice.

"They gave me a lot of confidence to know that I could maintain it, and what the cost could potentially be if any of those third-party systems did break."

Paisley Churchill
Founder

Based in: Calgary, Canada. Serving Canada and the US.

Which of these sounds like you?

Pick the one that fits best.

What to Expect

1

Before we meet

We will email you a mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This means we can't tell anyone about your idea and you can't tell anyone about our proprietary tools and rates.

2

Consultation

We meet virtually to get to know you and learn about what you're building. We will explain our process and how we work together.

3

Project success depends on scoping

Understanding the exact functions your app needs from the beginning is one of the most important decisions you'll make. Early scoping determines two things that affect everything that follows:

  • The architecture, which defines how stable and expandable your system will be
  • The cost, which determines how efficiently your budget is turned into real progress

When scoping is rushed or skipped, projects drift, costs climb, and costly rework needs to be done later.

We take a different approach. Because we're invested in long-term outcomes, we start by giving you a way to think through scope, requirements, and cost drivers before you commit to anything. That's why we provide access to our App Cost Calculator for $197, credited back in full if you hire us. It's designed to help you:

  • Translate your idea into structured requirements
  • Identify what truly needs to be built first
  • Understand the cost implications before development begins
  • Avoid decisions that quietly inflate budgets later
4

Estimate

Once you answer the questions in the App Cost Calculator, a senior developer will double check your estimate. The estimate will show a range with a low and high end. This is because building from scratch can lead to unforeseen challenges. A range gives you a clear understanding of what it may cost to build your solution. Rest assured that you only pay for time and materials. By providing this range, we make sure you have a realistic picture of the total investment before we start.

What are Unforeseen Challenges?

Every project has its own complexities. While we work hard to identify risks and constraints upfront, some challenges only become visible once development is underway. When that happens, we address them quickly and adapt the solution without losing momentum.

5

Hiring Us

When you are ready to proceed, we will send you the Master Services Agreement and Scope of Work. The Scope of Work explains exactly what it is we will build for you. Think of this as your technical requirements check list.

Get the Solution You Want. No Surprises. No Hidden Costs.

We help you:

  • Prioritize must-have features so you can earn revenue as soon as you launch.
  • For Canadian companies: access government funding to pay for your development costs.
  • Save thousands by connecting with security and compliance experts before development begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Capability & Experience

What industries do you work with?

We are industry agnostic and work with: Professional services (law firms, accounting firms, consulting agencies, case management, time tracking, client portals, document automation), Healthcare & Medical, E-commerce & Retail, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Education & EdTech, Logistics & Transportation, Agriculture & Food, Energy & Utilities, Construction, Hospitality.

Do you work with startups and small businesses?

Yes! We built New Idea Machine for non-technical business owners because we believe every entrepreneur deserves to have someone in their corner who'll tell them the truth about their options. Let's talk about what you're building. Even if we're not the right fit, you'll walk away knowing your next steps. No sales pitch, just direct advice from someone who's spent years helping business owners make these exact decisions.

How big is your team?

We're a team of nine working with a network of fifty developers across different specialties. When you have a project, we match you with developers who actually fit what you're building. The right tech stack. Someone who understands your industry. The pace that works for your timeline. It means you're not stuck with whoever happens to be available. You get people who can jump in, understand what you need, and start delivering without weeks of ramp-up time. The practical benefit: your project moves faster because the team is built around your specific requirements, not the other way around.

What technologies do you specialize in?

General Purpose: Python, JavaScript, Java, C++, C#, C, Go, Rust, Ruby, PHP, Swift, Kotlin. Web Development: HTML, CSS, TypeScript, JavaScript (React, Vue, Angular frameworks). Data & Analytics: Python, R, SQL, Julia, MATLAB.

Process & Project Management

How do you structure development process?

We work in an agile method. Regular meetings where we show you what we've built. You see progress every week or two, not months later. This matters because projects change. Your vision evolves. Market conditions shift. Customer feedback arrives. Agile lets us pivot without starting over. It's also more cost-effective. No change order fees when priorities shift. No 30%+ contingency markups to cover scope creep risk. You're not locked into a fixed plan that becomes obsolete halfway through. We'd rather build in short cycles, show you real working software, and adjust based on what you're learning. That's how good products actually get built.

How often will we meet to review progress?

Several times a month. Usually bi-weekly, depending on what works for your schedule and the project pace. Frequent check-ins keep us aligned. You catch things early when adjustments are quick. No surprises at the end. The product evolves based on your input throughout the process. The result: you're involved in a way that actually improves the outcome, and the final product reflects exactly what you need.

Scope, Requirements & Risk Management

Can you help define requirements?

Yes. We start by understanding the business problem. What are you trying to accomplish? Who needs this? What does success look like? Then we map out how people will actually use it. What's their workflow? What's frustrating them now? Where are the bottlenecks? This surfaces requirements you didn't realize mattered. We turn that into a clear feature roadmap with priorities. What's essential versus what can wait. What delivers value immediately versus what's nice to have later. For MVPs, we're especially focused on cutting scope. What's the smallest version that proves your core idea? What can you validate manually before building it into software? We've talked clients out of half their initial feature list because they didn't need it to test their hypothesis. Most clients arrive with a partial picture. "We need a dashboard" or "Automate this process." That's fine. Our job is asking the right questions until we land on something that actually solves your problem.

How do you handle changes during development?

Changes happen. We expect them. Your priorities shift. You get customer feedback. A competitor launches something. The market moves. We build flexibility into how we work. Because we're meeting regularly and showing you progress, you can redirect us before we've gone too far down the wrong path. You tell us what's more important now, we adjust the roadmap, and we keep moving. Sometimes, this may change the estimate we initially provided you but we will let you know ahead of time. Our approach costs less overall because we're not building features that become irrelevant. We're building what matters right now based on what you're actually learning.

How do you ensure quality assurance and testing?

Testing happens throughout development, not just at the end. Developers test their own work before showing it to you. We catch obvious bugs early. Then you test it during our regular check-ins. You're the best judge of whether something actually works the way you need it to. For larger projects, we bring in dedicated QA testers who think like users trying to break things. They find edge cases developers miss. The benefit of our iterative approach: you're testing small pieces of working software every week or two. Problems surface when they're still manageable. Quality isn't a final phase. It's built into how we work from day one. Smaller batches, faster feedback, fewer surprises.

Cost & Budget

How much will it cost to build my app?

There are many factors that determine the cost of your app development. For example, building an app you download from the app store is far more expensive than building a progressive web app that looks and behaves like a mobile app. Formal requirements gathering helps us give you an accurate estimate instead of just guessing. We recommend building in stages and prioritizing "must-haves" vs "nice-to-haves" so you can launch faster and protect your budget. And if you're applying for grants to develop your app, we'll help you through that process by providing an estimate that works with grant requirements.

How does your pricing work?

Every project gets split into must-haves and nice-to-haves. We build the essentials first, then you decide what's next based on your budget and results. This approach typically saves clients 30-40% compared to fixed bids, which build in large contingency fees and charge extra for changes. We work on a retainer basis and bill for actual time and materials. You put funds in a retainer upfront. We draw hours against it as work gets done. You get detailed time logs with each invoice (weekly or bi-weekly). Any unused funds at the end are fully refundable.

Is maintenance included?

Maintenance is optional. Most clients keep us on a small monthly retainer (5-10 hours) for updates, security patches, and minor tweaks. Others prefer to handle it in-house or work with their own team. Either way, you're never locked in. If you want to move on after launch, we'll hand everything over with full documentation and a smooth transition. We'd rather have you stay because you love working with us, not because you have to.

Ownership, IP & Security

Who owns the code when the project is done?

You do. From day one. No lock-in, no restrictive contracts, no proprietary code that traps you. When we're done (or if you decide to move on mid-project), everything transfers to you with full documentation.

How do you manage security, privacy, and data protection?

We build with industry best practices from the start: encrypted data transmission, secure authentication, regular updates, and proper access controls. For projects with sensitive data (health records, financial info, personal information), we bring in an independent security expert. This isn't us grading our own homework, it's having someone else verify the work meets the standard your users and regulators expect. You own all your data. We never access, store, or use it beyond what's necessary to build and test your software.

Do you sign NDAs or confidentiality agreements?

Yes. Before our first meeting, we'll send you a mutual NDA that protects your idea and prevents us from discussing any of your information with anyone outside our team.