We’ve entered a new era of software creation. One where speed beats scale. Where experimentation trumps process. Where one person with a laptop can outship a 50-person team with a roadmap. It’s called vibe coding—and it’s not just a trend. It’s the future.
You might've seen the tweet. Cal AI—$12M ARR, four people. Chatbase—$5M ARR, eleven people. Icon—$5M ARR, sixteen people. These aren't unicorns from some previous decade; they're lean, mean, post-AI-era machines. They're startups built by indie hackers, product designers, and engineers who know how to ship before the ink is dry on the idea.
We’ve entered a new era of software creation. One where speed beats scale. Where experimentation trumps process. Where one person with a laptop can outship a 50-person team with a roadmap. It’s called vibe coding—and it’s not just a trend. It’s the future.
You might've seen the tweet. Cal AI—$12M ARR, four people. Chatbase—$5M ARR, eleven people. Icon—$5M ARR, sixteen people. These aren't unicorns from some previous decade; they're lean, mean, post-AI-era machines. They're startups built by indie hackers, product designers, and engineers who know how to ship before the ink is dry on the idea.
I created Laravel Shift, a SaaS tool automating Laravel version upgrades, after a PHP conference where Taylor Otwell expressed interest. Self-funded, Shift has surpassed $1 million in revenue through community engagement and word of mouth. It solves a common pain point for developers by automating upgrades.
You might've seen the tweet. Cal AI—$12M ARR, four people. Chatbase—$5M ARR, eleven people. Icon—$5M ARR, sixteen people. These aren't unicorns from some previous decade; they're lean, mean, post-AI-era machines. They're startups built by indie hackers, product designers, and engineers who know how to ship before the ink is dry on the idea.