- 01
You are the proof
Put your face in the first photo, explain your background in two sentences and show something you have already made. Backers back people first and plans second.
- 02
Keep the scope small
The first milestone should fit one person's time and skills. Outsource only what you cannot do, and give those costs their own milestone so Backers see them.
- 03
Protect your time
Post proof when a step is done, answer chat once or twice a day and keep your story current. A steady rhythm builds more trust than bursts of activity.
Risks to plan for
- R1
Too many customer requests
Early feedback can pull the service toward unrelated workflows. Define one initial use case and keep optional requests outside the core development milestone and budget.
- R2
Account boundaries fail
Errors in account separation can expose information between users. Budget dedicated boundary tests before onboarding and share results without revealing real account data.
- R3
Operating costs grow unseen
Usage-heavy features can raise hosting needs before revenue is established. Test representative workloads and keep an operating reserve tied to monitored resource use.
Budget example
A typical cost split for a SaaS startup dream in Xi'an, shown in CNY. Backers are charged the equivalent in US dollars.
Example goal
CN¥170,000
- Core software developmentCN¥102,000 · 60%
- Hosting and infrastructureCN¥25,500 · 15%
- Reliability and security testingCN¥17,000 · 10%
- Onboarding and support reserveCN¥25,500 · 15%
What you receive
- Backers give
- CN¥170,000
- Platform fee (15%)
- −CN¥25,500
- You receive
- CN¥144,500
Example milestone plan
An example plan for a SaaS startup dream with a goal of CN¥170,000. Backers fund the whole goal, but each milestone's money stays held until you post the proof and Backers release it.
Milestone 1
CN¥34,000 · 20%
Define the customer workflow
Post a workflow map, interactive mockup and anonymised interview notes identifying the first problem the software addresses.
Milestone 2
CN¥68,000 · 40%
Develop the core service
Share a demo using sample accounts, a completed feature checklist and evidence that the main workflow runs from start to finish.
Milestone 3
CN¥34,000 · 20%
Test service reliability
Upload test summaries for account separation, error handling and recovery, with sensitive configuration details removed.
Milestone 4
CN¥34,000 · 20%
Prepare ongoing operations
Post onboarding documentation, monitoring examples and a support plan showing how reported problems will be recorded and handled.
How Backers are protected
14-day review per milestone
When proof is posted, each Backer has 14 days to release their share or ask for more. Money not released in time goes back to the Backer.
15% fee, deducted — never added
Backers pay exactly what they choose. The 15% fee comes out of each backing: CN¥1,000 gives the Dreamer CN¥850. The fee is kept if money is returned.
Gifts, not shares
Backings are gifts. No shares, equity, interest or repayment, and Dreamers keep full ownership. Nothing on cohero is an investment or a loan.
Questions and answers
Can I fund a SaaS service before it has paying customers?
Describe the workflow, available prototype and remaining development honestly. Use milestones for working software and reliability evidence rather than making paying customers or future subscription income the proof.
What should I show if the software handles private business data?
Demonstrate the workflow with synthetic records and separate test accounts. Share summaries of account-boundary and recovery tests, while removing credentials, customer identifiers and sensitive infrastructure details.
Can one person really fund a SaaS startup dream?
Yes. Backers do not require a company. They need to understand your goal and see proof as you go, and a small first milestone is the best way to show you deliver.
Ready when you are
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