From 0 to $40M in 5 Months: Bolt.new Story with Eric Simons
Apr 3, 2025
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Eric Simons, co-founder and CEO of StackBlitz and Bolt.new, shares the incredible journey of Bolt.new, which skyrocketed to $40M ARR in just five months. He discusses creating an AI that builds full-stack applications from simple prompts and the rollercoaster ride from near failure to rapid success. Topics include the challenges of explosive growth, the evolution of AI in software development, and future directions for AI integration in businesses. Eric also emphasizes the importance of hands-on experience in building AI applications for sustainable success.
Bolt.new exemplifies the transformative power of AI by enabling users, even without coding experience, to create functional applications from simple prompts.
The rapid growth of Bolt.new highlights the challenges of scaling operations while emphasizing the importance of perseverance and adaptability in business.
Deep dives
Introduction to Bolt.new
Bolt.new is a revolutionary tool that simplifies the process of building full-stack web and mobile applications using AI. Users can input prompts, such as wanting an app that integrates with LinkedIn, and the software generates a functional application ready for deployment within minutes. This innovative approach has made it one of the fastest-growing products, reportedly achieving $40 million in annual recurring revenue in just five months. The simplicity of the tool allows even non-developers to create applications, marking a significant shift in how technology can empower a broader audience.
Success Stories and Applications
Many users have harnessed Bolt.new to develop unique applications, demonstrating the platform's versatility and power. For instance, a user named Ian created a comprehensive 3D editing engine, which enables the creation of 3D graphics scenes through a graphical user interface, showcasing the potential for game development. Another example involves a Thai entrepreneur who, in a matter of weeks and at a fraction of the cost, built an app that helps users create engaging social media content. These success stories highlight how Bolt.new can dramatically accelerate the development process while lowering costs for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Rapid Growth and Launch Experience
The launch of Bolt.new followed years of development and was met with unexpected enthusiasm, leading to rapid revenue growth shortly after its introduction. Initially preparing to wind down, the team pivoted to focus on the new product and experienced explosive success, adding nearly $1 million in annual recurring revenue within the first week. They faced the challenge of scaling operations quickly to meet an influx of users, showcasing the intense demands of rapid growth. This experience reinforced the importance of perseverance and adaptability in the face of changing circumstances.
Future Vision and Market Position
Looking ahead, the creators of Bolt.new envision expanding its use in established businesses, highlighting its potential to revolutionize product development workflows. Recent integrations, such as the ability to transform Figma designs into fully functional apps, illustrate the ongoing innovation within the platform. The founders are focused on making Bolt a foundational tool for organizations, streamlining how products are prototyped and developed. Their emphasis on creating durable value rather than chasing transient trends positions Bolt.new as a leader in the evolving landscape of AI-powered software development.
Eric Simons discusses the meteoric rise of Bolt.new, an AI-powered web app builder that went from zero to $40 million ARR in just five months. He shares insights on how they built an AI agent capable of creating full-stack web applications from simple prompts, the challenges of rapid growth, and the future of AI in software development. From nearly shutting down the company to becoming one of the fastest-growing AI products in history, Eric offers valuable lessons for anyone building in the AI space.
Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Bolt.new overview 06:05 - The journey from near-shutdown to rapid growth 13:28 - Challenges of explosive growth and scaling 18:50 - Technical deep dive: Building Bolt.new 26:37 - Debugging and improving AI-generated code 32:09 - Future directions and enterprise adoption 34:11 - Advice for building AI applications 37:03 - The concept of "vibe revenue" in AI startups 39:39 - Is AI over or under-hyped?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Humanloop is the LLM evals platform for enterprises. We give you the tools that top teams use to ship and scale AI with confidence. To find out more go to humanloop.com
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