Rork founders Levan Kvirkvelia and Daniel Dhawan have a story that seems straight out of a Hollywood movie. From being broke and in debt to generating $100,000 in revenue in just five days, their journey to success is nothing short of remarkable.
Their groundbreaking mobile app, Rork, allows individuals with limited technical knowledge to create mobile apps using a simple text prompt. The initial launch of Rork on February 12 was met with a wave of positive feedback, culminating in a $2.8 million seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz’s Speedrun program.
The turning point for Rork came when a single tweet about their product went viral, propelling them into the spotlight. Matt Shumer, an angel investor and CEO of OthersideAI, played a pivotal role in endorsing Rork over a competing product, leading to a significant increase in user engagement.
Despite their rapid success, Kvirkvelia and Dhawan were facing financial struggles, with each accumulating $15,000 in credit card debt to keep the app afloat. However, a timely investment of $100,000 from Austen Allred and subsequent funding from other investors provided the much-needed lifeline for Rork.
This was not the first rodeo for the founders, who had previously developed successful mobile apps as teenagers. However, their previous venture had drained their resources, prompting them to pivot towards creating Rork. The decision to focus on mobile app development for non-technical users proved to be a game-changer.
With the backing of investors like Founder’s Inc. and Hustle Fund, Rork was able to secure a spot in Andreessen Horowitz’s Speedrun program. The program offers mentorship and credits from industry partners, equipping startups with the tools needed for success.
Today, Rork boasts a rapidly growing user base and has achieved an annual recurring revenue of $550,000 within just two months of their viral tweet. The future looks bright for Kvirkvelia and Dhawan, who have overcome financial hardships to turn their vision into a reality.