Rocket.new: Revolutionizing App Development with AI
In an era characterized by rapid technological advancements and a growing demand for streamlined processes, a new player has emerged in the realm of app development. Rocket.new, an innovative startup hailing from Surat, India, has recently made waves by securing $15 million in a seed funding round led by Salesforce Ventures. This ambitious endeavor seeks to redefine the landscape of app creation through its AI-powered platform that enables users to build fully functional applications simply by using natural-language prompts. In doing so, Rocket.new aims not only to compete with established vibe-coding platforms like Lovable, Cursor, and Bolt but also to carve out a niche that prioritizes the production-ready aspect of app development over mere prototyping.
A Shift in Focus
Founded by Vishal Virani, Rahul Shingala, and Deepak Dhanak, Rocket.new represents a significant pivot from the team’s earlier project, DhiWise, which was focused on enhancing developer workflows. The essence of Rocket.new lies in addressing not just immediate challenges in app creation but also tackling long-term issues in the product lifecycle—a vision encapsulated in Virani’s assertion that they aim to solve "the problem of day two."
The startup, which launched its platform in beta just three months ago, has already gained substantial traction, attracting over 400,000 users worldwide. Among these, more than 10,000 individuals have opted for paid subscriptions. With an impressive annual recurring revenue of $4.5 million, Rocket.new is aggressively targeting a revenue goal of $20 to $25 million by the year’s end, with aspirations to scale further to $60 to $70 million by mid-next year.
Harnessing AI for Comprehensive Development
What sets Rocket.new apart from its competitors is its ambitious goal of creating a holistic AI-driven ecosystem for app development. By utilizing large language models from industry leaders like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google’s Gemini, combined with their proprietary deep learning systems, the platform is designed to offer more than just code generation. Virani emphasizes that their model will not only facilitate app and website creation but also integrate essential functions such as competitive research and product development—all achievable through simple natural-language directives.
This multifaceted approach positions Rocket.new not merely as a coding tool but as a comprehensive solution for businesses looking to streamline their product development processes. The startup’s long-term vision includes establishing an "agentic system," which will empower organizations to manage various functions surrounding their products seamlessly without the necessity of product managers—an innovative concept that could fundamentally alter the way development teams operate.
The User Experience
The performance metrics of Rocket.new’s platform highlight its distinctive user experience. As of now, around 80% of the applications developed by users qualify as "serious," going beyond basic landing pages to encompass robust constructs such as e-commerce platforms, fintech applications, B2B tools, and even mental health apps. The company’s focus on scalability and functionality is clearly resonating with a diverse clientele, which includes employees from high-profile organizations like Meta, PayPal, and KPMG who utilize the platform for various personal projects.
In terms of application types, around 45% of users are engaged in mobile app development, while the remaining 55% are focused on creating websites. Remarkably, users often build an initial website using platforms like Lovable or Replit, after which they transition to Rocket.new to generate a native mobile app that integrates with their existing backends, such as Supabase.
Speed vs. Quality
One notable factor in Rocket.new’s performance is the time it takes to generate the first application. The platform requires approximately 25 minutes to produce a functioning app, which is considerably longer than the instantaneous outputs typical of many vibe-coding tools. However, initial tests suggest that the quality of the output is significantly enhanced, offering a more comprehensive experience that encapsulates all essential modules from the get-go.
The pricing strategy further augments its appeal, with a free trial that allows users access to one million tokens. After that, the monthly subscription kicks in at a modest $25 for five million tokens. This thoughtful pricing not only disincentivizes casual hobbyists but also ensures a healthy gross margin for the startup, which currently stands at 50-55%. The goal is to elevate this margin to 60-70% in the near future, allowing for sustained growth and investment in the technology.
Target Markets and Growth Ambitions
The U.S. market represents the largest revenue segment for Rocket.new, contributing about 26% to the overall figures, followed closely by Europe at 15-20% and India at 10%. In a bid to enhance its service capabilities and deepen its market footprint, Rocket.new is in the process of establishing a headquarters in Palo Alto, California. This strategic move aims to position the startup more closely to its key market and facilitate better support for domestic users.
Navigating Growth Through Word-of-Mouth
Rocket.new’s early success can largely be attributed to organic growth driven by word-of-mouth referrals and viral social media posts. This grassroots marketing approach underscores the effectiveness and appeal of the platform, generating buzz in communities eager for innovative tools in app development. With the recent influx of seed funding, the startup is now in a prime position to refine its go-to-market strategy, expand its reach into critical markets, and ramp up research and development efforts.
According to Kartik Gupta from Salesforce Ventures, the present landscape is marked by a striking gap between the novelty of AI code generation and the practicality of converting this code into production-ready applications. Rocket.new is uniquely poised to fill this void by providing solutions that address the complexities of iteration, maintenance, and deployment at enterprise scale.
Team Expansion and Future Aspirations
Currently operating with a team of 58 members based primarily in Surat, Rocket.new plans to double its engineering and product staff over the next year to accommodate its growth trajectory. This workforce expansion is vital not only for enhancing their technology stack but also for meeting the increasing demand from users eager to explore the platform’s full potential.
As the world moves further into the digital age, the need for efficient and effective app development tools will only continue to grow. Rocket.new stands at the forefront of this shift, leveraging cutting-edge AI technology to streamline the app development lifecycle. The vision articulated by Virani and his co-founders points toward a future where organizations can access intuitive, powerful development tools that take the complexity out of creating and launching applications.
Conclusion
In summary, Rocket.new exemplifies the innovative spirit driving the Indian startup ecosystem. With its focus on AI-powered app development and a commitment to addressing the comprehensive needs of businesses, it stands to disrupt the existing norms around coding and product development. By offering a platform that enables users to construct robust, scalable applications through natural-language prompts, Rocket.new is not just another coding tool; it is a transformative solution that could redefine how we think about and approach app development in the 21st century. As the company evolves, it will be interesting to observe how it navigates the challenges of growth and competition while staying true to its mission of empowering users to create impactful digital solutions.
