So, i nearly finished my Software-Prototype in the AEC-Management sector, found a Co-Founder and want to go online, to get feedback and talk to potential customers about my idea.
Unfourtunately i just found out that the government is planning to launch a similar software in 2025 and it got funded with 6 Mio. €. Also, since it is the government, they have lots of good connection to the right people and groups, that i don’t have.
Is it worth to pursui my business idea at that point, after spending a lot of time in building a prototype, website and even a business plan? Right now it feels to me as if i have no chance to win a race to market against the government.
Has anyone of you been in a similar situation and could give me some tips on how to handle this?
If the government is planning on the launching a software it means that there is a good market share and demand.
I would absolutely go ahead and launch that product and make sure that I compete with the government by offering a better product with better customer service and useful updates where I take the user feedback into consideration and implemented in future updates.
I would also do some research and find out what exactly are the users looking for and launch a beta version for testing purposes where users can actually give you feedback on the product. keep that beta for a while even if you’re not making any money.
Use that feedback to improve your product of the paid version.
Have a free tier with some limitations but make it good enough so people would want to use it. Offer the good features for paid versions.
don’t worry about the government’s funding just think who the government is and how lazy and demotivated employees are of the government.
Picture yourself competing with the current president or local governor.