Fusion Propulsion and Other Science Projects We Swore Would Be Done by Now (multiverseemployeehandbook.com)

I’ve noticed a lot of small dev tools (like CLIs, build tools, debugging apps, etc.) do really well on Product Hunt and Twitter. They get upvotes, stars, good feedback, but very few of them raise money or turn into sustainable businesses.

Is this just because they’re too niche, or is it more about the business model? Maybe most of these tools solve a clear problem but don’t have a path to becoming “venture-scale”? Or maybe devs are a tough audience to monetize?

Curious if anyone here has built something like this or tried to raise for a devtool and hit a wall. Would love to hear others’ thoughts or stories.

Comments (2)

42lux · 48m ago

Because after all the smoke and mirrors of the fancy homepage and their copy, people actually try to use it.

sturza · 3h ago

To raise is a signal of a combination - market identified as large enough to make it worth the risk, competitor analysis, go to market strategy, founder perceived capability, team, perceived ability to be better/faster at getting market share vs competitors. Clicks(upvotes, feedback etc) have no value in themselves. Founders have the job to make a sustainable business, but before they do they have to convince others they can - through some of the things i listed above. "Too niche" already implies too small market to make VCs care. Also PMF + people upvoting with their wallet or high growth could also be raising signals.

If you're looking for a general answer, i don't believe it exists.

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Why do dev tools crush it on Product Hunt but never seem to raise money?

Comments (2)