Why is Naked's Design Program called an "Accelerator"?
We may be fast... but that is not why we call our program an Accelerator.
Accelerators are tech term used to describe organizations that provide consultancy, coaching, and support to growing startups by leveraging their experience of launching other successful startups. They help startups refine their strategy over time and avoid common pitfalls that lead to failure (regardless of how good the idea is).
This is the same philosophy we have when partnering with our Founders. We provide coaching, product strategy, GTM strategy, monetization strategy, investor strategy, and marketing strategy, all under one roof in order to give our cleints the best odds of success possible.
What is the Design phase of building an app?
Simply put, this is the exciting first step to building an app.
At Naked - it's a holistic process. This is where we focus your big vision, the problem you’re solving, your preferred aesthetics, your ideal user, and potential roadblocks. We then combine all of those factors into a lean, beautiful app design with frictionless usability - all perfectly tailored to your market - so you go to market with the highest odds of success.
Your Design screens and other assets are created in the industry-standard design platform called Figma - and will be shared with you at the end of the Design process.
These screens are what we use to create your Figma “prototype”.
Lastly, we'll provide you with an ~80 page app "blueprint" called a Development Scope Document - which is detailed documentation of the architecture of your app, the user stories, integrations needed, key technical assumptions, and the overall scope of your app.
Will I have a fully functioning app after this Design phase?
Not yet. The Design phase is the first of two phases before launching your app to the app stores.
Design gives you your blueprint to creating your app, so all of the screens, user flows, and overall User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) of your platform.
Development is the next phase, where your app get fully built then submitted to both iOS and Android stores.
What is a Figma "Design Prototype"?
A clickable, interactive prototype built in an industry-standard design platform called Figma. It is composed of your design screens, that looks and feels like a real app—but is not yet a fully developed product.
Throughout the Design Accelerator, we create these screens in both mid and high-fidelity to ensure user flows are intuitive, navigable, and easy to use. The prototype allows for clickable interactions, including screen transitions, swiping, and pop-ups, so you can see a preview of the UX before entering Development.
Beyond testing, a Figma Design Prototype is also an invaluable asset for investor presentations, helping you showcase your vision and demonstrate the value your app provides to users.
Will my app be built for both iOS & Android?
Yes - Naked develops using a cross-platform compatible framework that means your app will be launched on both Android and iOS.
What is my level of engagement during the Design phase?
Here is a visual breakdown of the time requirement on your end throughout the Design process:
Does Naked own any part of my IP or my app?
Unless you’ve chosen the equity-backed payment option, Naked Development does not own any part of your app. You retain 100% ownership of your app, its intellectual property, and all user data.
If you opt for the equity-backed payment, our sister company, Seven Ventures, will invest $5,000 in exchange for 5% equity via a SAFE agreement, executed once your company is incorporated.
Do I have to go with Naked for Development?
No. You are by no means beholden to choose Naked as your long term developer partner after Design. With your Figma Prototype, wireframes, and Development Scope Documentation, at that point - any reputable developer will be able to build your app.
Even after Development, you can opt to go with any other Developer in the future as well.
You might be thinking... separating Design / Dev is a risk for Naked, right?
Yep. But we're okay with that.
We're confident clients will want to work with us even more after Design and Development (not less). Otherwise, we didn't earn it.
What comes after the Design phase?
After Design comes the Development phase. This is when our team turns your Design into a quality, fully functioning app that is launched to both the iOS and Android stores.
What else can Naked do for my app startup?
We have experts covering most of critical areas a growing startup needs.
Marketing / technical Support & maintenance / Product Demo Videos / Download Funnels / Commercials / Logos / Naming / Brand Books / development retainer (Incubation) / and more.
You name it - we likely have some of the best in the biz doing it, or can point you in the best direction.
Is designing a Logo included in the Design Accelerator?
A logo is not included in the Design Accelerator because we don’t believe in simply whipping something up!
A great logo should align with your brand identity, archetype, and resonate with your ideal customer profile (ICP)—which requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. Our branding process is an in-depth creative journey that typically takes 3-4 weeks on its own to ensure a lasting impact.
Also, please review the List of Final Deliverables page in your Proposal thoroughly so we're fully aligned as we move forward!
Can I pay in milestones for Design?
We require full payment upfront for the Design phase, as this ensures we can allocate the right resources and move efficiently through the process without delays.
That said, we do offer flexible payment options for Development, and we’ll explore those with you later on in Design after we’ve finalized the scope and have clear cost certainty.
How does payment & invoicing work?
We offer two payment options for the Design Accelerator:
1) Equity-Backed Payment: If your project is approved, our sister company, Seven Ventures, will invest $5,000 into your project.
This reduces the total cost of the Design Accelerator from $20,000 to $15,000 in exchange for 5% equity via a SAFE agreement (executed once your company is incorporated).
If we’re investing, it means we believe in your project’s potential and want to be part of your long-term journey.
2) Full Payment: Pay the full $20,000 cost upfront with no equity involved.
Invoice & Payment Details
- Invoices are due within 3 business days of signing.
- Payments are facilitated via ACH or Wire Transfer only. We no longer accept Credit Card as payment.
- Once your Proposal is signed, we will send you an ACH authorization form to make your full payment.
How does the 5% Equity-backed Payment Option work?
If your project is approved, our sister company, Seven Ventures, will invest $5,000 into your project.
This reduces the total cost of the Design Accelerator from $20,000 to $15,000 in exchange for 5% equity via a SAFE agreement (executed once your company is incorporated).
To sign a SAFE agreement, a Founder must incorporate their business first. So we allow Founders a grace period of 2 months to incorporate their business and sign the SAFE agreement.
What is a SAFE, and how does it work?
A SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is a standard investment agreement created by Y Combinator, and it has become the most common way for pre-seed startups to raise early capital. Instead of issuing equity immediately, a SAFE grants the investor the right to receive equity in the future—usually when you raise your first official funding round.
It’s designed to be simple, Founder-friendly, and fast to execute. There’s no need to negotiate a current valuation or deal with complex legal structures. Equity only converts later when a triggering event (like a priced funding round) occurs, allowing you to stay focused on building your company.
We use the YC standard SAFE template for our agreements. If you’d like to learn more, here are some helpful resources:
- SAFE Agreement (YC Standard Template)
What is a Figma "Design Prototype"?
A clickable, interactive prototype (composed of your Design screens) that looks and feels like an app. However, this is not a fully launched app.
These screens are created throughout the design process in both mid and high-fidelity to test that the user flows created are navigable and that the app is easy to use.
While there is no code behind these yet, buttons can appear to be clickable, pages can be swiped through, and pop-ups can appear. Clickable prototypes are invaluable to testing UX before committing to full development. They are also great for presenting to investors to get funding, as it shows the full vision and the value it will provide to users.
Figma Prototype files Naked provides you can be viewed on either your desktop or mobile device. If your app idea requires a web version and a mobile version, you will receive a Figma Prototypes for both versions.
What is a "high-fidelity, graphically designed" screen?
It’s a screen that looks like the fully polished, finished product (aka any of the screens you’re used to seeing on your favorite app.
We will build 5 of these high-fidelity screens during our Design program. However, we also build all of your UI/UX using mid-fidelity screens for wireframes (typically 40+).
What is a "mid-fidelity" screen?
It’s a screen that has all the elements of a fully functional screen but does not have the final graphics/animations/colors/images on top of it yet.
It’s a cost-effective way for you to get through Design and wireframe all of your user journeys, user stories, UI/UX for a Figma Prototype as well as effectively scope Development.
Once you go into Development, we will turn all of your mid-fidelity screens into finalized high-fidelity screens.
What is an "MVP"?
Minimum Viable Product. There is room for interpretation on what "minimum" and "viable" mean, depending on the agency you ask.
At Naked, this means a truly "stripped down" version to minimize false assumptions and allow space for the market to dictate the direction of the product (so you ultimately create something people love).
What are "wireframes"?
A visual guide for the layout of all of the screens on an app or website, in addition to the structure of all the elements on each individual screen.
Think of all of your app screens laid out on a desk in front of you. How do they interact? What is the user's journey between each feature? What should they see, and what's the easiest, most frictionless way for the user to navigate your app?
These are the questions that wireframing answers, by drawing the connections between your screens.
It allows you to see all of your UI/UX laid out right in front of you, easy to visualize, and ready for Development.
What is UI vs UX?
UI: “Look and feel” of the app aesthetically (we want it to scream high quality)
UX: how the user experiences navigating the app (we want illicit feelings like enjoyable, easy, intuitive, intelligent, etc)
A great chart by Coursera is below:
Is John Driscoll is still single??
Unfortunately, the application period is now closed. Check back at a later date!
(And thank you for reading all the way through)