Orchids

What do they actually do

Orchids is a browser-based app that turns a plain‑language description into a working web app or website. It scaffolds UI/layout, routes, backend endpoints, authentication, a database schema, and basic integrations like payments and deployment. You can edit the result in a visual editor or tweak generated code, then export or deploy from the platform (homepage, docs quickstart, v2.0 changelog).

The typical workflow is: describe the app, let Orchids generate a skeleton, wire up built‑in integrations from the UI, test and iterate, and collaborate with teammates; the company also markets an enterprise tier and says the tool is used by "25+ Fortune 500 companies" (docs, enterprise page).

In practice, it’s best for prototypes and small apps: Orchids’ own docs note the AI can make mistakes, and independent reviews show teams often harden security, add tests, and refine business logic by hand before production use (FAQ, Index.dev review).

Who are their target customer(s)

• Non‑technical founders who need a working prototype quickly: They want to turn an idea into a runnable app without writing code, but the generated output still needs review for correctness and security (docs quickstart, FAQ).
• Product managers and small product teams who want faster iteration: They need to skip setup (UI, routes, basic backend) to test flows, but still must handle edge cases and custom logic by hand (v2.0 changelog, features).
• Early‑stage startups or indie makers with limited engineering budget: They need a low‑cost way to get clickable, testable apps for users or investors, accepting the result is a starting point, not fully production‑ready (Index.dev review, FAQ).
• Internal engineering/tools teams at larger companies: They want faster internal dashboards and workflows, but will require engineers to harden, secure, and integrate before production; procurement expects security docs and SLAs (enterprise page, YC profile).
• Design agencies and freelance designers building client demos: They need interactive prototypes from designs or descriptions to validate layouts and flows, then hand off to developers for robust functionality and compliance (v2.0 changelog, Index.dev review).

How would they acquire their first 10, 50, and 100 customers

• First 10: Direct outreach to non‑technical founders and indie makers; run a free hands‑on pilot where Orchids sets up the first project and fixes early issues, then capture feedback and convert each into a case study and onboarding checklist (quickstart).
• First 50: Publish a small library of ready‑made templates (landing page, signup flow, admin dashboard) and short how‑to videos; run weekly live workshops and Product Hunt pushes to drive signups, using template downloads and attendees as the lead funnel (v2.0 changelog).
• First 100: Offer paid pilots to high‑usage teams with security documentation, SLAs, and one or two custom integrations; run targeted outbound to internal tools/product teams and use 3–5 case studies to win pilot contracts and procurement meetings (enterprise page).

What is the rough total addressable market

Top-down context:

Orchids sits inside the low‑code/no‑code application development market, estimated at roughly $24.8B in 2023 and growing quickly, with broader adjacent upside in software development and AI‑assisted tooling (AppBuilder stats, MarketsandMarkets, Mordor Intelligence).

Bottom-up calculation:

If Orchids targets ~100,000 teams that prototype web apps annually and converts 5% to paid at an average of $2,000 per team per year (e.g., a few seats per team), that implies roughly $10M in ARR; higher enterprise penetration would raise this materially.

Assumptions:

• ~100k global teams actively prototyping web apps each year (subset of developers, startups, SMB product teams; see broad developer base for context: SlashData).
• 5% conversion from active users to paid accounts for a focused, utility product.
• Average $2,000 ARR per team (multiple seats or a project‑based plan).

Who are some of their notable competitors

• Bubble: Visual no‑code platform for building full‑stack web apps with drag‑and‑drop UI and workflows; strong for non‑technical builders but centered on manual visual editing rather than plain‑language generation.
• Webflow: Design‑first site and CMS builder aimed at designers/marketers; excellent for front‑end sites and content, but not focused on generating backend logic, auth, and databases from text specs.
• Retool: Internal tools and dashboard builder used by engineering/product teams; optimized for wiring data and components with developer involvement, contrasting with text‑to‑app scaffolding.
• Replit: Browser IDE with AI coding assistants for writing and running code collaboratively; centered on coding rather than producing full apps from natural‑language descriptions.
• Builder.ai: Managed/AI‑assisted app building service that pairs automation with human delivery; more of an outsourced development vendor than a self‑serve text‑to‑app editor.