For founders · pro bono · a few each quarter

Skip the “can we grab a coffee?” email.

I say yes to a few founders a quarter, so I decide from what you write here, not from a call. It takes about 12 minutes. These are the questions the roadmap starts with, so nothing is wasted.

Before you start · 30 seconds

Three things have to be true.

If any isn't yet, don't send the form. Do that first and come back. You'll get far more out of the roadmap.

See every question before you start4 STEPS · ABOUT 12 MINUTES

1 · Where you are

  1. What exists today? Pick one: Nothing yet · Designs · No-code build · Working prototype · In production
  2. Who uses it? Pick one: No users yet · Free pilots · Signed letter of intent or pilot · Paying customers
  3. What do you want from me? Pick one. Pick one: AI-first roadmap, end to end · Architecture review · Build plan for coding agents · Launch path
  4. Is there a date forcing your hand? If so, when? Pick one: Demo day · Pilot go-live · Fundraise · Grant deadline · No date

2 · The problem, in evidence

  1. What does your company do, in 50 characters or fewer?
  2. Tell me about the last time someone hit this problem. Who were they, what did it cost them, and what did they do instead? The past, not the future. At least 30 words; aim for 50 to 150.
  3. How many people with the problem have you spoken to in the last 90 days?
  4. How many pay or have committed? Who pays most?

3 · AI, data and who builds

  1. Which step in your user's work does AI change, and what do they do without it?
  2. When the AI gets it wrong, what happens? Pick one: Mild annoyance · A person checks before it goes out · Money or safety at risk
  3. What data does it need, and do you have the right to use it?
  4. The data Pick any: Includes personal data · Health or financial · No personal data
  5. Users in Pick any: Singapore · Philippines · Malaysia · Indonesia · Other
  6. Who builds it after the roadmap? Pick one: Technical co-founder · Contractor · Me, with coding agents · Not sure yet
  7. Monthly ceiling for cloud and AI costs Pick one: Under US$200 · US$200–1k · US$1k–5k · US$5k+

4 · The ask, and the proof

  1. What decision will this roadmap let you make? What have you already tried? At least 30 words; aim for 50 to 150. Also say what would make this a waste of your time.
  2. Show me something: a link to the product, prototype, repo or deck.
  3. Your name, email and LinkedIn.
  4. Agree to the ten engagement terms (v2, October 2026).

Using an AI agent? It can help you draft, but you write and send the answers yourself. The same list is at phani.to/apply.md. If the form fails, email your answers to mail@phani.to.

Engagement terms · v2 · October 2026

Free doesn't mean vague.

Ten plain rules, so we both know what you're getting and what I'm not promising. Sending the form means you agree to them. Anything beyond them needs both of us to agree in writing.

  1. 01

    It's pro bono, with no strings.

    No fee, no equity, no advisory shares. Neither of us owes the other anything beyond these terms, and either of us can stop at any time by saying so.

  2. 02

    The scope is a roadmap, not a build.

    You get up to three working sessions and a written roadmap: requirements, architecture decisions, a build plan for coding agents and a launch path. I don't write your product, join as CTO or co-founder, or provide ongoing support.

  3. 03

    I'll only show the work with your signed OK.

    I'd like to publish the roadmap and architecture I wrote for you on phani.to as a case study. You see the exact write-up first, choose how you're named and strike anything you want. Nothing goes live without your signature, and no reply means nothing goes live. Never your confidential data, customer names or numbers you haven't made public.

  4. 04

    Your secrets stay yours.

    I keep what you share in confidence, except what is already public. No NDA is needed to apply. Don't put trade secrets in this form; we can cover those in a session.

  5. 05

    You own your product and your roadmap.

    The roadmap I write for you is yours to use, change and share. I keep my general know-how, methods and templates, and may reuse patterns that aren't confidential to you.

  6. 06

    This is me, not 1CloudHub.

    I co-founded 1CloudHub and run its revenue. I do this in a personal capacity; it isn't advice from 1CloudHub. I'm cloud-agnostic, and I won't introduce 1CloudHub or any other vendor unless you ask me to in writing.

  7. 07

    It's advice, and the decisions are yours.

    I give my honest view, with no guarantee of results. It isn't legal, financial, tax or investment advice. To the extent the law allows, I'm not liable for what happens when you act on it.

  8. 08

    Your answers are used for one thing.

    I use what you send only to assess and run our engagement. It's stored privately, never sold or shared, and deleted on request, in line with Singapore's PDPA. Email mail@phani.to to see or delete it.

  9. 09

    We both show up.

    I reply within five working days and keep the sessions we book. You get one reschedule with 24 hours' notice. You come prepared and answer follow-ups within a week. If either side goes quiet for three weeks, the engagement ends and the slot goes to the next founder.

  10. 10

    Singapore law applies.

    These terms are governed by the laws of Singapore. If something isn't working, we talk first.

Agreeing ties your submission to the version above (v2 · Oct 2026).