From side projects to actual revenue, no-code AI tools help creators build their business … more
Last month, WIX acquired Base44, a small AI startup, for $80 million in cash. The company did not have traditional engineering teams in its early days. He is the founder of Solo, which uses no-code tools and AI APIs to launch early prototypes. Ultimately, that solo effort grew into a fully functional product with a team of eight people that was almost fully built without traditional software development.
What made the acquisition stand out was not just the price tag, but the path the company could get there. Base44 did not raise venture capital or follow the standard Silicon Valley playbook. Instead, it showed it on the right No Code AI PlatformLean teams can build scalable products, attract real users, and drive enterprise-level value.
The whole startup world is catching up with that model. More non-technical creators on sale Monetai AI tools Use a platform that simplifies model customization, hosting and deployment. What you need an entire developer team takes a laptop, a clear niche, some powerful APIs.
This change is not technical, it is economical. In an ecosystem where AI infrastructure is expensive and developer talent is scarce, the NO-CODE AI platform unleashes a new form of entrepreneurship. More people are now able to turn their niche knowledge into a usable model, allowing them to sell and destroy their work for months or even weeks.
From power users to product creators
“AI access wasn't the only thing that actually unlocked. It was AI ownership.” Vertical AIa codeless platform that allows users to tweak, deploy and commercialize AI models without writing a single code. In just three months, Vertical AI has grown to around 30,000 users and now handles over 100,000 prompts each month.
Its central appeal lies in what Termaaten calls “Creator Sovereignty,” which helps users not only interact with AI, but also shape it. Using an intuitive interface, you can build custom models for a specific task or audience, run them using distributed computing, and monetize work through growing markets.
“We first focused on solving the real problem,” Termaaten said. “If the product doesn't work, it really doesn't matter how clean the code is or how clever the toconomy is.”
That philosophy reflects a larger trend. According to Coingecko's Q1 2024 ReportLess than 15% of Web3 projects show consistent user activity or recurring revenue. In contrast, from vertical AI to platforms like Builder.ai and Mindstudio, no-code AI tools gain real traction by solving real problems.
The rise of prompt native products
The No Code AI boom is fueling a new category of solo entrepreneurs: rapid native builders. These are creators who use prompts and APIs rather than traditional code to build lightweight tools for specific communities and industries. Many are monetised directly through paid access, integration, or AI model markets.
I build a chatbot therapist trained in dialectical behavior therapy. Others launch podcast script assistants, immigration law bots, or real estate onboarding tools. What they share is speed: launching a functional product in a few days, sometimes in time.
Manuk Terten, founder of Vertical AI
“There is a misconception that technical complexity equals defensive potential,” Termaaten said. “But what we can defend today is to understand our audience better than anyone else, and to acquire the product before the VC-funded team finishes their sprint plans.”
In this model, Compute is the service. Personalization is the product. And the traditional startup playbook – cultivating capital, hiring engineers, building infrastructure – begins to be overbuilding rather than slowly.
Small building ROI
Part of this acceleration comes from the economics behind decentralized or optimized calculations. Platforms such as Vertical AI use distributed GPU networks to reduce costs by 40-50% compared to traditional cloud providers. Its efficiency allows individuals to make paying tools or side projects feasible.
The economics of the unit are simple but useful. Creators can start up with infrastructure costs under $100 AI products It often brings real value through subscription or metering. Many of these projects are profitable with just a few hundred users.
“We wanted to provide centralized computing convenience, but we had the pricing and control of a distributed system,” Termaaten said. “That's how we can make AI accessible, not just in theory, but in someone else's real budget.”
This dynamic has turned what was once a side project into a viable revenue stream, sometimes a major business. And unlike large AI models that require large training costs, these tools are often built on fine-tuned or API connectivity models, which significantly reduce time to launch.
Beyond the hype
This move is not about building the next Openai. Building the next reliable revenue stream: For Solo's founders, therapists, creators and consultants, NO-CODE AI offers a way to produce and earn money without pitching VCs or hiring a team of developers.
“Even educators, therapists and construction managers have seen them launch their own AI models,” says Termaaten. “They don't want funding. They're looking to solve the problems, serve the niche and get paid.”
It is another kind of ambition rooted in independence and usefulness. And in an increasingly crowded landscape with highly funded experiments and inadequate tools, such a focus may be the true future of AI.

