Monittor

Monittor targeted a niche manufacturing workflow: helping manufacturers set up online shops so approved buyers could purchase parts for custom machines (initially in the hydroelectric dam industry). This type of marketplace requires trust controls and a product that feels “real” enough to win stakeholders, even at MVP stage.

Problem: The founder needed technical leadership to:

• Translate a niche industrial workflow into a usable MVP
• Make smart architecture/product tradeoffs to keep costs controlled
• Ship a proof-of-concept that could be shown to investors and early customers
• Coordinate delivery without accumulating unnecessary complexity

Solution: Horizon Labs acted as fractional CTO and guided the MVP build:

• Set technical direction and scoped an MVP that could validate the model
• Chose a pragmatic, scalable stack (React frontend, Node.js backend)
• Applied lean implementation choices to reduce build cost and time (e.g., email authentication instead of a full password system)
• Coordinated with a development agency to execute and deliver the MVP end-to-end

Impact:

• Delivered an MVP enabling manufacturers to sell machine parts directly to authorized buyers
• Produced a proof-of-concept suitable for fundraising and early enterprise/customer conversations
• Validated the technical approach and business model (even though the company later ceased operations)

Tech Stack:

• Frontend: React
• Backend: Node.js