Most startups fail. Not because their ideas are bad—but because they run out of time, money, or hope.
But what if your last-ditch idea not only saves your company—but rockets it past $40 million in yearly revenue in under five months?
That’s exactly what happened to StackBlitz, the team behind Bolt.new—a tool that lets anyone type a simple idea like “a weather app for surfers” and get a working website in 30 seconds.
This isn’t just another AI story. It’s a lesson in grit, smart timing, and listening deeply to real users. And if you’re building a startup—or dreaming of one—this story has something for you.
The Edge of Shutdown
In early 2024, StackBlitz was on the brink.
The company had spent seven years building advanced browser-based developer tools—technology so ahead of its time that few people knew how to use it, let alone pay for it.
“We were going to go out of business last year,” admits Eric Simons, co-founder and CEO.
StackBlitz had tried everything: teaching web dev online, offering cloud coding environments, even working with big tech companies. But nothing clicked.
By spring 2024, Simons and his co-founder made a hard choice: try one final experiment—or shut it all down.
The Birth of Bolt: From Dormant Idea to Viral Hit
That experiment was Bolt.
The idea had been sitting on the shelf since early 2024. Back then, Simons’ team tested using AI to auto-generate websites from text prompts. But the results were buggy, ugly, and unreliable. They shelved it, waiting for AI to get better.
Then, in May 2024, everything changed.
StackBlitz got early access to Anthropic’s Sonnet 3.5, a new AI model built specifically for coding. The output was clean, fast, and shockingly accurate.
“We knew instantly: this changes everything,” Simons says.
Within 90 days, they rebuilt Bolt using the new AI and launched it with… a single tweet.
No press release. No paid ads. Just one post from their official account.
The result? Over 60,000 new users on day one.
But Simons braced for the usual drop-off after launch hype.
It never came.
From $0 to $40 Million ARR in Under 5 Months
Here’s where the story gets wild:
- Month 1: $10M+ in annual recurring revenue (ARR)
- Month 2: $20M ARR
- Month 5: Nearly $40M ARR
- Users: Almost 4 million registered—and growing fast
“For the first two months, we went from zero to $20 million in ARR,” Simons recalls. “People we talked to in the industry said they’d never seen anything like it.”
What made Bolt explode when other AI tools fizzled?
1. It Solved a Real Pain Point—Instantly
Most people who want to build an app aren’t coders. They’re teachers, artists, small business owners, or curious teens.
The biggest roadblock? Setting up a development environment. Installing software. Dealing with error messages. It’s confusing, slow, and frustrating.
Bolt removes all of that. Type your idea. Hit enter. Get a live, working website—no install, no setup, no coding needed.
2. They Waited for the Right Tech—Then Moved Fast
While competitors rushed to slap “AI” on their products just to stay trendy, StackBlitz held back.
“We didn’t see real value in the early models,” Simons explains. “We only acted when the tech was truly ready.”
That patience paid off. When Bolt launched, it just worked—a rare feat in the AI world.
3. Community Was Built In—Not Bolted On
From day one, StackBlitz hired people whose only job was to talk to users.
They also nurtured a strong Discord, Reddit, and Twitter community. Power users became advocates, reported bugs, and even suggested new features.
“Great products don’t come from guessing,” Simons says. “They come from listening—a lot.”
The Human Side: Sleepless Nights, Ironman Dreams, and a Newborn
Behind the numbers is a very human story.
In 2024, Simons became a father for the first time. Like most new parents, he was running on little sleep and high stress.
Instead of burning out, he leaned in.
“I woke up one morning and said, ‘I’m going to do an Ironman,’” he recalls. “I’d never run a marathon. But I trained hard—for six months—while also pushing the company to its limits.”
Why?
“Because I wanted to know that if we failed, it wouldn’t be for lack of trying.”
That mindset—full effort, no regrets—defined Bolt’s final push. And it worked.
Open Source: The Secret Weapon
Another bold move? Bolt is open source.
Yes, the core version of a tool generating tens of millions in revenue is freely available on GitHub.
Why give away your golden goose?
“For years, we’ve relied on open-source tools like Vite to make our product work,” Simons explains. “Now, we give back.”
StackBlitz is the largest financial backer of Vite, and employs full-time staff who work only on open-source projects.
This builds deep trust with developers—many of whom now prefer Bolt because it supports the tools they love.
It’s a rare win-win: users get freedom and transparency; StackBlitz gets loyalty and rapid innovation from the community.
When to Pivot vs. When to Push
Many founders struggle with this question: Is my idea failing—or just hard?
Simons’ answer: You learn by doing.
Over nearly 20 years of building products (starting with a Dropbox-like tool at age 18!), he’s developed a gut sense for when to pivot and when to double down.
“The key is intellectual honesty,” he says. “Ask yourself: Am I sticking with this because it’s the right thing—or just because I don’t want to quit?”
His advice?
- Go all-in on your idea—really test it
- Talk to real users—not just friends or fans
- If it’s not working after honest effort, pivot without shame
Failure isn’t the enemy. Regret is.
The Future: AI Won’t Replace Developers—But It Will Redefine Them
Simons believes AI will rewrite how software is built—but not eliminate developers.
“AI handles the boring, repetitive parts: setting up files, writing basic code, fixing syntax errors,” he says. “That frees developers to focus on strategy, design, and complex logic—the fun stuff.”
And for non-coders? Bolt opens the door.
“A 10-year-old with an app idea can build it today,” Simons says. “In five years, that same kid might launch the next big social network—without writing a single line of code.”
Lessons for Every Startup Founder
- Wait for the right moment—then move fast.
- Build with users, not just for them. Community feedback is your compass.
- Don’t chase trends—solve real problems. Bolt succeeded because it removed friction, not because it was “AI-powered.”
- Give back to open source. It builds trust and fuels innovation.
- Go all-in—or walk away cleanly. Half-efforts rarely win.
Final Thought: Sometimes, Your Last Idea Is Your Best
StackBlitz didn’t win because they had the most funding, the flashiest office, or the biggest team.
They won because they kept showing up—even when success seemed impossible.
They listened. They adapted. They bet big on the right tech at the right time.
And when the world needed a tool that turns words into working software, Bolt was ready.
For anyone building a startup in 2025 and beyond, that’s the real lesson: Great products come from deep care, sharp timing, and the courage to try one more time.
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