BasedLabs: Scaling to $10K MRR in 3 Months with AI Video Generation
Business Name
BasedLabs – An AI-powered video generation platform disrupting the creative tools market. Founded in 2023, this bootstrapped startup achieved explosive growth by leveraging emerging AI tech and organic marketing.
What They Do
BasedLabs enables video creators and AI artists to transform static images into dynamic videos using generative AI. Specializing in high-quality AI b-roll generation, it solves content creators’ pain points in producing professional short-form video content efficiently. Unlike generic tools, it focuses on cinematic transitions and style-consistent motion.
Industry
Graphic Design & Video Production
- Capitalizes on the $160B+ digital content creation market
- Targets the booming demand for AI-assisted video tools (+300% growth since 2022)
- Competes with Canva’s video features but offers deeper AI specialization
Platform & Product
- Platform: Standalone web application
- Type: Browser-based SaaS (no downloads required)
- Tech Stack:
- Core AI: Replicate (Stability AI’s SVD model)
- Infrastructure: Vast.ai (GPU compute), Cloudflare (security), Vercel (hosting)
- Design: Figma (UI/UX prototyping)
- Tools: Ahrefs (SEO), Medium (content marketing), Reddit (community growth)
Target Audience & Business Model
- Target: Hybrid B2B + B2C
- B2C: Solo creators, social media influencers, digital artists
- B2B: Marketing agencies, content studios, e-commerce brands
- Business Model: Subscription-based
- Free Plan: No (focused on monetizing core value immediately)
Pricing Strategy
| Plan | Price | Target User |
|---|---|---|
| Creator | $25/month | Casual creators |
| Pro | $49/month | Professional studios |
- Revenue: $120K/year ($10K/month MRR)
- Price Justification: 50% cheaper than hiring editors for equivalent output
Traction Metrics
- Monthly Traffic: 3.1M visitors
- Revenue per Traffic: $0.0032/visitor
- Time to Money: First revenue in 2 months
- Efficiency Note: Generates $10K MRR with 0 employees (fully automated)
Founding Team & Timeline
- Founders: 2 ex-web3/video editing specialists
- Year Started: 2023
- Dedication: Built functional MVP in 3 days during Stability AI’s SVD model release
- Bootstrapped: $0 initial marketing spend
Market Insights & Competition
- Trend: “AI Video Generator” searches grew 5X in 2023
- Key Opportunity: Gap between basic AI tools (Canva) and pro software (Adobe)
- Largest Incumbent: Canva ($2.3B/year video tool revenue)
- BasedLabs’ Edge: Specialized in AI b-roll – a previously unsolved pain point
Origin Story
The founders struggled to find quality AI-generated b-roll footage for their own content projects. When Stability AI released its SVD video model in late 2023, they spotted an opportunity:
“We knew video creators desperately needed this – but existing tools required technical expertise. We built the simplest possible interface to democratize AI video generation.”
MVP Development
Co-founder Michael executed a 3-day sprint to launch:
- Integrated Replicate’s API for image-to-video conversion
- Added Google Auth for frictionless signups
- Designed infinite-scroll landing page (Figma → Vercel)
- Core focus: Minimal features, maximum usability
Key decision: Skipped free tier to validate payment willingness immediately.
Growth Channels
- Organic Social (Primary):
- Twitter: Viral threads showing before/after video transformations
- Reddit: r/artificial and r/videoediting demonstrations
- Free Credits: Seeded top AI video creators with trial access
- Parasite SEO:
- Published tutorials on Medium ranking for “AI video tutorial”
- Leveraged Ahrefs to target low-competition keywords
- Community Building:
- Early user showcases on TikTok/Instagram Reels
- Feedback loops with digital artist Discord communities
- Early user showcases on TikTok/Instagram Reels
Growth Metrics
| Channel | Impact |
|---|---|
| 75% of initial signups | |
| SEO | 60% of ongoing organic traffic |
| Virality: 1.2M views on Reddit launch post |
Key Growth Tools
- Ahrefs: Identified “AI video generator” as target keyword (2.4K/mo searches)
- Medium: Published 3 viral tutorials (50K+ views each)
- Reddit: Automated success-story posting in 15+ creator communities
Lessons for Founders
- Ride Tech Waves: Launched within days of Stability AI’s SVD release
- Growth Hacking > Ads:
- 90% of traffic from $0 organic channels
- “Free credits for showcases” generated UGC content
- Niche Down: Focused exclusively on b-roll vs. broad video editing
- Speed is Currency: 3-day MVP proved demand before scaling
Final Takeaway
BasedLabs proves that identifying a specific content creation pain point (b-roll), leveraging cutting-edge AI at the right moment, and growth hacking through creator communities can yield massive traction – even with $0 marketing spend.
“Stop building for years. Ship fast, charge immediately, and let users guide your scaling.”
Explore more growth blueprints at 100xfounders.com
Discover more from 100X Founders
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.