Own TeXbrain.

What you'd own.

Every artifact below transfers to your accounts on day one. The whole engine.

• ●MVP LaTeX editor with browser environment and GitHub sync code
• ●TeXbrain brand identity, registered domain, and pre-built marketing website
• ●Validated GTM playbook targeting Hacker News and r/LaTeX audiences
• ●Financial projections with Year 1 ARR estimates and pricing model
• ●Founder market research documenting academic buyer persona and pain points
• ●Beta user waitlist and community presence in developer communities

What Roll Digital builds for you.

Custom scope to take TeXbrain from MVP shell to operating business.

• ▸Production-grade backend API with job queuing for LaTeX compilation
• ▸Postgres database layer with multi-tenant schema and data isolation
• ▸Stripe billing and subscription management across three pricing tiers
• ▸Git sync daemon enabling real-time bidirectional sync with GitHub
• ▸User authentication with email and OAuth 2.0 social sign-in
• ▸Observability stack with error tracking, logs, and performance monitoring
• ▸Documentation and onboarding flows for GitHub-native LaTeX users
• ▸Initial 30-day post-launch customer success and support infrastructure

Why this could work.

The TAM is enormous (5M active LaTeX users) and Overleaf's dominant position creates friction on lock-in concerns. GitHub integration directly addresses the developer mindset and workflow of target academics. Freemium model aligns with academic price sensitivity. With focused early traction on Hacker News and r/LaTeX, rapid adoption among power users could establish a foothold before Overleaf responds. Real-time collaboration differentiates beyond just Git sync.

What you'd risk.

Overleaf already operates at 500+ university sites with institutional lock-in that individual switching cannot overcome. Server-side compilation is capital-intensive; Overleaf spends millions annually on infrastructure that a solo operator cannot match at scale. The Git differentiation is partial (Overleaf's paid tier has Git bridge; Codespaces exists). Academic users have structural resistance to paid pricing. Real revenue viability appears unlikely without significant operational investment beyond the initial build.

Who this fits.

This fits a technical founder with existing SaaS chops, comfort with infrastructure and compiling systems, and a network within the academic or developer community. Ideally someone who uses LaTeX already and has shipped consumer products before. Not suitable for non-technical operators or those expecting passive income. Requires active product management through Year 1 to build from $0 to $57k ARR.

Timeline.

From contract signing to operating business.

1. Day 1
   Acquire codebase, Git credentials, domain, and customer list
2. Week 1
   Deploy backend infrastructure and begin initial customer outreach
3. Week 3
   Launch public beta on Hacker News with Stripe integration live
4. Week 6
   Onboard first paid subscribers and measure conversion metrics
5. Day 90
   Stabilize infrastructure, hit $2-3k MRR target, refine retention loops

Pricing.

Three ways in, depending on how much you want to build yourself.