Pricing is the most avoided conversation in early-stage startup building. Founders default to free, offer pilots at cost, or say "it depends" when asked. This is a mistake — not because the revenue matters yet, but because your pricing tells you something critical about how your customer perceives the value of what you're solving. Here's how to set a first price point with conviction.
If you don't name a price, you can't get a 'no'. This feels safe. It isn't. It just delays the most important feedback loop in early commercialisation.
The product doesn't need to be finished to have a price. The pilot doesn't need to be perfect to charge for it. Willingness to pay is a signal about the problem, not the solution.
Early-stage pricing should be based on the cost of the problem to the customer, not the cost of building the solution. If you're saving a customer $500K in consultant fees, pricing at $5K/month is not ambitious — it's conservative.
What is your target customer currently spending — in money, time, or risk — to manage this problem? That's your pricing ceiling. Start at 20–30% of that number for the first pilot.
Before you've built anything, tell 3 prospects: 'If this solved the problem completely, we'd charge $X/month.' Then stop talking. Their reaction — not their words — is the data.
A fast 'no, that's too expensive' tells you the problem isn't urgent enough or the value isn't clear. A hesitant 'that seems high but let me think' means you're in the right range. A 'yes, when can we start?' means you're underpriced.
In APAC, a paid pilot at 30–50% of your full price is standard and expected. Make it explicit that the pilot price is introductory. This sets the expectation for full pricing before the relationship deepens.
APAC enterprise buyers will negotiate regardless of the starting price. Build in room. APAC SME buyers are more price-sensitive and more likely to need a clear ROI case. Know which you're selling to.
18+ years as a venture builder, operator, and founder across 11 APAC markets. Co-built and scaled ventures from validation through exit — not as an advisor, but as an operator in the room. Worked directly with 100+ entrepreneurs and innovation teams.
He works independently with founders and through programs including National GRIP, BLOCK71, Plug and Play, and ATUM Ventures.