AI × No-Code × GreenSync
Agtech: Building an MVP in One Month
👋 Who am I
Hi, it’s not Vlad this time.
I’ve hijacked Vlad’s newsletter to share how I built an AgTech MVP in 30 days - without writing a single line of code. AI did it for me.
I’m Stepan, founder of GreenSync, an agtech startup that turns messy soil health data into actionable insights.
We’re building intuitive tools for agronomists, universities, and soil labs to deliver faster, clearer recommendations.
No more endless spreadsheets or confusing PDFs – just AI-powered clarity.
In this special edition of Vlad’s Newsletter, Vlad asked me to share my experience of using AI to build an MVP .
So, I want to share a transformational story: how I built an MVP using no-code tools, as a completely non-technical founder, with zero experience in system building.
Beginning of the Story
Last year, my team and I set out to build an AI platform that could analyze agricultural data from one central place and deliver actionable insights.
With limited experience as a non-technical founder, I hired outsourced developers to quickly deliver an MVP – sounds familiar, right?
After months of countless hours spent explaining tasks, and tens of thousands of dollars, all we had was a basic Excel prototype. I struggled to inspire strategic thinking and extra effort from third-party developers.
Ultimately, our first attempt failed; nobody wanted our product, and we pivoted.
GreenSync in 2024:
I spent $15,000 on an MVP that nobody wanted to use. At the end of 2024, I took a step back to reflect and here are my key takeaways:
1. Move fast when delivering an MVP.
After conducting 50+ interviews and spotting a real problem, we estimated one month to build a solution. It turned into three. Don’t lose momentum.
2. Outsourcing is a trap.
As a non-technical founder, you end up playing the role of a product manager - bridging the gap between devs and business. That eats away time you should be spending with users. You have to explain the task, validate it, test it, and fix errors.
3. Developers ship tasks, not products.
Unless you clearly communicate your vision and motivate them, the output may miss the mark. It’s time-consuming and only partially effective.
GreenSync in 2025:
Fast forward to 2025 and the AI boom, I made a bold decision: build the MVP myself without developers – just AI automation and “vibe coding. " Here’s what we’ve achieved in just one month.
Today we’re diving into: AI × no-code × AgTech
My approach: Problem → Failure → Fix → Working MVP
The journey from file chaos to context-aware AI analysis – in just one month (without technical skills!)
Quick win: From 0 to 5 agronomists in 4 weeks by processing 100 soil samples daily.
If you're wondering how to do that, check out the recent Vlad newsletter on how he created a Game With Zero Coding Experience.
🚨 The Problem:
Farmers and agronomists manage multiple file formats – JSONs, Excel sheets, PDF reports – making even a simple question like:
“Which fertilizer program performed best on low-magnesium plots?”
A tedious data-wrangling nightmare.
Worse, every follow-up question loses context, forcing users back to square one.
We needed an AI system that could:
Handle multiple uploaded files at once
Persist the data context across chat messages
Generate smart answers + follow-up questions based on real farm data
Work without writing backend code
🛠️ My Stack
n8n: logic and automation engine
Supabase: structured data storage
Lovable: user interface & webhook integrations
OpenAI GPT-4.1: reasoning brain
Custom AI prompt: our virtual “Ag Data Scientist”
Cost Breakdown for the MVP stack:
All tools mentioned below offer generous free tiers, which I fully utilized while building the MVP.
• n8n: $24/month
• Supabase: Free tier
• Lovable: Free tier
• OpenAI: $20 in testing credits
Total: $50 backend + $20 OpenAI credits = $70 MVP build cost.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Vlad's Newsletter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.