In the fast-paced world of technology startups, stories of unexpected success resonate deeply, much like the sudden surges seen in the cryptocurrency market. The journey of Rork founders Levan Kvirkvelia and Daniel Dhawan is one such incredible tale, moving from the brink of financial ruin to securing significant startup funding, proving that sometimes, all it takes is the right moment and a little bit of virality. From Broke Founders to Viral Startup Success Imagine being deep in debt, having exhausted your savings, and one founder even sleeping on a friend’s floor. This was the reality for Kvirkvelia and Dhawan just months ago. They had poured everything into their venture, facing mounting credit card debt ($15,000 each) as they developed Rork, an innovative platform for No-Code App Development . Their goal was ambitious: enable anyone, regardless of technical skill, to build mobile applications using simple text prompts. After months of work and a crucial pivot from web coding to mobile, they launched Rork on February 12th with little fanfare. They were truly the underdogs, as Dhawan described their precarious financial state. The Tweet That Changed Everything for Rork AI While their initial launch tweet gained some traction, the real turning point arrived on February 24th. Amidst online discussion about a competitor’s product, angel investor Matt Shumer, co-founder of OthersideAI, posted about Rork on X (formerly Twitter). Shumer had tried Rork and was genuinely impressed, especially considering his prior small investment. His tweet was powerful and direct: “My jaw just DROPPED.” Described Rork enabling “entire iOS apps just by describing them! Zero. Code. Required.” Stated it “changes everything for app development.” Declared, “Rork blows Bolt out of the water.” Included a video demonstration. This single post went viral, viewed over 1 million times. Usage of Rork AI skyrocketed instantly. However, this sudden success presented a new challenge: the cost of running the AI backend was high, forcing the founders to rack up even more personal debt to keep the service operational. The Funding Frenzy Begins The viral tweet acted like a beacon for investors. Within 15 minutes of Shumer’s post blowing up, Austen Allred invested $100,000. By the end of that first day, Founders Inc. and Hustle Fund’s Elizabeth Yin were also ready to commit, leading to approximately $350,000 in initial funding. This immediate influx was critical, pulling the founders back from the financial edge. This marked the beginning of their Startup Funding Story . Warm introductions to other angels and venture capitalists followed rapidly. This wasn’t their first rodeo; both founders, now 25 and 27, had built successful mobile apps since their teens. However, previous ventures hadn’t prepared them for this level of sudden, explosive growth and the associated financial demands. Landing a Spot in a16z Speedrun Among the new angels was someone connected to Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). This connection led to an introduction to Andrew Chen, the general partner leading a16z’s new 12-week mentorship program, a16z Speedrun . This program is designed for early-stage startups and includes significant credits from partners like AWS, Google Cloud, and OpenAI, along with typical investments of up to $1 million. Chen reached out, but Dhawan, already having a pre-seed term sheet, didn’t immediately accept. Determined not to miss out on Rork’s potential, Chen quickly orchestrated a competitive offer from a16z. The Rork founders accepted, securing a substantial $2.8 million seed round led by a16z Speedrun, with continued participation from early backers like Hustle Fund, ChapterOne, and Founders Inc., alongside notable angels. Chen praised the founders, highlighting their technical depth and understanding of mobile development and distribution as key factors in their ability to build Rork quickly. They are set to join the a16z Speedrun cohort beginning in late July. Beyond Funding: Real-World Success The funding is a significant milestone, but Rork’s success is also reflected in its user adoption and revenue. Just two months after the viral tweet, the two-person team hit an impressive $550,000 Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR). This demonstrates strong market validation for their No-Code App Development platform. For Daniel Dhawan, this journey also means practical improvements: he’s no longer sleeping on a friend’s floor but has his own apartment. The Rork story is a powerful reminder that innovation, persistence, and sometimes a little luck amplified by a viral moment can lead to remarkable outcomes, transforming a desperate situation into a thriving venture backed by top-tier investors like a16z. To learn more about the latest AI market trends, explore our article on key developments shaping AI features.
