Launchumo

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Inspiration

Launchumo started from a simple frustration: it is getting harder to discover real indie AI SaaS products.

Every day, new AI tools appear online, but many directories feel too broad, too noisy, or too focused on big companies. As an indie maker myself, I wanted a place where smaller AI SaaS products could be discovered more easily, and where visitors could browse useful tools without feeling overwhelmed.

The idea behind Launchumo is to make AI product discovery feel simple, fast, and transparent.

What it does

Launchumo is a directory for discovering and submitting indie AI SaaS products.

Visitors can browse newly approved AI SaaS tools from independent makers, while founders can submit their own products for manual review and public listing. The goal is not to list every AI tool on the internet, but to create a cleaner space for real products that people can actually try, use, and learn from.

For users, Launchumo helps them find useful AI SaaS products faster.

For makers, Launchumo gives their products another place to be seen, especially in the early stage when getting the first users is often the hardest part.

How I built it

I built Launchumo as a lean and focused web product.

The first version focuses on the core flow: a homepage, product discovery, product submission, manual review, authentication, and basic legal pages such as privacy policy, terms, and cookie policy.

I kept the design simple because the main value of a directory is clarity. Visitors should immediately understand what the site is, what kind of products belong here, and how to submit one.

Instead of trying to build too many features from day one, I focused on launching a usable foundation first. The current version is intentionally minimal, so it can evolve based on real submissions, real users, and real feedback.

Challenges I ran into

The biggest challenge was deciding how narrow the positioning should be.

There are already many AI tool directories, so Launchumo needed a clearer angle. I did not want it to become just another huge list of random AI tools. That is why I chose to focus on indie AI SaaS products and manual review.

Another challenge was keeping the first version small. It is easy to keep adding filters, categories, voting, analytics, badges, and ranking systems before the product even has users. I had to remind myself that the first goal is not to build the perfect directory. The first goal is to launch, learn, and improve from real behavior.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I am proud that Launchumo is live and has a clear first version.

Even though the product is still early, it already has the basic structure needed to grow: a clear homepage, a submission flow, manual review logic, and a public-facing directory experience.

I am also proud that the product has a focused message. Launchumo is not trying to be everything for everyone. It is built around a specific audience: people who want to discover indie AI SaaS products, and makers who want another channel to launch their work.

What I learned

I learned that launching a directory is not just about building pages. It is about trust, positioning, and curation.

A directory only becomes valuable when users believe the listings are relevant and makers believe the platform can bring attention to their products. That means the product experience, the submission rules, and the quality control all matter.

I also learned that for an early product, clarity is more important than complexity. A simple product with a clear purpose is better than a feature-heavy product that people do not immediately understand.

What's next for Launchumo

Next, I want to focus on bringing in the first real product submissions and improving the discovery experience.

I plan to add better categories, product pages, search and filtering, and more useful ways to highlight new indie AI SaaS products. I also want to make the submission experience smoother for makers, so they can clearly explain what their product does and why it is useful.

Long term, I want Launchumo to become a trusted launch and discovery space for indie AI SaaS products — a place where small makers can get visibility, and users can find useful tools before they become mainstream.

Built With

• next.js
• typescripe