Kelp is a cloud-based, low-code platform designed to help users build interactive data applications—without traditional coding. Created by the Pleeco team, Kelp was shaped by over a decade of experience in building custom internal tools for investment banks. The platform sits at the intersection of flexibility and accessibility—faster than hand-coded apps, yet simple enough for non-developers to use.
Kelp’s potential user base was broad: data analysts, operations teams, developers, and non-technical stakeholders. But the core challenge wasn’t just launching the product—it was about defining the right positioning, identifying the most relevant early users, and gaining initial traction in a noisy low-code ecosystem.
The Pleeco team approached Solveo looking for a partner to support both the go-to-market launch and product-market fit validation.
We began by running target market hypothesis testing. Initially, data scientists seemed like the most logical segment. However, through interviews, early outreach, and feedback loops, we discovered that DevOps professionals were a much better fit. They were more likely to build internal tools, more comfortable with integrating flexible platforms, and more open to ditching boilerplate code for faster workflows.
To showcase the power of Kelp, the team built a COVID-19 dashboard app to track worldwide cases. The dashboard was simple, interactive, and visually clear—perfect for communicating what Kelp could do without needing long explanations.
We launched and distributed the dashboard through relevant communities—primarily Reddit and Facebook groups—alongside early content efforts and waitlist CTAs. Within one month, the campaign attracted 300 signups to Kelp’s waitlist.
From there, we implemented a full-stack growth plan that included:
These tactics weren’t just about driving traffic—they were focused on starting conversations. The DevOps audience responded well when asked for feedback or shown real-world use cases.
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