AI startup Rocket offers vibe McKinsey-style reports at a fraction of the cost

Rocket, an innovative startup based in Surat, India, is poised to revolutionize the early stages of product development. On Tuesday, the company unveiled its new platform, Rocket 1.0, designed to assist users in crafting consulting-style product strategies before diving into the coding process. This platform integrates research, product creation, and competitive analysis into a seamless workflow. It generates comprehensive product strategy documents that cover essential elements such as pricing structures, unit economics, and go-to-market strategies. As AI-driven coding tools gain prominence—thanks to platforms like Cursor, Replit, and Lovable—coding has become more accessible. However, Rocket co-founder and CEO Vishal Virani emphasizes that determining what to build is still a critical area that often goes overlooked. "While generating code has become a commodity, understanding the business implications behind it is crucial," Virani explained. TechCrunch had the opportunity to test Rocket's platform prior to its official launch, discovering that it could produce product requirement documents in PDF format from simple user prompts. Unlike traditional vibe coding tools or chatbots, these documents resemble professional consulting reports, focusing more on strategic insights than mere execution. However, it is important to note that some of the analysis generated may be derived from pre-existing data, blending established pricing models, user behavior patterns, and competitive intelligence. This indicates that users should independently verify the outputs before making significant business decisions. In cases where users face challenges, the platform offers human support to guide them. Rocket's platform also provides competitor tracking, monitoring changes to websites and traffic trends. Drawing from over 1,000 data sources, including Meta’s advertising libraries and Similarweb’s API, it enhances the depth of its analysis. Subscription plans for Rocket start at $25 per month for application development, with options reaching up to $350 for the complete platform that includes strategic insights and competitive analysis. Virani stated that the $250 plan can create two to three "McKinsey-grade" research reports alongside product builds, making it a cost-effective alternative to conventional consulting services, which can charge thousands for similar work. After securing a $15 million seed investment in September from Accel, Salesforce Ventures, and Together Fund, Rocket has witnessed remarkable growth, expanding its user base from 400,000 to over 1.5 million across 180 countries. The startup reported an average annual revenue of around $4,000 per user while maintaining gross margins exceeding 50%. With a workforce of 57 employees and operations extending to Palo Alto, Rocket is set to make a significant impact in the market.