CostQuest – AI-Driven Tools for Startup Validation
CostQuest – AI-Driven Tools for Startup Validation
A streamlined product suite to help early-stage founders estimate costs, craft business plans, and file patent drafts - faster and easier.
A streamlined product suite to help early-stage founders estimate costs, craft business plans, and file patent drafts - faster and easier.
Purpose and Goals
Purpose and Goals
CostQuest is a platform designed to support early-stage founders as they shape and validate their startup ideas. My role as a UX/UI designer was to make this process feel clear and manageable at every step — from quick idea estimation to business validation and patent preparation.
We focused on creating tools that guide users through complex decisions with simple, structured workflows. By combining clarity, consistency, and flexibility, we made sure even those without technical experience could confidently move their ideas forward.
CostQuest is a platform designed to support early-stage founders as they shape and validate their startup ideas. My role as a UX/UI designer was to make this process feel clear and manageable at every step — from quick idea estimation to business validation and patent preparation.
We focused on creating tools that guide users through complex decisions with simple, structured workflows. By combining clarity, consistency, and flexibility, we made sure even those without technical experience could confidently move their ideas forward.
Target audience
Target audience
Aspiring Founders: Individuals with startup ideas who need guidance turning their concept into a solid plan.
First-Time Entrepreneurs: People launching their first project who benefit from structured tools and clarity at each step.
Non-technical Founders: Users without a tech or business background who need accessible guidance to make progress.
Startup Teams: Small teams working on early-stage ideas looking for a collaborative and organized way to explore feasibility.
Aspiring Founders: Individuals with startup ideas who need guidance turning their concept into a solid plan.
First-Time Entrepreneurs: People launching their first project who benefit from structured tools and clarity at each step.
Non-technical Founders: Users without a tech or business background who need accessible guidance to make progress.
Startup Teams: Small teams working on early-stage ideas looking for a collaborative and organized way to explore feasibility.
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
While working on the CostQuest platform, I conducted separate competitive analyses for each of its core tools: CQ Estimation, CQ Business, and CQ Patent. No direct competitors were offering a complete, all-in-one platform similar to what CostQuest provides.
While working on the CostQuest platform, I conducted separate competitive analyses for each of its core tools: CQ Estimation, CQ Business, and CQ Patent. No direct competitors were offering a complete, all-in-one platform similar to what CostQuest provides.
Proposed solution
Proposed solution
CQ Estimation:
This was the first service we worked on, and it was exciting to design something that helps users get quick cost estimates for their product ideas.
The user just writes a short description, and the system starts asking smart follow-up questions depending on what was written. It feels more like a short conversation than a form. The interface is simple and clear, so even someone using it for the first time can understand what’s going on.
In the end, the system shows a clean, easy-to-read estimate that the user can save or download.
This was the first service we worked on, and it was exciting to design something that helps users get quick cost estimates for their product ideas.
The user just writes a short description, and the system starts asking smart follow-up questions depending on what was written. It feels more like a short conversation than a form. The interface is simple and clear, so even someone using it for the first time can understand what’s going on.
In the end, the system shows a clean, easy-to-read estimate that the user can save or download.
CQ Estimation:
CQ Estimation:
CQ Business:
This tool helps users quickly define their target audience and shape a business idea without any complicated steps. At first, the user just writes a short description of the product. Then the system shows suggestions for audience segments that the user can edit or adjust.
Each segment opens up into a short flow where the user can describe real needs, problems, and value. It’s all done step by step in a clean and focused layout. In the end, the system creates a full draft that feels structured but easy to understand. Users can download it or keep working on it later.
This tool helps users quickly define their target audience and shape a business idea without any complicated steps. At first, the user just writes a short description of the product. Then the system shows suggestions for audience segments that the user can edit or adjust.
Each segment opens up into a short flow where the user can describe real needs, problems, and value. It’s all done step by step in a clean and focused layout. In the end, the system creates a full draft that feels structured but easy to understand. Users can download it or keep working on it later.
CQ Business:
CQ Business:
CQ Patent:
This service helps inventors prepare a clear technical draft for their idea. It all starts with entering the invention name and a short description. Then the user uploads a drawing and places tags on the parts of the invention to describe how they work.
After that, the user can also describe how these parts connect and interact. The flow makes it easier to explain the idea in a structured way, even without experience in legal writing. At the end, the system creates a ready-to-use document that can be downloaded or saved in the workspace.
This service helps inventors prepare a clear technical draft for their idea. It all starts with entering the invention name and a short description. Then the user uploads a drawing and places tags on the parts of the invention to describe how they work.
After that, the user can also describe how these parts connect and interact. The flow makes it easier to explain the idea in a structured way, even without experience in legal writing. At the end, the system creates a ready-to-use document that can be downloaded or saved in the workspace.
CQ Patent:
CQ Patent:
Reflection
Reflection
Working on CostQuest started with CQ Estimation and expanded as we added tools like CQ Business and CQ Patent. It was exciting to be part of this progress and help design a platform that supports users at different stages, from estimating costs to preparing patent documentation, all in one place.
The work was a team effort with product owners, business analyst, and developers. CostQuest is a unique solution because it brings together multiple tools into a single system, and still growing, so I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next, especially with the development of CQ Marketing.
Working on CostQuest started with CQ Estimation and expanded as we added tools like CQ Business and CQ Patent. It was exciting to be part of this progress and help design a platform that supports users at different stages, from estimating costs to preparing patent documentation, all in one place.
The work was a team effort with product owners, business analyst, and developers. CostQuest is a unique solution because it brings together multiple tools into a single system, and still growing, so I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next, especially with the development of CQ Marketing.
