Starting a business?

[NorCalAthlete]

[Can'thavenuthingood]

https://www.ca.gov/service/?item=Apply-for-Business-License

https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/3608/Permits-Business-License

http://businessportal.ca.gov/

I am assuming MVP is a Minimum Viable Product.
Government employees are more than happy to tell you how to go about setting up and running your business.


You'll need a biz license from city/county, cheap and easy.
A DBA and advert in local paper for 4 weeks straight.
A bank account
A reseller cert
Get a website setup, domain and one page billboard to start.
Brick and mortar site, physical location or online only?


Add all that into your business plan at the start.

Get a legal pad and a pen, at the top of page one put biz description and mission
Second page is Product and output
3rd page is location, you might move this down the list as this plan takes shape

4th materials needed, inventory etc
5th page is employees needed, skills and compensation

6th page is insurance, Work comp, liability, fire, vehicle, health etc
7th page is Financing, all the money talk

By now the Outline ought be visible as to what needs to be done to turn the key.
You'll need demographics numbers
Active competition in your chosen marketplace
Product pricing, looks like you have this part figured out




Vick

[vino68]

I hope you had anyone who you have spoken with sign an NDA.

[Robotron2k84]

The demo doesn't need a business to be made. Get that going and any necessary patents secured before signing up for the hell of running your own business in CA. The taxes will kill you otherwise; don't put the cart before the horse.

[moxford]

Patents shorten your runway and are a distraction - probably best to just grab a cheap provisional that will hold you for launch if you move quick.

Ideas are cheap, it is the execution that will separate your idea from the rest.

Check out AngelList at https://angel.co (no 'm') for co-founders, and figure out the critical path to MVP or at least a mock-up.