One call. Get your questions answered. Leave with clarity.

No pitch. No pressure. Just cost-saving advice.

Before you book, the three things everyone wants to know:

How long?
Most builds finish in under two months.
Who owns it?
You do. Every line of code, from day one.
What if I've been burned before?
Then you know the questions to ask. Ask us all of them.

Working software every two weeks.
Leave anytime, and take everything with you.

Which of these sounds like you?

Pick the one that fits best.

New Idea Machine is a Calgary custom software and AI automation agency serving small business owners worldwide.

Shannon Phillips

“We didn't have to commit to a 12-month contract, all those big things that really scared us off from working with other teams.”

Shannon Phillips, Business Owner, Unbounded Thinking

Watch Shannon's story →

What Happens After You Book a Call

1

Before we meet

We will email you a mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This means we can't tell anyone about your idea and you can't tell anyone about our proprietary tools and rates.

2

Consultation

We meet virtually to get to know you and learn about what you're building. We will explain our process and how we work together. If your company is Canadian, we'll also tell you whether government funding could cover part of your build.

3

Project success depends on scoping

Understanding the exact functions your app needs from the beginning is one of the most important decisions you'll make. Early scoping determines two things that affect everything that follows:

  • The architecture, which defines how stable and expandable your system will be
  • The cost, which determines how efficiently your budget is turned into real progress

When scoping is rushed or skipped, projects drift, costs climb, and costly rework needs to be done later.

We start by giving you a way to figure out exactly what your build needs to do, and which features and decisions push the price up, before you commit to anything.

20 minutes

App Cost Calculator

That's why we provide access to our App Cost Calculator for $197, credited back in full if you hire us. You'll answer simple, non-technical questions, and it takes about 20 minutes. It's designed to help you:

Turn your idea into instructions a developer can build from
Identify what truly needs to be built first
Understand the cost implications before development begins
Avoid decisions that quietly inflate budgets later
4

Estimate

Once you answer the questions in the App Cost Calculator, we'll book a second complimentary meeting to make sure we've captured your requirements perfectly, because they shape the estimate.

We'll then provide your estimate as a range, with a low and high end. Building from scratch can lead to unforeseen challenges, and a range gives you a clear understanding of what it may cost to build your solution.

You only pay for time and materials. By providing this range, we make sure you have a realistic picture of the total investment before we start.

5

Hiring Us

When you are ready to proceed, we'll send you two documents: the contract, and a written list of exactly what we're building for you in this project, so we both know what's included and what isn't. It's called the Scope of Work, and it's what protects your budget from quietly growing.

Paisley Churchill

"Before committing, I was a little bit worried about what the maintenance would look like. The team was really able to show me what went into the system, and it did make sense for me to keep going forward and build my own learning management system."

Paisley Churchill, Business Owner, Tech Translator

Watch Paisley's story →

Frequently Asked Questions

Capability & Experience

What industries do you work with?

We are industry agnostic and work with:
• Professional services (law firms, accounting firms, consulting agencies, case management, time tracking, client portals, document automation)
• Healthcare & Medical
• E-commerce & Retail
• Manufacturing
• Real Estate
• Education & EdTech
• Logistics & Transportation
• Agriculture & Food
• Energy & Utilities
• Construction
• Hospitality

Do you work with startups and small businesses?

Yes! We built New Idea Machine for small business owners because we believe every entrepreneur deserves to have someone in their corner who'll tell them the truth about their options.

Let's talk about what you're building. Even if we're not the right fit, you'll walk away knowing your next steps.

No sales pitch, just direct advice from someone who's spent years helping business owners make these exact decisions.

How big is your team?

We're a team of nine working with a network of fifty developers across different specialties.

When you have a project, we match you with developers who actually fit what you're building:
• The right tech stack.
• Someone who understands your industry.
• The pace that works for your timeline.

It means you're not stuck with whoever happens to be available. You get people who can jump in, understand what you need, and start delivering without weeks of ramp-up time.

The practical benefit: your project moves faster because the team is built around your specific requirements, not the other way around.

What technologies do you specialize in?

• General Purpose: Python, JavaScript, Java, C++, C#, C, Go, Rust, Ruby, PHP, Swift, Kotlin.
• Web Development: HTML, CSS, TypeScript, JavaScript (React, Vue, Angular frameworks).
• Data & Analytics: Python, R, SQL, Julia, MATLAB.

Ready when you are.

One call. No pitch. No pressure. Just cost-saving advice.

Start the conversation