From Tencent to Solo Developer: How idoubi Launched 11 AI Products in 2024

When idoubi left his secure position at Tencent in October 2023, he had a simple goal: pursue the freedom to build products he believed in. What followed was an extraordinary year of innovation, with the launch of 11 AI products that would capture attention across global markets.

1. GPTs Works

Launch Date: November 2023 Website: gpts.works Type: Navigation Platform

GPTs Works marked idoubi's first international project, serving as a navigation platform for GPTs. This project laid the groundwork for his future ventures and helped him gain insights into global market promotion and traffic acquisition

2. AI Wallpaper

Launch Date: December 2023 Website: aiwallpaper.shop Key Features:

• DALL-E 3 integration

• One-click desktop wallpaper changes

• Mac menu bar application

• AI-powered image generation

Though not immediately successful in terms of revenue, AI Wallpaper became a valuable teaching tool in idoubi's full-stack development community, helping others learn practical development skills

2024 Product Suite

3. AI Cover

Launch Date: January 2024 Website: aicover.design Purpose: WeChat red packet cover generator Success Metrics:

• Substantial traffic during Chinese New Year

• Several thousand RMB in revenue

• Open-sourced codebase

• Viral social media presence

Despite its seasonal nature, AI Cover demonstrated the potential for timing-based AI applications and market responsiveness.

4. Sora FM

Launch Date: February 2024 Type: AI Video Platform Key Developments:

• Built in anticipation of OpenAI's Sora

• Reached #1 in GitHub Sora-related repositories

• Later pivoted to focus on video showcase

• Valuable lessons in brand protection and ethical marketin

  

5. ThinkAny

Launch Date: March 2024 Website: thinkany.ai Achievements:

• 590,000 monthly visits

• Product Hunt daily top 4

• Strong presence in Japan and Egypt

• Successful cost optimization

• Break-even operations

ThinkAny represented idoubi's most significant success in terms of user reach and demonstrated his ability to compete in the crowded AI search market.

6. Melodisco

Launch Date: April 2024 Website: melodis.co Features:

• 20,000+ AI-generated songs

• Multiple playback modes

• Playlist creation capabilities

• Integration with Suno and Udio

Though eventually discontinued, Melodisco showcased the potential for AI in music streaming and content creation.

7. HeyBeauty

Launch Date: May 2024 Website: heybeauty.ai Offerings:

• Advanced virtual try-on technology

• Shopify integration

• B2B and B2C solutions

• Superior algorithm performance

HeyBeauty demonstrated technical excellence but faced challenges in market penetration and customer acquisition

8. AI Summary Browser Extension

Launch Date: June 2024 Type: Browser Extension Development:

• Commissioned by Zhipu AI

• Week-long development cycle

• Foundation for future browser extensions

• Dual-purpose development (client work and personal use)

9. Pagen

Launch Date: August 2024 Website: pagen.so Features:

• 30-second landing page generation

• Four premium templates

• Subdomain allocation

• SEO optimization

• Received $10,000 acquisition offer (declined)

Pagen showed particular strength in SEO performance and demonstrated potential for significant traffic generation

10. PodLM

Launch Date: October 2024 Website: podlm.ai Achievements:

• Product Hunt daily top 5

• Strong monetization

• API access for customers

• Dual-person podcast generation

• URL-to-podcast conversion

PodLM stands out as one of idoubi's most commercially successful projects with high conversion rates.

11. ShipAny

Launch Date: December 2024 Website: shipany.ai Type: AI SaaS Development Framework Success Metrics:

• $10,000 revenue in first 4 hours

• 50% pre-launch discount

• Rapid development and delivery

• Strong community trust

ShipAny represents the culmination of idoubi's year-long experience, combining technical expertise with community trust

The Business of Independence

Throughout the year, idoubi maintained a consistent approach to product development: rapid prototyping, user-centric design, and a focus on international markets. By December 2024, his portfolio was generating $1,000 in monthly recurring revenue across four primary products.

His influence extended beyond product metrics, with a growing social media presence including 10,000 Twitter followers and 20,000 WeChat subscribers. The success of his products led to speaking engagements and established him as a respected voice in the indie hacker community.

Looking Forward

For 2025, idoubi has set ambitious goals, including increasing monthly recurring revenue to $10,000 and publishing his first technical book. He plans to continue iterating on existing products while maintaining his rapid development pace for new innovations.

"The key to success isn't just building products quickly," idoubi reflects, "it's about building the right products and having the persistence to improve them based on user feedback."

His journey from corporate engineer to successful independent developer serves as a blueprint for others in the tech industry considering the leap to independence. It demonstrates that with technical expertise, market understanding, and consistent execution, individual creators can compete and succeed in the AI space.

As the AI industry continues to evolve, idoubi's story suggests that there's still plenty of room for independent developers to make their mark, particularly when focusing on practical applications that solve real user problems.