100 Weeks, 1 AI Dream: The UNI AI Origin Story

Lessons from a Solo Journey Building the AI to 10X Your Life

Introduction: Meet the Builder(s)

Nice to meet you - I am Theo. You might also know me online as VLRevolution.

Since I mostly build solo, I like to think that Theo is the CEO while VLRevolution is the dev - a clear separation of concerns, a concept commonly used in software development to keep things simple and write good code as a result. On a solo journey like this, it helps to operate in multiple modes: sometimes looking at things from the perspective of the CEO, ensuring we don't get lost, while the daily grind falls on the shoulders of the rebellious rockstar dev whose heart always fights for his vision.

I'm a self-studied full-stack developer, passionate about designing the best user experiences possible.

For the past 100 weeks, I've been pouring my heart and soul into a dream project. This is my story – the raw, valuable, and often painful lessons learned along the way. As 50 Cent poetically put it in "Many Men":

Buckle up!

The Spark: An Idea Born of Change (Summer 2023)

Our journey begins about six months after ChatGPT first exploded onto the scene, in early summer 2023. That moment felt like a sign – my time had come. It was now or never. A revolution was brewing, but it took another six months before I wrote the first lines of code for what would eventually become UNI AI. The first commit was June 21, 2023.

The world had suddenly changed. We now had computers that could think, even if imperfectly. It was clear they would only get better. For me, this was proof that the "singularity," predicted by great thinkers from von Neumann to Kurzweil, was real and near.

My definition of singularity? The moment each of us becomes superhuman by leveraging AI to transcend the limits of time, resources, and knowledge. I believe in the limitless potential within us all, and UNI AI aims to provide the tools and ecosystem to help you realize it.

But it wasn't always called UNI AI. Inspired by this new wave of AI, I sought a world-changing idea. Honestly? Back then, I was still healing from emotional wounds, battling my vices. On one fateful evening, self-medicating with some herbs, my mind raced, conjuring a vision: the next generation of apps, programs that mostly design and build themselves.

That was the lightbulb moment: a universal library of next-gen apps, easily built with just willpower and thought. A future where ideas are currency. This vision remains core to UNI AI – building a community-powered ecosystem where your unique knowledge, experiences, and skills are invaluable and can even be monetized through what we call the UNI CREATOR ECONOMY (more on that later!).

In a moment of inspiration, I named the project UNIAPP – the universal app, the last app you'd ever need. The tagline flowed naturally: "UNIAPP - Dream, Design, Deliver."

Navigating the Labyrinth: Early Hurdles & Lessons

In a rush of excitement, I started building a prototype to show a close friend and long-time business partner. Months flew by as I dove into the trenches. Naively, I thought a prototype would take just a few months. Big mistake! I was still relatively new to app development, despite being a senior full-stack developer.

The complexity was overwhelming. To speed things up, I leaned into automation.

By the end of summer 2023, I had a working prototype with over 2000 AI-generated "chatlets" (our term for these AI-powered apps). It was a dream realized, even if far from launch-ready. An app that built itself!

The UNIAPP Setback & Rebirth as UNI AI

Frustrated with the slow pace and feeling the pressure, I considered finding a co-founder to help raise capital. To pitch effectively, I needed to solidify the UNIAPP brand. That meant doing what I should have done on day one: checking for trademarks.

Fatefully, UNIAPP was already registered by an education application company. My beloved brand shattered instantly. Letting go was painful; I'd already registered domains and poured my identity into the name.

As the saying goes, "it is what it is." When life didn't give me UNIAPP, I eventually created UNI AI – a unique name that clearly reflects our mission: a universal AI platform.

The Human Element: Partnerships, Funding & Resilience

I offered my friend equal partnership: I'd build, he'd handle business and fundraising. This proved challenging. Lingering issues from a past venture, coupled with his doubts about UNI AI's ambitious scope, created friction.

The nail in the coffin might have been OpenAI launching the GPT Store in January 2024 – an idea seemingly identical to UNIAPP, making us feel obsolete.

As one partnership faded, another formed. The very first member of an online community I'd started years ago became a small, early investor, believing in the vision when others wavered.

But bootstrapping remained incredibly difficult. Finding the time to build solo while sustaining myself felt like a constant battle.

I juggled part-time web development, freelance automation jobs, and even a full-time role for a few months, alongside taking loans from family. It’s the reality of building something from nothing.

Refining the Vision: The Growth and Creation Engine (Mid-2024 - End 2024)

Throughout 2024, I wrestled with UNI AI's unique value proposition while steadily building foundational features. I knew staying private was crucial to uphold our community commitment – building the AI project we all deserve, where value flows back to the users who build it.

Simultaneously, I was navigating personal challenges stemming from a failed relationship.

This period forced introspection. Starting in autumn 2024, I committed fiercely to my health – no compromises. It was time to heal.

My routine became rigorous: wake up, breathwork & meditation in the sun, mantras (self-love, gratitude, inner wealth), a 70-minute run (starting smaller and building up is key!), shower (finishing ice cold), simple breakfast, then deep work. An hour walk mid-day for brainstorming (my best ideas come then!), dinner, rest, more work, and finally, 1-1.5 hours of yoga (essential for preventing running injuries!). I even gave up coffee, finding more peace and better sleep without it (though I know that's polarizing!).

This commitment brought clarity. I realized my earlier focus was flawed. I'd been trying to build an AI better than humans, potentially replacing us. Depressing, right?

The real lightbulb moment: What if AI didn't replace us, but empowered us to become our best selves? An AI fighting alongside us, revealing our limitless potential? That felt empowering.

This insight reignited my passion. UNI AI's true identity emerged: "The Growth and Creation Engine," helping users "10X Your Life." The focus shifted to building the Core Collections and ~80 premium chatlets centered on growth, mastery, creation, and transformation.

Building the Ecosystem: Light Points & Community

To make the community commitment real, I designed the Light Points (LP) system – UNI AI's loyalty currency. It rewards engagement and support, giving early believers a tangible stake and a voice.

UNI AI's ecosystem is gamified. Actions earn LP, leaderboard helps to track progress, and everyone has an equal chance to build their AI legacy. Even on the free plan, LPs allow limited access to premium features, offering a taste of the full potential. UNI AI is built for viral growth, with a promise to funnel value back to the community.

The Road Ahead & Your Invitation

The Growth and Creation Engine is almost ready. We're putting the finishing touches on the platform.

Does this sound interesting?

You still have a chance to become one of the 2,220 Founding Members.

Visit uniai.io right now and join the waitlist. You'll get a notification 48 hours before the Beta v0.9 launches, allowing you to claim your unique UNI ID. The first 2,220 claimers lock in Founding Member status forever; all other joiners get the almost-as-exclusive Early Adopter status.

Come build the future of AI together with us.

Don't let AI replace your life.

You deserve it all...

I'll finish with some wisdom from Kendrick Lamar's "man at the garden":