We only win big when you sell.
Traditional software vendors profit from your dependence. We built a model where our upside is tied to your outcome — so the incentive is to make you stronger and more independent, not more reliant on us.
We scope the project
A fixed, clearly-defined build priced below the true cost of switching to a packaged ERP — including the migration, licensing, and disruption a switch really carries.
We build, you own it
On delivery, the entire system transfers to you — code, documentation, infrastructure. There is no version of this where we hold your software hostage.
Your team takes the wheel
The architecture is deliberately conventional and well-documented, so a single capable developer working with Claude Code can change and extend it without breaking things.
Support, only if you want it
An optional retainer covers ongoing improvements and support. Never required — it's there for convenience, not as a leash.
We share in the exit
Instead of charging full price up front, we take phantom equity that pays out when your company is sold — because a system that scales cleanly lifts your valuation and multiple.
The structural difference, side by side.
| Obsidian Labs | Packaged ERP / SaaS | |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | You own the code outright | Licensed; you rent access |
| Fit | Modeled on your workflows | You adapt to the template |
| Maintenance | One dev + Claude Code | Vendor / certified consultants |
| Ongoing cost | Optional retainer | Mandatory per-seat licensing |
| Our incentive | Your exit value | Your continued dependence |
A buyer pays more for a company whose systems are an asset, not a dependency to untangle.
That's the whole thesis. Clean, owned, extensible software shows up in due diligence as strength — and we'd rather be paid out of that strength than out of your monthly budget.
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