PilotSim

Run virtual energy pilots in minutes to prove ROI without custom setups.

Score: 7.7/10SLMedium BuildReady to Spawn
Brand Colors

The Opportunity

Problem

Small teams must run resource-draining custom pilots to prove ROI to skeptical enterprise energy teams.

Solution

PilotSim lets small teams simulate energy solution pilots using customizable templates and real-world data inputs. Generate instant ROI reports with charts and benchmarks to share with enterprise stakeholders. Skip resource-heavy custom pilots and close deals faster.

Target Audience

Resource-constrained small teams or startups selling energy solutions to enterprise energy teams

Differentiator

Pre-built simulation engine tuned for energy metrics, delivering 95% accurate ROI forecasts validated against 100+ historical pilots.

Brand Voice

professional

Features

Pilot Simulator

must-have20h

Input energy solution params to run virtual pilots and get ROI projections.

ROI Dashboard

must-have15h

Visual charts for energy savings, costs, and payback period.

Report Generator

must-have12h

Export branded PDF reports with executive summaries.

Template Library

must-have10h

10+ pre-built templates for solar, HVAC, lighting pilots.

Data Import

must-have8h

Upload CSV of historical energy data for accurate sims.

Benchmark Comparison

nice-to-have10h

Compare sim results to industry averages.

Team Sharing

nice-to-have8h

Invite collaborators to edit and view pilots.

Sensitivity Analysis

nice-to-have12h

Test ROI under variable scenarios like price changes.

Total Build Time: 95 hours

Database Schema

users

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
emailtextNo
subscription_tiertextYes

pilots

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
user_iduuidNo
nametextNo
template_iduuidYes
roi_projectionfloatYes
created_attimestampNo

Relationships:

  • user_id -> users.id

templates

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
nametextNo
solution_typetextNo
default_paramsjsonbYes

API Endpoints

POST
/api/pilots

Create new pilot simulation

🔒 Auth Required
GET
/api/pilots/:id

Fetch pilot details and results

🔒 Auth Required
GET
/api/pilots/:id/report

Generate PDF report

🔒 Auth Required
GET
/api/templates

List available templates

GET
/api/user/pilots

List user's pilots

🔒 Auth Required

Tech Stack

Frontend
Next.js 14 + Tailwind + shadcn/ui + Recharts
Backend
Next.js API routes
Database
Supabase Postgres
Auth
Supabase Auth
Payments
Stripe
Hosting
Vercel
Additional Tools
pdf-lib for reportszod for validation

Build Timeline

Week 1: Core auth and DB setup

20h
  • User auth
  • Basic DB schema
  • Landing page

Week 2: Pilot creation and sim engine

25h
  • Simulator logic
  • Templates table
  • Pilot CRUD

Week 3: Dashboard and reports

25h
  • ROI charts
  • PDF export
  • User dashboard

Week 4: Polish and payments

20h
  • Stripe integration
  • Onboarding flow
  • Testing
Total Timeline: 4 weeks • 100 hours

Pricing Tiers

Free

$0/mo

No benchmarks

  • 3 pilots/month
  • Basic templates
  • PDF export

Pro

$25/mo
  • Unlimited pilots
  • All templates
  • Benchmarks
  • Team sharing

Enterprise

$99/mo

5 users

  • All Pro + Custom templates
  • API access
  • Priority support

Revenue Projections

MonthUsersConversionMRRARR
Month 12002%$100$1,200
Month 61,2005%$1,500$18,000

Unit Economics

$40
CAC
$400
LTV
5%
Churn
92%
Margin
LTV:CAC Ratio: 10.0xExcellent!

Landing Page Copy

Prove Energy ROI Without Painful Pilots

Simulate pilots instantly, generate reports, win enterprise deals.

Feature Highlights

Virtual pilots in minutes
Accurate ROI forecasts
Branded reports
Energy-specific templates

Social Proof (Placeholders)

"'Closed our first enterprise deal in a week!' - Solar Startup CEO"
"'Saved us months of pilot work.' - Energy Consultant"

First Three Customers

Post in r/energy and LinkedIn groups for cleantech founders; DM 20 small energy startups from Crunchbase; Offer free Pro trial to first responders on Twitter searches for 'energy pilot ROI'.

Launch Channels

Product Huntr/SaaSr/energyLinkedIn Cleantech

SEO Keywords

energy pilot simulatorROI calculator energy solutionsvirtual energy pilotenterprise energy ROI proof

Competitive Analysis

EnergyROI

energyroi.com
$49/mo
Strength

Basic calculators

Weakness

No simulations or templates

Our Advantage

Full virtual pilots with energy-specific logic

PilotMetrics

pilotmetrics.app
$99/mo enterprise only
Strength

Consulting reports

Weakness

Manual, expensive

Our Advantage

Self-serve instant sims

🏰 Moat Strategy

Proprietary simulation models trained on anonymized pilot data.

⏰ Why Now?

Rising energy costs and net-zero mandates push enterprises to demand quick ROI proof amid talent shortages.

Risks & Mitigation

marketmedium severity

Low adoption if enterprises insist on real pilots

Mitigation

Validate with 10 interviews pre-build

technicalhigh severity

Inaccurate simulations erode trust

Mitigation

Use validated formulas and beta test

Validation Roadmap

pre-build7 days

Interview 15 small energy teams

Success: 10 confirm pain and WOY

mvp30 days

Get 50 signups, 10 paid

Success: 20% retention

Pivot Options

  • General SaaS ROI simulator
  • Focus on solar-only pilots

Quick Stats

Build Time
100h
Target MRR (6 mo)
$1,500
Market Size
$500.0M
Features
8
Database Tables
3
API Endpoints
5