Koa is in the news. Today the German founder magazine Gründerfreunde published an interview about Pinkoa: “Onlineshop mit KI in sechs Stunden: Was Pinkoa danach gelernt hat” (in German). Here is the short version in English, with our honest answers and fresh numbers.
The three questions
1. What did the AI really build alone in six hours, and where did you have to step in?
Surprisingly much: the study timer in English, German and Finnish, Koa and the brand, a 30-page colouring book, a study planner, 26 wallpapers, all product texts, the shop setup and the first merch with a European print-on-demand partner. Laurens was more the director: accounts, payments, legal checks and lots of thumbs up or down. And the AI is not infallible, so checking facts stays a human job.
2. What has the shop cost so far, in money and time?
About 1 euro a month for Shopify (intro offer, the normal plan starts in January), free plans for the other tools, an AI subscription that is used for other projects too, and 0 euros for ads. Time: about six hours on day one, then roughly 30 minutes a day for approvals and replies.
3. 41 products, zero sales: what's next?
Product Hunt (result: 1 upvote, an honest lesson), study creators instead of shouting into the void, more short video, free study timer pages people can find on Google, and a free kit for teachers.
Numbers update (22 October)
- Social reach: about 33,400 views across 7 channels (most of it on TikTok)
- Website: about 450 visits since launch on 25 September
- Shop: 108 products, 2 free orders, paid sales: still 0
- Ad budget: still 0 euros
All numbers live on our build-in-public dashboard.
A correction we're proud of
In the first answers we wrote that pinkoa means "to study hard" and that the AI was wrong with "to run fast". The Institute for the Languages of Finland kindly corrected us: the main meaning is "to run fast", and "to study hard" is student slang. So the AI was half right and we were half wrong. Gründerfreunde printed both meanings: Run fast. Study hard. Same word.
For Gründerfreunde readers
Gründerfreunde readers get 25% off most of the shop with the code GRUENDERFREUNDE25 (until 31 January 2027, one use per customer). And if you run a blog, magazine or community yourself: our new partner program is free and simple.
🎃 Until 31 October, Koa's pink Halloween study printables are free.
Shade of the day
No. 26 Brilliant Rose (#FF55A3). Pairs with turquoise, lilac and mint.
Thank you, Dennis and the Gründerfreunde team, for asking the honest questions.
💌 Like Koa? Get the Koa letter: 1 email a month with a free printable, unsubscribe anytime.
Follow Koa: Instagram · TikTok · Pinterest · YouTube · Threads · X