Running Professional Apps Right in Your Browser

My impact & outcomes

What I Built:

• Designed the entire zero-to-value journey: sign-up → network check → preset selection → launch in 1-2 clicks

• Defined the north-star metric Time-to-First-Value and cut it from 10 minutes to 3 minutes

• Created the Aristeem UI design system: 48 components, design tokens, dark theme, accessibility

Business Impact:

• Activation: 45% ↗

• Paid conversion: 8% ↗

• D30 retention: 32% ↗

• Churn: 4.5% ↓

• NPS: +36 ↗

The Problem: Why People Suffer from Hardware Limitations

🔥 Powerful hardware = expensive and fragile
You can't take it everywhere, and when it breaks, your income stops

⚡ Platform incompatibility is real
Most professional software is Windows-only while users are on macOS/Chromebook

🛎️ My Solution:
Aristeem — a cross-platform way to run resource-intensive software on any device through cloud computers.

🍀 My Value Prop:
Work anywhere, anytime — without worrying about expensive, bulky PCs.

Why people believed us: the unfair advantage

🚀 Proprietary streaming technology
We control the entire stack → rapid UX improvements

⚡ Access to large GPU compute pool
We scale sessions without queues

🤝 Path to laptop maker partnerships
OEM channel = "out-of-the-box" distribution

Segments and the jobs they hire us for

🎯 Working Professional

Job: Deliver commercial projects without being chained to a workstation
Pain: Bulky rigs, downtime from hardware failures, software incompatibility
Solution: Ready-made work presets (CAD/3D/Video), pause without billing, reliable file access

🌱 Early-Career Freelancer

Job: Enter the field without buying expensive hardware
Pain: Laptop overheats and can't handle heavy projects
Solution: Pro apps from browser, affordable plans, hourly credits, fast onboarding

📚 Student (STEM/Design/Games)

Job: Learn and submit projects without campus lab dependency
Pain: Limited budget, inconvenient access to high-end machines
Solution: Academic pricing, student presets, LMS/Drive integrations

🎨 Creative Hobbyist

Job: Pursue creative work without workstation investment
Pain: Hardware won't "pay for itself," expensive upgrades
Solution: Simple presets (Photo/Video/3D), affordable base plan

🌍 Digital Nomad

Job: Work reliably from anywhere in the world
Pain: Can't carry powerful desktop while traveling
Solution: Network diagnostics, offline tips, stability for unreliable connections

Competitive Landscape: What Exists & Why It Falls Short

• DaaS/App-streaming services → expensive, complex setup

• Remote into your own machine → still need to own hardware

• "Mobile workstation" laptops → heavy, expensive, limited battery

• Remote rendering services → narrow use cases, brittle

• Raw cloud compute (AWS/Azure) → no user-friendly layer

Gap I identified: Everything is either expensive and complex or fast but unreliable. We needed to be simple, predictable, and dependable.

How I Found Early Users: Channel Strategy

🔍 Reddit & pro communities for initial validation
🤝 Laptop maker partnerships for out-of-box distribution
📈 Performance marketing + blogs/newsletters/influencers
🚀 Product-led growth: free trial, ready presets, project sharing

The Product Experience: User Journey I Designed

1. Onboarding → Strip the noise: account → auto network check → app/preset → start

2. App Catalog → Cards show requirements, expected latency, $/hour cost

3. Active Session → Quality panel (FPS/latency), Save & Stop, Pause without billing

4. File Management → Connect cloud drives/local proxy, save/export options

5. Plans & Billing → Usage limits, warnings, budget forecasting

Design Decisions I'm Most Proud Of

✨ 2-click launch: Pre-configured work scenes instead of empty cloud desktop
🌐 Network detector: Honest quality preview and optimization tips before starting
⏸️ Session status widget: Instant pause without billing, transparent performance metrics
🔒 Human-friendly permissions with clear "why we need access" explanations
⚡ Skeleton states & silent warm-up for "feels instant" experience

Aristeem UI Design System: How I Scaled the Team

• Design tokens: color, typography, spacing, network state indicators

• 48 core components: AppCard, NetworkBadge, SessionToolbar, PermissionSheet, PricingMeter

• Dark mode and accessibility standards

• Comprehensive edge states: loading, reconnecting, errors, offline

Impact: Team stopped reinventing UI patterns → 3x faster feature development

Key Metrics That Mattered

📊 Growth: Active subscribers, DAU/MAU, new trial starts
💰 Unit Economics: Monthly compute cost / monthly revenue per user
🔄 Retention: Churn rate, session frequency, feature adoption
⚡ Performance: Average latency, session success rate, support tickets
📈 Business: ARPU, LTV/CAC ratio, revenue growth rate

Experiments: What Worked

✅ Onboarding flow: 3 steps vs 1 step → shorter path: +12% activation
✅ App selection: Ready presets vs custom build → presets won for first-time success
✅ Pricing model: Hourly vs subscription vs hybrid → winner subscription model
✅ Billing transparency: Added "pause without billing" messaging → fewer surprise charges

Failed experiments

• Main landing with 3rd party 3D player and advanced animation → confused new users and low performance on early stage

• Advanced customization options → confused new users

• Gamification elements → felt gimmicky for professional users

How I De-Risked the Experience

🌐 Weak network connections
→ Adaptive streaming quality + honest diagnostics + improvement tips

🔒 Data privacy concerns
→ Transparent storage policies + clear permission explanations

💳 Billing surprises
→ Budget forecasting + soft limits + proactive notifications

📱 Cross-device compatibility
→ Progressive enhancement + fallback experiences

What Changed for Users and Business

Launch details:

• Go-live: 2025

• Key metrics: 45% activation, 32% D30 retention, 8% paid conversion, +36 NPS

Real user stories:

• Student runs CAD software without campus lab dependency

• Freelancer edits videos while traveling

• Remote team collaborates on shared development environment

What's Next: My Roadmap Vision

• Team workspaces and collaborative presets

• Lite mode for networks under 5 Mbps

• Deep integrations with LMS, Git, cloud storage providers

• Plugins for programs