ScrapingAnt
About the Company
ScrapingAnt is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company founded by Oleg and Andrii, specializing in web scraping. Their API simplifies the process of gathering data from websites for businesses, enabling them to make better decisions based on data insights. The company's ideal customers are businesses or entrepreneurs who can integrate the API into their systems, often involving someone with programming knowledge. ScrapingAnt also provides custom solutions for clients who need tailored data scraping services.
The primary applications of ScrapingAnt’s API include scraping data from e-commerce and marketplace sites like Amazon, Walmart, and NFT platforms. The service allows clients to bypass the need for managing data infrastructure, providing an easy-to-use and scalable solution.
Idea Behind Company
Oleg has always been interested in entrepreneurship, starting his first business venture at 12 years old with a stationery shop. He was continuously experimenting in fields like blockchain, AI, and IoT, looking for new opportunities. The idea for ScrapingAnt was born out of necessity during the COVID lockdown, after several e-commerce ventures failed due to supply issues. Oleg’s friend Andrii, who was experienced in setting up scalable data-gathering infrastructure, suggested they focus on data scraping.
The initial plan was to create a data provider for the gambling industry. However, they scaled back and decided to start with a web scraping solution, eventually leading to the creation of ScrapingAnt. This small beginning allowed them to explore the data scraping niche before fully diving into the broader data industry.
Creating the Company
Oleg and Andrii designed ScrapingAnt’s product by continuously gathering customer feedback and iterating based on that input. They adopted a Kanban development methodology, prioritizing customer requests and refining their product over time. The early stages of the company were self-funded, and they spent minimal money during the initial launch, using a basic website builder and free proxies for scraping.
The MVP (Minimum Viable Product) was created using AWS Lambda to ensure scalability without upfront infrastructure costs. Although their first product wasn’t competitive, it allowed them to get started and gradually improve their offering. Their focus was on creating a service that could efficiently handle data scraping without requiring clients to manage servers or proxies.
Launching the Business
ScrapingAnt’s launch was modest, and the founders lacked experience in launching a SaaS business. However, they discovered RapidAPI, which helped them monetize their API and handle billing. They built a landing page with WordPress and attracted initial customers by leveraging SEO. To gain traction, they also created a page listing free proxy servers, using their own scraping technology.
The business was entirely self-financed, with Oleg and Andrii relying on their technical expertise to develop and manage the platform. Their initial efforts to attract customers through paid ads didn’t yield significant results. Instead, they shifted focus to open-source projects and content marketing, which helped them build a reputation and attract customers organically.
Earnings
Today, ScrapingAnt generates around $20,000 in monthly revenue, with profits reinvested into the business. Their earnings come from a combination of API sales and custom data solutions. The company continues to grow, with profits being used to expand proxy pools, hire freelance writers, and improve their technology.
ScrapingAnt recently partnered with Codery, a software development company, to increase their capacity by leveraging additional technical expertise. This partnership allows them to scale their operations and further develop their technology while keeping costs under control. Despite being profitable, Oleg and Andrii are focused on reinvesting in the business to ensure long-term growth.
