How to Build a Startup Using AI: Creating Glitr, the Online Studio
Spotting the Problem
This is the story of how we built Glitr, an AI-powered online studio that delivers professional-quality photos in minutes.
Back in early 2025, the three of us Manoj, Nilian, and Surya weren’t planning to launch a company. We were just exploring ideas, learning about startups, and testing small projects. How the best founders get startup ideas
One day, while applying for jobs, Surya and Nilian noticed something interesting: candidates with high-quality, professional headshots were getting more LinkedIn views, portfolio visits, and interview calls.
To test this, we updated some friends’ LinkedIn and resume photos. The results were immediate better photos, better responses. How to Choose the Best LinkedIn Profile Picture for a Professional and Impactful First Impression
Understanding the Market
We realized professional photos aren’t just for memories.
They’re a necessity for:
- LinkedIn and resume profiles
- Portfolios and personal websites
- Passports and official IDs
- Matrimonial platforms
Yet getting them was expensive, time-consuming, and often inconvenient. For example, our friend Azar paid ₹500 for a studio shoot and still needed more photos for different purposes.
The AI Advantage
This problem was perfect for AI. Instead of paying for a studio and waiting days, why not generate studio-quality images in minutes?
We decided to focus on what we call “non-momentable photos” images you need for specific goals (like LinkedIn or passports), not just for memories.
By training a specialized AI portrait model, we built a tool that delivers accurate facial details, perfect lighting, and professional backgrounds—instantly.
Building Glitr
Here’s how we turned the idea into a startup:
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Research & Validation: Tested with friends, confirmed the need.
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AI Model Training: Focused on human portraits and background realism.
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Product Design: Made the process simple upload a photo, get results in minutes.
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Branding: Created the name Glitr to represent confidence, clarity, and shine.
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Launch: Released the first version at Glitr.app
Lessons Learned for AI Startups
- Start with a real problem. AI is powerful, but only if it solves something people care about.
- Test fast and cheap. Our early LinkedIn photo tests proved the concept without spending much.
- Specialize. We didn’t try to make AI do everything we focused on professional headshots.
- Make it simple. People don’t care about the tech they care about results.
- Build trust. Show before-and-after results to prove your product works.
The Future of Glitr
We’re continuously improving our AI to handle more styles, formats, and requirements. Our goal is simple: make professional photos accessible to everyone no studio needed.
If you’ve ever needed a LinkedIn headshot, passport photo, or matrimonial profile picture, try Glitr today and see the difference.
Get started at glitr.app