# From Game Development to Bootstrapped Success. The Artisan of the Day Is Val Hinov.

DevFeed: [From Game Development to Bootstrapped Success. The Artisan of the Day Is Val Hinov.](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/from-game-development-to-bootstrapped-success-the-artisan-of-the-day-is-val-hinov-3700.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://laravel.com/blog/from-game-development-to-bootstrapped-success-the-artisan-of-the-day-is-val-hinov>)

Author: Ana Tavares

Published: 2025-09-22T15:14:13Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Laravel Blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/laravel-blog.md>)

Topics: [Laravel](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/laravel.md>), [Software as a service](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/saas.md>), [Developer experience](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/developer-experience.md>), [App](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/app.md>), [Game engine](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/game-engine.md>)

Tags: [app](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/app.md>), [app-development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/app-development.md>), [developer](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer.md>), [developer-experience](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer-experience.md>), [development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/development.md>), [framework](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/framework.md>), [game-development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/game-development.md>), [integrations](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/integrations.md>), [laravel](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/laravel.md>), [remote-work](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/remote-work.md>), [revenue](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/revenue.md>), [saas](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/saas.md>), [startup](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/startup.md>), [strategy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/strategy.md>)

## AI overview

Valentin Hinov describes how learning Laravel after a background in game development and mobile apps led to the creation of Thankbox. Laravel helped him build the group-card platform quickly, use an established ecosystem of integrations, and grow the project into a bootstrapped business with a team of seven and revenue approaching $1 million.

## Source excerpt

Valentin Hinov built Thankbox into a million-dollar business with Laravel, turning a side project into a thriving bootstrapped SaaS.