Retool was conceived after its co-founders’ initial venture, a Venmo competitor, failed to achieve product-market fit, teaching them the value of effective internal tools for startups. Recognizing the inefficiencies in creating such tools from scratch, they developed Retool to help companies like Brex and DoorDash build custom internal applications quickly, bypassing the limitations of spreadsheets and SaaS tools. Retool is now available for free to early-stage startups, offering up to $1200 in credits and partnering with companies like AWS and MongoDB for additional software discounts. Retool facilitates rapid problem-solving with pre-built components and integrations, allowing teams to focus on their core products. This initiative targets startups launched within the past five years and those with under $10 million in funding, with additional benefits for startups affiliated with specific venture funds or accelerators.