For over eight years, @Zsolt Czigler, his six co-founders, and their team poured their lives into building VIMAGE. They grew it into a globally recognized, award-winning AI photo animation suite with over 10 million users.
But a year ago, they made the monumental decision to sell.
Now, twelve months post-exit, we sat down with Zsolt to talk about the raw reality of the acquisition process, the internal doubts, the contract hurdles, and what life looks like on the other side of a major exit.
In short: Zsolt Czigler, one of seven co-founders of VIMAGE, sold the award-winning AI photo animation suite, with over 10 million users, to Rounds.com, the AI-powered mobile asset platform, after more than eight years of building it. Having sold a smaller app to Rounds before, the team knew the process, and continuous meetings answered every question about the structured contract. His lesson: be sure you truly want to sell; if you are, Rounds is a great partner.
Part 1: The Internal Wrestling Match
Q: What made you feel confident moving forward with the sale to Rounds.com?
Zsolt: We actually had a unique advantage: we had already sold a smaller app to Rounds in the past. Because we already knew their team and their process, it gave us a solid foundation of confidence, even though the scale of this transaction was much, much higher.
But that didn’t mean it was easy. Most of our questions were entirely internal. We had to ask ourselves the hard ones: Is the timing right? Should we really sell this thing we built?
Q: If you could change one thing about the process, what would it be?
Zsolt: I would definitely discuss the contract much earlier in the process.
When you first see the contract, it looks scary, especially because Rounds operates on a structured, non-negotiable contract format. When you realize you can't modify the paperwork, it’s natural to feel a bit out of control. It’s a psychological hurdle.
But what saved the deal was communication. The continuous meetings we had with the Rounds team helped address our concerns, clarify our questions, and ultimately gave me the confidence to move forward with the decision.
Q: How did the transition and migration process compare to your expectations?
Zsolt: When you are migrating multiple major, high-traffic apps with millions of active users, there is an incredible amount of complexity under the hood. I knew we were handing over a massive project.
Rounds handled the entire transition with a lot of care. They mapped out the technical migration beautifully, and considering the sheer scale of what we were transferring to ensure our users didn't experience a single hiccup, the timeline was incredibly reasonable, structured, and smooth.
Part 3: Life After Exit (Why It Was Worth It)
Q: How has selling VIMAGE helped you in your life and career?
Zsolt: It completely changed everything!
We had been grinding on this project for more than 8 years with 6 co-founders and our employees. Closing that transaction meant a massive, intense chapter of our lives finally ended.
Now, I am able to move on to entirely new projects with even more freedom than I had before. That freedom is the ultimate win.
Q: How would you describe your experience with Rounds in one sentence?
Zsolt: Pleasant, I would go for a few more rounds. (Sorry, but I couldn't miss this pun).
Part 4: Zsolt’s Advice for Other Developers
Q: What advice would you give to another developer currently considering a sale?
Zsolt: First, make sure you actually, truly want to sell.
If you are certain about that decision, Rounds is a great partner for selling your app. If you are comfortable with the price they offer, go for it.
FAQ
Who is Zsolt Czigler?
Zsolt Czigler is one of the co-founders of VIMAGE, an award-winning AI photo animation suite with over 10 million users, which he and his co-founders sold to Rounds.com, the AI-powered mobile asset platform.
What app did Zsolt Czigler sell to Rounds.com?
Zsolt Czigler and his six co-founders sold VIMAGE, a globally recognized AI photo animation suite they built over more than eight years, to Rounds.com.
Why did Zsolt Czigler sell VIMAGE?
After more than eight years building VIMAGE, selling it to Rounds.com closed an intense chapter and gave Zsolt Czigler the freedom to move on to entirely new projects, which he calls the ultimate win.
How did the VIMAGE sale and migration work?
Rounds.com uses a structured, non-negotiable contract, and continuous meetings with the Rounds team clarified every question. Rounds then mapped out the technical migration of multiple high-traffic apps so users didn't experience a single hiccup, on a timeline Zsolt Czigler called reasonable, structured and smooth.
What is Zsolt Czigler's advice for developers considering a sale?
Zsolt Czigler advises developers to first make sure they truly want to sell, and to discuss the contract early. If you are certain and comfortable with the price offered, he says Rounds.com is a great partner for selling your app.