ABOUT THIS PROJECT
My name is Bruce Gordon. I am 42 years old, I live in my car, and I am building an AI platform from scratch. That is not a metaphor. That is my actual life right now.
I am a Full Stack Developer and Visual Designer with 20 years of professional experience. I am the founder of synontech, an indie AI and game studio, and the sole developer behind Linker.AI, an AI companion platform built on FastAPI, Redis, Supabase and LLaMA inference. I built three live websites from scratch while homeless. I am doing all of this from a car with library WiFi.
THE BACKGROUND
I spent 14 years as Senior Graphic Designer and CNC Supervisor at Alania Building Systems, paying taxes and UIF every single month. I lost my job in January 2025. My former employer never filed the required paperwork, so my UIF claim has been frozen for over a year. SASSA's verification system will not process my application. I have 90 cents to my name today and I ate 5 magwenyas this morning.
I am not here because I gave up. I am here because every system that was supposed to catch me has failed, and I am still building anyway.
THE PLAN
R25,000 will cover food, fuel, and basic survival while I complete Linker.AI and get it to market. Once stable I have a Fiverr seller profile ready to go and active freelance leads.
Crowdfunding is being used to bridge the gap between survival and completion.
The core technology, systems, and platform foundations already exist, but financial instability has made it extremely difficult to maintain consistent development momentum. Funding will provide basic stability, allowing me to focus entirely on finishing Linker.AI and preparing it for launch.
This is not a concept seeking funding before development begins. It is an active project already being built under extremely difficult circumstances.
I am not asking for a handout. I am asking for enough breathing room to finish what I started.
YOUR REWARDS
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Pledge R50 = Reward #1 = Supporter
- A genuine thank you and your name in Linker.AI's credits
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Pledge R100 = Reward #2 = Backer
- A personal shoutout on synontech social media and your name in the credits
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Pledge R200 = Reward #3 = Early Adopter
- Early access to Linker.AI at launch plus your name in the credits
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Pledge R500 = Reward #4 = Studio Friend
- A custom logo design delivered personally by me, as well as the early access and name in the credits
Project FAQ
Who am I?
My name is Bruce Gordon, founder of synontech, an indie AI and game studio currently focused on building Linker.AI, an AI companion platform designed around personality, immersion, and long-term interaction.
I am a Full Stack Developer and Visual Designer with more than 20 years of professional experience spanning branding, UI/UX, web development, CNC systems, and digital production. Every part of this project, from the backend architecture to the visual identity, is being built personally by me.
Despite my current circumstances, I have continued building live products, websites, and software systems entirely from libraries, coffee shops, and public WiFi.
Where are we based?
synontech and Linker.AI are based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Development is currently being handled independently as a fully self-funded indie project.
Why Crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is being used to bridge the gap between survival and completion.
The core technology, systems, and platform foundations already exist, but financial instability has made it extremely difficult to maintain consistent development momentum. Funding will provide basic stability, allowing me to focus entirely on finishing Linker.AI and preparing it for launch.
This is not a concept seeking funding before development begins. It is an active project already being built under extremely difficult circumstances.
What is the plan once 100% funding is received?
Once fully funded, the immediate priority will be stabilizing day-to-day living conditions so development can continue without interruption.
Funding will primarily go toward:
- Food and survival essentials
- Fuel and transportation
- Reliable internet access
- Continued backend and frontend development
- Preparing Linker.AI for public launch
The goal is to complete the next major development milestones, expand the platform's stability and feature set, and transition toward sustainable income through launch access, freelance work, and future platform growth.