Get up and running with MakersFuel in under 10 minutes. This guide walks you through the essential first steps.

After signing up, complete your founder profile to help others discover you:

 A complete profile gets 3x more connection requests!

Your founder profile is separate from your account profile—it's how you appear in the Founders directory:

 — Frontend, Backend, Design, Marketing, etc.

 — SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, AI/ML, etc.

 to discover curated startup concepts. Free ideas are fully accessible—premium ideas require MakerCoins to unlock.

 and find communities that match your interests:

Filter by skills, expertise, or availability

Send connection requests to interesting founders

Start conversations with accepted connections

Step 4: Upgrade for AI Employees (Optional)

To hire AI employees, you'll need a paid subscription:

| Section | What You'll Find |
|---------|-----------------|
| **Home** | Your personalized feed |
| **Employees** | AI employee management (MakerClaw) |
| **Ideas** | Startup ideas library |
| **Tribes** | Community groups |
| **Founders** | Founder directory |
| **Messages** | Direct conversations |
| **Notifications** | Updates and alerts |
| **Settings** | Account and billing |

Quick Start Guide

MakersFuel is the ultimate platform for founders, builders, and makers who want to turn their ideas into reality. Whether you're validating a startup concept, building your first product, or scaling your business, MakersFuel provides the tools, community, and AI-powered assistance you need to succeed.

Hire AI-powered employees that work 24/7 to automate your tasks. From customer support to market research, content creation to technical assistance—your AI employees handle the work while you focus on building.

Access a growing library of validated startup ideas complete with market research, action plans, and SEO strategies. Stop wondering "what to build" and start executing.

Connect with like-minded builders in Tribes—community groups focused on collaboration, accountability, and growth. Share your journey, get feedback, and find co-founders.

Discover and connect with founders based on skills, expertise, and what they're looking for. Build your network with people who understand the maker journey.

| Feature | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **MakerClaw** | Hire and manage AI employees for automation |
| **Ideas** | Browse and unlock curated startup ideas |
| **Tribes** | Join community groups for collaboration |
| **Founders** | Network with other builders |
| **Feed** | Stay updated with community activity |
| **Messages** | Direct messaging with connections |

 — Browse ideas, join tribes, discover founders

 — Unlock AI employees and premium features

Welcome to MakersFuel

MakerClaw is MakersFuel's flagship feature: AI-powered employees that work 24/7 to automate your business tasks. Each employee runs in an isolated container, has its own workspace, and can be customized with specific skills, tools, and communication channels.

AI employees are autonomous agents powered by large language models (like Claude). Unlike simple chatbots, they can:

 — Execute commands, search the web, connect to external services

 — Respond via Telegram, Discord, Slack, or Email

 — Follow custom instructions and workflows

 — Work with documents in their own workspace

 — Connect to any service via Model Context Protocol

Automate responses to common questions, handle tickets, and escalate complex issues to humans.

Gather market data, analyze competitors, summarize findings, and create reports.

Write blog posts, social media content, newsletters, and marketing copy.

Help with code reviews, documentation, debugging, and technical Q&A.

Schedule reminders, draft emails, organize tasks, and manage information.

Qualify leads, follow up with prospects, draft proposals, and nurture campaigns.

| Employee Type | What They Do | Best Channels |
|--------------|--------------|---------------|
| **Customer Support** | Answer FAQs, handle tickets, escalate issues | Telegram, Discord, Email |
| **Research Assistant** | Gather data, analyze, summarize findings | Telegram, Slack |
| **Content Creator** | Write posts, newsletters, copy | Email, Slack |
| **Technical Assistant** | Code help, docs, debugging | Discord, Slack |
| **Personal Assistant** | Tasks, reminders, emails | Telegram |
| **Sales Assistant** | Leads, follow-ups, proposals | Email, Slack |

| Component | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| **Model** | The AI brain (Claude) that processes requests |
| **Built-in Tools** | Web search, command execution, scheduled tasks |
| **MCP Servers** | Connections to external services (GitHub, Notion, etc.) |
| **Skills** | Markdown instructions defining behavior |
| **Channels** | How users communicate (Telegram, Discord, Slack, Email) |
| **Workspace** | File storage for documents and outputs |

| Status | Description | What You Can Do |
|--------|-------------|-----------------|
| **Provisioning** | Container being set up (~30-60 seconds) | Wait |
| **Running** | Active and responding to messages | Use, Pause, Edit |
| **Paused** | Temporarily stopped | Resume, Edit, Terminate |
| **Failed** | Error occurred during setup | Retry, Edit |
| **Terminated** | Shut down | Rehire from Past Employees |

| Requirement | Details |
|-------------|---------|
| **Paid subscription** | Free tier doesn't include employee slots |
| **Available slots** | Each employee uses one slot |

| Requirement | Details |
|-------------|---------|
| **At least one channel** | Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, or Email |
| **Configured tools** | MCP tools need their API keys set up |

Your subscription determines how many employees you can have active simultaneously. When subscribing, you choose how many employee slots you need (1-10).

| Subscription | Employee Slots |
|--------------|----------------|
| Free | 0 |
| Pro Monthly | 1-10 (you choose) |
| Pro Yearly | 1-10 (you choose) |

 You can adjust your employee count anytime through billing settings. Increases take effect immediately; decreases apply at your next billing cycle.

Templates are pre-configured employee setups that give you a head start.

 — Pre-written instructions and knowledge

Each employee slot costs $20/month and includes AI credits for your employee's usage.

| Item | Details |
|------|---------|
| **Per Employee** | $20/month |
| **AI Credits Included** | ~16 million tokens ($20 worth) |
| **Credits Reset** | Each billing cycle |

 — Check your employee dashboard regularly

 — Shorter conversations use fewer tokens

 — Smaller models use fewer tokens per response

Each employee runs in its own isolated container:

API keys stored encrypted in Security Vault

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Template** | Pre-configured employee setup |
| **Channel** | Communication method (Telegram, Discord, Slack, Email) |
| **Tool** | Built-in capability (web search, exec, cron) |
| **MCP Server** | External service connection via Model Context Protocol |
| **Skill** | Custom instructions in markdown format |
| **Workspace** | Employee's file storage area |
| **Slot** | One employee capacity in your subscription |
| **Provisioning** | Initial setup process for new employees |

Introduction to AI Employees

This guide walks you through hiring your first AI employee, from selecting a template to seeing them come online.

 (Settings → API Keys) OR plan to use included credits

Whatsapp: Whatsapp enabled device to link the employee

Choose a template or create a custom employee. Templates give you a pre-configured starting point. Browse by category or search.

Give your employee a memorable, descriptive name.

"Research Bot" — Functional description

Generic names like "Bot 1" or "Assistant"

Names you might confuse with other employees

Choose the AI model that powers your employee's intelligence.

| Factor | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Speed** | Faster models respond more quickly |
| **Capability** | More capable models handle complex tasks better |
| **Cost** | Different models consume tokens at different rates |

> **Tip:** If you selected a template, it comes with a recommended model. You can change this anytime after hiring.

Your employee needs at least one communication channel to function. MakerClaw supports multiple chat platforms through a unified gateway system.

| Platform | Difficulty | Notes |
|----------|------------|-------|
| **Telegram** | Easy | Recommended for beginners |
| **Discord** | Moderate | Requires Message Content Intent |
| **Slack** | Moderate | Dual-token setup |
| **WhatsApp** | Moderate | QR code or bridge URL |
| **Email** | Moderate | SMTP configuration |
| **Matrix** | Advanced | Homeserver setup |
| **LINE** | Advanced | Webhook configuration |
| **DingTalk** | Advanced | App credentials |
| **WeCom** | Advanced | Token + AES encryption |
| **Feishu** | Advanced | WebSocket/SDK mode |

Add other information in advanced tab, if needed.

 Each employee needs unique bot tokens. You cannot share tokens between employees.

For step-by-step instructions for each platform, see:

Extend your employee's capabilities with MCP server integrations.

| Tool | Category | What It Does |
|------|----------|--------------|
| **GitHub** | Development | Manage repos, issues, PRs |
| **Notion** | Productivity | Create/read pages, databases |
| **Slack** | Communication | Send messages, read channels |
| **PostgreSQL** | Database | Query and manage databases |
| **Brave Search** | Search | Premium web search |

Skills define your employee's behavior and knowledge.

If you chose a template, you'll see pre-configured skills. You can:

Before finalizing, review your complete configuration.

| Section | Check |
|---------|-------|
| **Name** | Descriptive and unique |
| **Model** | Appropriate for your use case |
| **Channels** | At least one configured |
| **MCP Tools** | All enabled tools configured |
| **Skills** | Relevant to your use case |

| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| "No channels configured" | Add at least one channel |
| "API key not selected" | Select an API key |
| "MCP tool needs configuration" | Configure or disable the tool |
| "Duplicate bot token" | Use unique token per employee |

Hiring Your First Employee

After hiring an AI employee, you can fine-tune their configuration at any time. This guide covers all configuration options and best practices.

The employee configuration page with all settings sections

Click on the employee you want to configure

Click on an employee card to access its configuration

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| **Name** | Display name for your employee |
| **Status** | Current state (Running, Paused, etc.) |
| **Template** | Original template used (for reference) |

Select which AI model powers your employee.

Model selection in employee configuration

| Factor | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Speed** | Faster models respond more quickly |
| **Capability** | More capable models handle complex tasks better |
| **Cost** | Different models consume tokens at different rates |

 You can change the model anytime. The change takes effect on the next response.

Your employee uses your included AI credits or your own API key.

Each employee slot includes AI credits (~16 million tokens per month). These are used automatically.

Configure how users communicate with your employee. See 

Built-in tools and MCP server configuration

| Provider | Cost | Quality | Setup Required |
|----------|------|---------|----------------|
| **DuckDuckGo** | Free | Good | None |
| **Brave Search** | Paid | Better | API key |
| **Tavily** | Paid | Best | API key |

| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Exec** | Run terminal commands in workspace |
| **Cron** | Schedule recurring tasks |

Browse and install additional tools that integrate with external services:

Skills define your employee's knowledge and behavior through markdown instructions.

| Type | Description | Editable |
|------|-------------|----------|
| **Custom Skills** | Your own instructions | Yes |
| **Template Skills** | Came with template | Yes |
| **Marketplace Skills** | From skill marketplace | No (read-only) |

Configuration changes take effect immediately:

| Change Type | Effect |
|-------------|--------|
| **Model changes** | Next response uses new model |
| **Channel changes** | Reconnects to updated channels |
| **Tool changes** | New tools available immediately |
| **Skill changes** | Synced to employee workspace |

| Practice | Why |
|----------|-----|
| **Start simple** | Add complexity as needed |
| **Test regularly** | Verify changes work as expected |
| **Document skills** | Clear instructions = better responses |
| **Use specific skills** | Focused skills work better than generic ones |

| Avoid | Why |
|-------|-----|
| **Over-configure** | Too many tools can confuse the employee |
| **Share tokens** | Each employee needs unique channel tokens |
| **Ignore errors** | Fix configuration issues promptly |

| Error | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| "Bot token already in use" | Each employee needs a unique token |
| "Invalid API key" | Check key in Settings → API Keys |
| "Missing required field" | Fill in all required channel fields |
| "SMTP connection failed" | Verify email server settings |
| "MCP tool needs configuration" | Configure or disable the tool |

Example of a validation error with suggested fix

Save your configurations as templates for quick reuse:

Save configuration as a reusable template

Configure an employee exactly how you want

Use this template when hiring new employees

| Section | What to Configure |
|---------|-------------------|
| **Basic Info** | Name and status |
| **API Key** | Use included credits or your own key |
| **Channels** | Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Email |
| **Tools** | Web search, Exec, Cron, MCP servers |
| **Skills** | Behavior instructions in markdown |

Configuring Your Employee

Channels are how your AI employee communicates with users. MakerClaw supports multiple chat platforms through a unified gateway system, allowing your employee to be available wherever your users are.

Overview of available communication channels

All webhook-based channels share a single gateway, eliminating per-channel port configuration complexity. Your employee can connect to multiple platforms simultaneously while maintaining conversation context.

| Concept | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Gateway** | Unified HTTP server handling all webhook traffic |
| **Bot Token** | Authentication credential for each platform |
| **Allow List** | Approved user IDs who can interact with your employee |
| **Commands** | Auto-registered at startup; menus sync automatically |

| Platform | Setup Time | Notes |
|----------|------------|-------|
| [**Telegram**](/docs/channel-telegram) | ~5 min | Easiest setup, recommended starting point |

| Platform | Setup Time | Notes |
|----------|------------|-------|
| [**Discord**](/docs/channel-discord) | ~15 min | Requires Message Content Intent |
| [**Slack**](/docs/channel-slack) | ~15 min | Dual-token setup (bot + app) |
| [**WhatsApp**](/docs/channel-whatsapp) | ~10 min | QR code scanning or bridge URL |
| [**Email**](/docs/channel-email) | ~20 min | SMTP configuration required |

| Platform | Setup Time | Notes |
|----------|------------|-------|
| [**Matrix**](/docs/channel-other-platforms#matrix) | ~20 min | Homeserver details and access token |
| [**LINE**](/docs/channel-other-platforms#line) | ~25 min | Webhook URL and token configuration |
| [**DingTalk**](/docs/channel-other-platforms#dingtalk) | ~20 min | AppID and AppSecret credentials |
| [**WeCom**](/docs/channel-other-platforms#wecom) | ~25 min | Token + AES encryption key |
| [**Feishu**](/docs/channel-other-platforms#feishu) | ~25 min | WebSocket/SDK mode (separate from HTTP gateway) |
| [**QQ**](/docs/channel-other-platforms#qq) | ~20 min | AppID and AppSecret |

Telegram is the easiest way to get started. Here's the quickest path to a working employee:

 — Add token and user ID to your employee's Telegram channel

 — Find your bot on Telegram and send a message!

Your employee can use multiple channels simultaneously.

| Benefit | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Reach** | Meet users on their preferred platform |
| **Flexibility** | Different channels for different use cases |
| **Redundancy** | Backup if one channel has issues |

 — you cannot share tokens between employees

Your employee maintains context across all channels

Skills and tools apply to all connected channels

Disable unused channels to reduce resource usage

Monitor your channel connections in the employee dashboard.

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| 🟢 **Connected** | Channel is active and responding |
| 🟡 **Connecting** | Channel is being set up |
| 🔴 **Error** | Connection failed — check configuration |
| ⚪ **Disabled** | Channel is turned off |

| Feature | Telegram | Discord | Slack | WhatsApp | Email |
|---------|----------|---------|-------|----------|-------|
| **Setup Difficulty** | Easy | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| **Real-time** | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Periodic |
| **File Sharing** | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| **Group Support** | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| **Commands** | Yes | Slash | Slash | No | No |
| **Rich Formatting** | Markdown | Markdown | Markdown | Limited | HTML |

| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| "Bot token already in use" | Each employee needs unique tokens |
| "Bot not responding" | Verify token, check employee is Running |
| "Connection error" | Check platform-specific requirements |
| "Messages not delivered" | Verify bot permissions and channel access |

Verify all required credentials are correct

Restart your employee after configuration changes

 — Matrix, LINE, DingTalk, WeCom, Feishu, QQ

Employee Channels

Tools and skills are what make your AI employee truly powerful. This guide covers built-in tools, MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers, marketplace integrations, and custom skills.

The Tools section in employee configuration

| Component | What It Is | Example |
|-----------|------------|---------|
| **Built-in Tools** | Core capabilities included with platform | Web Search, Command Execution |
| **MCP Servers** | External integrations via Model Context Protocol | GitHub, Notion, Slack APIs |
| **Marketplace Tools** | Pre-configured MCP servers ready to install | Brave Search, Database connectors |
| **Custom Tools** | Your own MCP server configurations | Self-hosted APIs, internal tools |
| **Skills** | Markdown instructions defining behavior | Customer support guidelines |

These tools are available to all employees without additional configuration:

Enable your employee to search the internet for current information.

Add API key if required (Settings → Tool Secrets)

Allows your employee to run terminal commands in their isolated workspace.

File operations (create, read, modify files)

 Commands run in an isolated container. Employees cannot access your local system or other employees' workspaces.

Enable scheduled, recurring tasks for your employee.

MCP is an open protocol that allows AI employees to securely connect to external data sources and tools. MakersFuel fully supports MCP, letting your employees integrate with virtually any service.

MCP Tools section showing installed tools

MCP servers are bridges between your AI employee and external services:

| Benefit | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Standardized** | One protocol for all integrations |
| **Secure** | Credentials stay encrypted in vault |
| **Extensible** | Add any service with an MCP server |
| **Community** | Growing library of pre-built servers |

MCP servers communicate via three transport methods:

| Type | Description | Best For |
|------|-------------|----------|
| **stdio** | Command-line process | Most MCP servers (npm packages) |
| **SSE** | Server-Sent Events | Real-time streaming |
| **HTTP** | Standard HTTP endpoint | REST APIs, webhooks |

The easiest way to add capabilities—pre-configured MCP servers ready to install with one click.

Browse and install tools from the marketplace

Go to employee configuration → MCP Tools

| Category | Examples |
|----------|----------|
| **Search** | Brave Search, Tavily, Perplexity |
| **Databases** | PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Supabase |
| **Development** | GitHub, GitLab, Linear |
| **Productivity** | Notion, Slack, Google Workspace |
| **Communication** | Email APIs, SMS services |
| **Analytics** | Mixpanel, Amplitude |

Tool installation with API key configuration

: Paste a new key (optionally save to vault)

Create your own MCP server connections for internal tools, self-hosted services, or any MCP-compatible server.

Paste MCP server configuration JSON directly. This is ideal when you have a configuration from documentation or another source.

 field is optional. If omitted, the system auto-detects based on the presence of 

Use the guided form to configure your tool step-by-step:

Select transport type and configure:For stdio (command-line):

 placeholders in your configuration to securely inject secrets. This works in both JSON and Form modes.

Tools, MCP Servers & Skills

Telegram is the recommended starting point for MakerClaw. It offers the simplest setup process and works great for personal use and small teams.

![Telegram Channel](/images/docs/channel-telegram-header.png)
*Telegram bot integration*

## What You'll Need

- A Telegram account
- ~5 minutes for setup

---

## Step 1: Create Your Bot

### Open BotFather

1. Open Telegram on your phone or desktop
2. Search for **@BotFather** (the official Telegram bot for creating bots)
3. Start a conversation with BotFather

![BotFather Search](/images/docs/telegram-botfather-search.png)
*Search for @BotFather in Telegram*

### Create New Bot

1. Send the command `/newbot`
2. BotFather will ask for a **name** for your bot (this is the display name)
3. Enter a name like "My Assistant" or "Support Bot"
4. BotFather will ask for a **username** (must end in "bot")
5. Enter a unique username like "mycompany_support_bot"

![BotFather New Bot](/images/docs/telegram-botfather-newbot.png)
*Creating a new bot with /newbot command*

### Copy Your Token

BotFather will respond with your bot's **token**. It looks like this:

```
123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz
```

**Important:** Keep this token secret! Anyone with this token can control your bot.

![Bot Token](/images/docs/telegram-bot-token.png)
*Copy the token BotFather provides*

---

## Step 2: Get Your User ID

To restrict who can talk to your employee, you need your Telegram user ID.

### Using @userinfobot

1. Search for **@userinfobot** in Telegram
2. Start a conversation
3. The bot will reply with your user ID (a number like `123456789`)
4. Copy this number

![User Info Bot](/images/docs/telegram-userinfobot.png)
*Get your user ID from @userinfobot*

> **Tip:** You can add multiple user IDs to allow team members to interact with your employee.

---

## Step 3: Configure in MakersFuel

### Add Telegram Channel

1. Go to your employee's configuration page
2. Find the **Channels** section
3. Click **Add Channel** or enable **Telegram**

![Add Telegram Channel](/images/docs/telegram-add-channel.png)
*Enable Telegram in channel configuration*

### Enter Credentials

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| **Bot Token** | The token from BotFather |
| **Allowed Users** | Your user ID(s), comma-separated |

![Telegram Configuration](/images/docs/telegram-config-form.png)
*Enter your bot token and allowed users*

### Save Configuration

1. Click **Save** to apply the configuration
2. Wait for the channel status to show **Connected** (🟢)

---

## Step 4: Start Chatting

### Find Your Bot

1. In Telegram, search for your bot's username
2. Click on your bot in the search results
3. Click **Start** or send any message

![Start Bot](/images/docs/telegram-start-bot.png)
*Start a conversation with your bot*

### Test It Out

Send a test message to confirm everything is working:

- "Hello, are you there?"
- "What can you help me with?"
- "Tell me about yourself"

![Bot Response](/images/docs/telegram-bot-response.png)
*Your AI employee responding to messages*

---

## Features

### Commands

Commands are automatically registered when your employee starts. Users can see available commands by typing `/` in the chat.

| Feature | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Auto-registration** | Commands sync at startup |
| **Command menu** | Users see available commands |
| **Custom commands** | Define in your employee's skills |

### Message Types

| Type | Supported |
|------|-----------|
| Text messages | ✅ |
| Images | ✅ |
| Documents | ✅ |
| Voice messages | ✅ |
| Stickers | Limited |

### Group Chats

Your bot can work in group chats:

1. Add your bot to a group
2. Make sure the bot has permission to read messages
3. Users can @mention the bot or use commands

> **Note:** In groups, configure whether the bot responds to all messages or only mentions.

---

## Configuration Options

### Allow List

Control who can interact with your employee:

| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Single user** | Enter one user ID |
| **Multiple users** | Comma-separated IDs: `123,456,789` |
| **Open access** | Leave empty (not recommended) |

### Bot Settings in BotFather

You can customize your bot further:

| Command | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `/setdescription` | Bot description shown in profile |
| `/setabouttext` | "About" section text |
| `/setuserpic` | Bot profile picture |
| `/setcommands` | Manual command list (auto-synced by MakerClaw) |

---

## Troubleshooting

### "Bot not responding"

1. **Check token** — Ensure the full token is copied correctly
2. **Check user ID** — Verify you're in the allowed users list
3. **Check employee status** — Must be "Running"
4. **Restart employee** — Try pausing and resuming

### "Invalid token" error

- Make sure you copied the complete token
- Token format: `numbers:letters`
- Generate a new token via `/token` command in BotFather

### "User not allowed"

- Verify your user ID is correct
- Add your ID to the allowed users list
- User IDs are numbers only, no @ symbol

### Messages not delivering

1. Ensure you clicked "Start" on the bot
2. Check if the bot was blocked accidentally
3. Verify employee is running

---

## Best Practices

| Practice | Why |
|----------|-----|
| **Use descriptive bot name** | Helps users identify the bot |
| **Set a profile picture** | Makes the bot recognizable |
| **Limit allowed users** | Security best practice |
| **Test before deploying** | Catch issues early |

---

## Next Steps

- [Employee Channels Overview](/docs/employee-channels) — Learn about other channels
- [Discord Setup](/docs/channel-discord) — Add Discord channel
- [Tools & Skills](/docs/tools-and-skills) — Extend capabilities


Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Complete Your Profile

Step 2: Set Up Your Founder Profile

Step 3: Explore the Platform

Browse Ideas

Join a Tribe

Discover Founders

Step 4: Upgrade for AI Employees (Optional)

Navigation Overview

What's Next?

Section	What You'll Find
Home	Your personalized feed
Employees	AI employee management (MakerClaw)
Ideas	Startup ideas library
Tribes	Community groups
Founders	Founder directory
Messages	Direct conversations
Notifications	Updates and alerts
Settings	Account and billing