Pay $100 for a Flappy Bird knockoff, reskin it, and cross your fingers for a hit

The next viral game hit might come from … an app template? That’s the model behind app-in-a-box startup Chupamobile, which today announced a $1.3 million raise to expand its catalog of app templates.

The London-based Chupamobile operates a site where developers can sell the source code for their apps and games. There, customers without programming skills or a copious supply of capital can cheaply purchase a stock app template, make a few tweaks, throw in a few ads, and release the app on iOS and Android.

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It’s an enticing pitch reminiscent of a get-rich-quick scheme, and yet the startup is apparently doing well; it claims that its marketplace houses 1,500 mobile app and game templates, and the company claims over $1 million has already been paid to developers to date. But why would anyone want to reskin a game in the first place? That probably has something to do with the fact that the mobile game market alone is expected to hit $20 billion this year.

According to Chupamobile chief Stefano Argiolas, “Now, anyone can become a successful ‘Appreneur,’ whether they are a developer or simply an individual without coding or design skills. We provide everything they need to get their app or game published in the app stores and start monetizing from day one.”