Is Our Trading Bot App Project Viable?

Hey everyone,

I'm part of a team developing a trading bot and internal tools like a back-tester for a startup. We've outsourced the app's creation to an Indian company with a 3-month deadline. It's been over three months, and the project is 80% complete. We've paid 25% of the budget, holding back the rest as we haven't received the beta yet.

Recently, I met a seasoned finance pro who cast doubt on our project. His main criticisms were about the subscription-based business model for trading bots and the claimed profitability of our strategies. He questioned the effectiveness of trading bots in a real-world setting.

I'm in a tough spot. I deeply care and want our company to succeed, so I'm concerned about investing more time and money in a potentially unviable product. How do I bring this up to my manager without causing friction?

Tbh I had some skepticism but thought that if other senior engineers are working on it, then I as a junior may be missing something.

Can anyone share insights or experiences regarding:

The real-world success of trading bots?

The practicality of a subscription model for such bots?

Approaching management with these concerns constructively?

Thanks for your help!