Why “building an MVP quickly” is no longer enough

In recent years, the mantra of many companies – whether startups or large corporations – has been clear: develop an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) as quickly as possible to have something tangible to show investors or the board. This approach often worked – back then.

But today, we live in a world that evolves at the speed of AI, technology, and global interconnection. And many companies are still operating with the old MVP mindset, without asking: is this still the right approach?

Business Development today means: think first, then build.

Before a product is developed, it takes more than just a quick prototype. It requires a deep understanding of the market – not just who is already offering similar products, but also:

• What will the market look like when our product launches?

• How quickly can other companies catch up?

• How adaptable is our product if competitors respond?

• How much investment will be needed in marketing and sales to successfully position it?

These strategic questions are often overlooked. And that leads to time, energy, and money being poured into a product – only to realize at launch that the marketing budget is too small, the sales channels are ineffective, or the competition is faster.

Business Development is the ability to think ahead.

It not only saves money but often determines whether a product fails or succeeds.

Better to invest early in strong Business Development – than to regret expensive mistakes later.