Why waiting for your product could be holding you back
For many healthtech startups, the journey begins with building a minimum viable product (MVP). It’s often seen as the first real milestone — something tangible to show the market.
But here’s the reality: getting to MVP stage can take months… sometimes much longer. And once you’re there, engaging with organisations like the NHS doesn’t happen overnight either.
So what happens in the meantime?
Too often, startups stay quiet — heads down, building in isolation — waiting for the “right moment” to speak to the market.
That’s the mistake.
You Don’t Need a Product to Start Building a Presence
While your product is in development, there’s a huge opportunity to start shaping your market.
Through smart branding, thought leadership, and consistent marketing, you can:
Build credibility
Start meaningful conversations
Validate your thinking
Create demand before your product even exists
And the best part? It doesn’t have to cost a fortune — in many cases, you can get started almost for free.
A Quick Word of Caution
Before you dive in, there are a couple of important safeguards:
Protect your identity: Secure your organisation name, branding, and domain from an intellectual property (IP), copyright, and trademark perspective.
Guard your ideas: Share insights generously, but avoid revealing sensitive details or trade secrets.
With that in place, you’re ready to go.
How to Enter the Market Without a Product
1. Get Your Social Presence in Order
First impressions matter — especially online.
Secure your domain name (whether that’s .co.uk, .com, or .info) and claim your social handles across the platforms that matter to your audience:
LinkedIn
X (formerly Twitter) or Bluesky
YouTube
Consistency is key. Make it easy for people to find you — and recognise you.
2. Build a Simple but Strong Website
You don’t need a complex, multi-page site to get started.
A single, well-crafted page will do the job if it clearly communicates:
The problem you’re solving
The scale and impact of that problem (supported by credible data)
Your proposed approach
How people can get in touch
Think of your website as a digital calling card — clear, focused, and purposeful.
3. Become the Product (For Now)
This is where many founders hesitate.
Without a finished product, it can feel uncomfortable to step forward. But here’s the truth:
Until your product exists, you are the product.
Your role is to position yourself as a knowledgeable voice on the problem you’re solving.
After all, if someone had already solved it, there wouldn’t be a gap in the market.
So:
Share insights
Talk about the problem openly
Articulate your vision clearly
Over time, people will associate you with that problem space — and that’s incredibly powerful.
4. Network Relentlessly
Visibility drives opportunity.
Refine your elevator pitch so it clearly explains:
The problem
Why it matters
How you aim to solve it
Then get out there:
Attend industry events
Apply for speaking opportunities
Write blogs and publish articles
Engage in conversations online
Your goal is simple: become known as the voice of the problem.
5. Repeat the Cycle
Until your product is ready, this becomes your rhythm:
Share → Engage → Learn → Refine → Repeat
The more you do it:
The more natural it feels
The sharper your messaging becomes
The stronger your network grows
Eventually, something shifts.
People start reaching out to you — not just as a founder, but as a recognised expert in your space.
Final Thought
Building a healthtech product is only part of the journey.
Building trust, credibility, and visibility? That starts much earlier.
So don’t wait for your MVP to speak for you.
Start the conversation now — and by the time your product arrives, the market will already be listening.
Tim East, May 2026