From idea to MVP

Moving from idea to product is one of the most uncertain stages for early-stage founders, particularly in healthtech.

You understand the problem. You can see the impact your solution could have. But when it comes to building something real, the questions multiply quickly.

• What should an MVP actually include?

• Do you need an app yet

• How much should you spend?

• What should you test before committing to development?

In our recent FemTech Leeds session, Gabrielle Earnshaw (Founder of Polomo and CTO of Bearable) shared a practical, experience-led walkthrough of how to approach this stage with more clarity.

What is an MVP, really?

MVP stands for minimum viable product, but in practice it’s often misunderstood.

An MVP is not a smaller version of your final product. It’s the smallest thing you can build that delivers value and helps you learn.

At this stage, the goal is not perfection. It’s learning:

• Do people actually want this?

• Will they use it?

• Does it solve the problem you think it does?

• Would someone pay for it?

The key is to keep it small enough that you can test and adapt quickly.

The core tension: quick, cheap, good

One of the most useful frameworks from the session was simple:

You can have something quick, cheap or good. You can only pick two.

• Quick and good won’t be cheap

• Good and cheap won’t be quick

• Quick and cheap won’t be good

At MVP stage, founders are often trying to balance all three with limited resources. Being clear about which trade-offs you’re making helps you make more realistic decisions.

Start with a tent, not a hotel

A common mistake at early stage is trying to build too much, too soon.

Gabrielle used the analogy of a “Disney castle hotel” versus a tent:

• The hotel is the fully-featured vision, complex, expensive and risky

• The tent is the smallest useful version you can test

Start with the tent. If people use it, you can build a caravan, then a cottage, then a hotel.

This staged approach allows you to:

• Deliver value earlier

• Learn faster

• Avoid investing heavily in something untested

Validate before you build

One of the strongest messages from the session was that you don’t always need to build tech to validate your idea.

Some practical approaches discussed:

These approaches reduce risk and help you learn before committing time or budget to development.

Who are you really building for?

Founders often focus on users first. In reality, at early stage, there are multiple audiences to consider:

• Funders – investors, grant bodies or yourself if self-funded

• Customers – the people or organisations who will pay

• Users – the people who will use the product

At MVP stage, you are often building something that demonstrates enough value to secure the next step, whether that’s funding, partnerships or early adoption.

Types of MVP: prototype vs product

Not all MVPs are the same. Two common approaches:

Prototype

• Faster and cheaper

• Used to demonstrate and test ideas

• Often needs to be rebuilt later

Mini product

• Built to a higher standard

• Can be released and used in the real world

• Slower and more expensive

Neither is right or wrong, but it’s important to be clear which one you are building and why.

Build options and trade-offs

Gabrielle also outlined the different ways founders approach building an MVP, including:

• Self-build or no-code approaches

• Technical co-founders or equity-based support

• Freelancers or hired developers

• MVP specialist agencies

• AI-led development agencies

• Offshore development teams

• Full consultancy builds

Each comes with trade-offs across:

• Cost

• Speed

• Quality

• Risk

• Long-term maintainability

There is no single “right” option, only what fits your stage, budget and goals.

What founders often overlook

Beyond features, there are critical elements that are often missed at MVP stage:

• Security – especially important in healthtech

• User behaviour tracking – understanding how people actually use your product

• Error tracking and bug reporting

• Ongoing costs – hosting, maintenance and updates

An MVP is not a one-off build. It’s the start of an ongoing product journey.

Key takeaways

• Start smaller than you think

• Validate before building

• Be clear on trade-offs between speed, cost and quality

• Understand who you are building for at each stage

• Choose the right type of MVP for your goals

• Plan for what happens after launch

Get in touch with Gabrielle Earnshaw

If you’d like to connect with Gabrielle or learn more about her work:

Gabrielle works with purpose-driven startups to turn technology from a blocker into something that strengthens and accelerates their product.

What’s next

We’ll continue sharing insights, resources and sessions to support founders building in women’s health.
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