Post #72: Built With, Not For – Product Validation for Blue Economy Start-ups

This week i'm going over a topic thats been in my head lately. At a recent work event, I heard a wise owl say "build with not for" when discussing product market fit for start-ups.

In the early days of a start-up, it’s easy to get caught up building what you think the market needs. But for founders in the blue economy — where users can be scientists, governments, or remote island cooperatives — assumptions get expensive fast.

This is a short take on why product validation matters more than ever, especially in pre-revenue, technical ventures where the product isn’t “ready” but the clock (and the burn) are already ticking.

Whether you’re building for ports, conservation bodies or marine data users, you don’t need to wait until your product is perfect to start testing. You just need to validate with the market, not for it.

Why Validation Matters in the Blue Economy

Startups in ocean and climate spaces often face longer tech development timelines, high capital intensity, and regulatory friction — which makes getting the product right on the first try even more critical.

• Marine markets are fragmented and localised: What works for a port in Rotterdam might be irrelevant in Manila. Validation helps you navigate these differences early.

• You’re probably pre-revenue: That means your ability to show traction depends heavily on real-world signals — pilots, user quotes, LOIs. And you can’t get those without validating your idea.

• You’re burning time and money: Even grant-funded projects have a limited runway. Building something no one uses is the most expensive mistake you can make.

• Tech-readiness ≠ market readiness: Getting to TRL 5 in a lab doesn’t mean your market will adopt. Validation bridges that gap by ensuring you’re building something wanted.

• Bonus: Feedback is traction. Showing that you’ve tested, iterated and adapted your idea with users builds investor confidence — especially in hard-to-penetrate marine sectors.

Building With, Not For

One of the biggest missteps early-stage ocean start-ups make is designing solutions for the sector instead of with the people in it. In complex and often fragmented marine environments, co-creation isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s essential.

• Engage end-users early and often — whether that’s port operators, marine scientists, coastal communities, aquaculture managers, or fishers. These are the people who know the pain points and operational realities that often get missed in ideation decks.

  
  

• Co-design, don’t retrofit — bringing users into your product iteration cycle helps ensure you’re solving a real problem in a usable way. This builds not only a better solution, but long-term buy-in and ownership.

  
  

• Find your “founding users” — early adopters who will test your product in the real world and grow alongside your startup. These relationships often evolve into case studies, pilots, or even your first paying customers.

  
  

• 1-2-1 Calls aren’t dead — they’re data — structured calls with tailored questions are incredibly useful when designed with intent. Prep your questions beforehand to probe specific areas: technical fit, workflows, unmet needs, price sensitivity. Who you’re speaking with matters — tailor your script to their role, influence, and potential use case.

  
  

• Go beyond conversation — real validation comes from field use. When someone trials your product and gives contextual, honest feedback, that’s when you know you’re on track — or not. Feedback Loops

  
  

  When you’re building a start-up in the blue economy — often from scratch, and often in complex environments — structured feedback is fundamental.

  
  

  A simple model I recommend is P.I.I. — Pilot → Interview → Iterate.

  
  

• Pilot something, even if it's a barebones version.

• Interview users, not just for praise but for friction — what didn’t work? what surprised them?

• Iterate with focus on solving real use case pain, not feature wish lists.

  
  

  Don't just demo your tech — explore use cases.

  Ask:
  

• “How would you actually use this?”

• “What are you doing now instead?”

  
  

  These kinds of questions reveal fit, not flattery.

  
  

  Practical tools include:
  

• Post-demo calls with tailored questions

• Quick embedded surveys or feedback forms

• Field observation logs if you're in physical environments

• Tracking digital usage behaviour — are they logging in, using certain dashboards, uploading data?

• TALK: use the advantage of being a human being and speak to your industry/ bond/ create
  

  In marine and coastal contexts, consider involving citizen science participants, testbeds, or even coastal authority partners. These offer not just validation but legitimacy (TRACTION).

  
  

  Above all: stay laser-focused on "does the market need this, and why?" Every interaction should bring you closer to that answer.

  
  

  BONUS: well-run feedback loops aren’t just about improving the product — they’re also quietly growing your future customer pipeline. Every pilot, every user convo, every shared doc can be a seed for future adoption.

Mistakes to Avoid

Even the most promising blue economy innovations can go adrift if founders fall into common validation traps. Here are some to steer clear of:

• Building something clever, but irrelevant - Just because it’s novel doesn’t mean it solves a real problem. Ground your tech in specific user pain points, not assumptions.

• Waiting too long to show the product in the field - Delaying real-world feedback increases the risk of misalignment. Get it out early — even if it’s ugly.

• Mistaking early enthusiasm for actual market validation - A “this looks cool” doesn’t mean someone will use or buy it. Press for specifics: will they pilot, endorse, or pay?

• Not capturing soft validation signals - Follow-up demo requests, introductions to colleagues, user quotes — these are gold. Log them, reuse them, and use them to shape your next moves.

Wrap-Up

Early-stage founders in the ocean space face long R&D cycles, regulatory fog, and often complex field conditions. That’s why validation isn’t a checkbox — it’s a mindset. The more you build with real users, the stronger your product becomes — and the clearer your commercial path gets. Remember, traction is gold dust and it can take shape in many ways, LOG it and USE it.

Strong feedback loops won’t just help you get to product-market fit — they’ll help you get there with customers already on board.

More on this soon — I’m working on simple validation tools for founders to plug into their process and reuse. Watch this space.

And as always, get in touch if you want a chat:)

Warm wishes

H