TL;DR: 80% of Indian startups never move beyond MVP. Here’s how to break that pattern with a clear tactical play and a founder-first framework.
Right now, hundreds of Indian founders are stuck—not scaling, not pivoting, just…waiting. MVP built. Some validation. But no real traction. It’s worse in 2025, as capital tightens and GTM velocity matters more than ever. The real issue? Most don’t know what to do *after* building the MVP.
The Tactical Fix: MVP Isn’t a Product—It’s a Signal Collector
Instead of treating MVP as version 0.1 of your product, think of it as version 1.0 of your feedback engine. Here’s what to do:
- Choose 1 core user outcome to test—not 5 features. Zepto started with just “10-min delivery” for a limited SKU range.
- Run 5 user interviews per week. Record and tag insights. Feed this into your problem-solution fit learning loop.
- Don’t chase CAC yet. Instead, use WhatsApp, DMs, or manual ops to deliver outcomes. Razorpay’s early users onboarded via Google Forms and support calls.
- Define traction as retention, not revenue. If your MVP users come back without you pushing them, you’re onto something.
The Strategic Framework: The MVP-to-Traction Loop™️
Here’s the why—and the missed step. The MVP-to-Traction Loop has 4 cycles:
- Build: Define a single outcome → Build janky version
- Measure: Track Utility (did job get done?), Usage (was it repeated?)
- Learn: Capture objections + unmet needs
- Refine: Prioritise which friction to kill next
Repeat every 2 weeks. Without this loop, founders drift into building roadmaps instead of delivering value.
How to Apply This in Your Startup
Ready to move beyond the MVP graveyard? Here’s what you can do this week:
- Pick ONE metric to obsess over (e.g., repeat usage in 7 days)
- Talk to 10 users manually—no surveys. Zoom. Coffee. Calls.
- Map out your next 2 MVP loop cycles using the 4-step framework
- Kill any roadmap item that doesn’t reduce user friction within 2 weeks
Key Takeaways
- MVP is not your product—it’s your testing lab
- Use retention and feedback as your traction signal
- The MVP-to-Traction Loop helps make faster, friction-cutting decisions
Trend Signal: Based on market research of 200+ early-stage Indian startups since 2023. Urgency: 8/10
