GLS Startup Law

Introduction

"Launching a new product is like reliving your start-up journey – the excitement, the risk, the sleepless nights. Do it right, and you redefine your market; do it wrong, and you drain your resources faster than you can recover." – Matt Glynn

Few growth strategies ignite as much passion and pressure as creating a new product. For a start-up, a new product can either cement your position in the market or push you into overreach. Done well, it demonstrates innovation, adaptability, and relevance. Done poorly, it can consume capital, confuse customers, and leave you vulnerable to competitors.

New Products – What Are They?

PAA: What are new products in a business context?
New products are deliberate growth strategies where businesses create fresh offerings to:

◼️Enter new markets.

◼️Expand their customer base.

◼️Protect against competitors eroding existing revenue streams.

◼️Reinvent themselves to stay relevant.

They can range from modest upgrades (a new version of existing software) to transformational innovation (a completely new product line).

Why This Is Important

This is an important stage of the start-up journey because:

◼️Revenue Diversification – Reduces dependency on a single product or service.

◼️Customer Retention – Keeps your existing customers engaged by offering more.

◼️Competitive Edge – Demonstrates innovation and leadership in your market.

◼️Investor Confidence – Signals ambition and long-term thinking.

◼️Market Relevance – Ensures your business evolves as customer needs change.

PAA: Why do businesses need new products?
Because customer expectations, competitors, and technology evolve. Without new products, businesses risk irrelevance.

Consequences of Not Addressing This Issue

1. Legal Implications

◼️Weak IP protection can see competitors copy or undercut you.

◼️Regulatory approval failures (e.g., safety standards) can stall launches.

2. Founder Relationship Issues

◼️Disagreements over resource allocation can strain leadership alignment.

3. Commercial Implications

◼️Product flops can burn capital and damage reputation.

◼️Competitors with fresher offerings take market share.

4. Operational Implications

◼️Strained supply chains or production bottlenecks undermine growth.

5. Biz Valuation Issues

◼️Businesses reliant on a single product line trade at lower multiples.

PAA: What happens if a business doesn’t innovate?
Its competitive advantage erodes, customer loyalty fades, and valuation multiples compress.

What You Should Be Doing

◼️Validate Demand – Test customer appetite before committing to development.

◼️Protect IP – Secure trademarks, patents, and designs early.

◼️Plan Compliance – Understand regulatory standards for your sector.

◼️Resource Smartly – Balance product innovation with sustaining existing operations.

◼️Pilot & Scale – Launch small, refine fast, then scale aggressively.

The above suggestions are just a few of the steps you can consider taking. There are many more things that need to be done to ensure the associated risks are effectively and pragmatically dealt with.

PAA: How do you know if your new product will succeed?
Strong demand validation, clear differentiation, and robust execution increase your odds.

Real-World Case Studies

Apple – The iPhone as a Transformational Product
Apple was already successful with iPods and Macs, but the 2007 launch of the iPhone redefined the company’s trajectory. It wasn’t just another product; it was a platform that opened entire ecosystems (App Store, accessories, services). Legal mastery over IP and contracts with carriers underpinned this success. Today, the iPhone accounts for more than half of Apple’s revenue — the definition of a successful new product.

Grab (Southeast Asia) – From Ride-Hailing to Super App
Grab started as a taxi-hailing service in Malaysia but steadily launched new products: food delivery, digital payments, insurance, and lending. Each new product opened new growth pathways while embedding Grab deeper into the daily lives of its users. Regulatory navigation was critical, especially in fintech services across diverse SE Asian markets.

Noon.com (Middle East) – Expanding Beyond E-Commerce
Saudi/UAE-based e-commerce giant Noon leveraged its logistics platform to launch new verticals like grocery, fintech (Noon Pay), and cloud kitchens. Each new product launch reinforced its ecosystem play against global rivals like Amazon. The legal complexity of operating across multiple regulated industries has been immense but essential to its growth.

BlackBerry – Failure to Find the Next “Cash Cow”
Once the undisputed leader in mobile devices, BlackBerry’s iconic smartphones were the go-to for enterprises and governments worldwide. But as Apple’s iPhone and Android ecosystems rose, BlackBerry failed to launch a compelling successor. Attempts like the BlackBerry 10 OS and Android-based devices came too late. The brand’s inability to find its next growth-driving product is now a cautionary tale: without continual innovation, your cash cow will be milked dry by competitors.

Key Legal Definitions Related to This Issue

◼️Patent – Exclusive rights over an invention, preventing others from making or selling it.

◼️Product Liability – Legal responsibility for harm caused by defective products.

◼️Regulatory Approval – Certification needed to launch in regulated industries (e.g., health, finance, food).

PAA: What is product liability?
It’s the legal responsibility for harm caused by unsafe or defective products.

Final Thoughts

New products are the lifeblood of long-term growth — but they’re also high-stakes bets. They can cement your market dominance (Apple), scale your ecosystem (Grab, Noon), or, if mishandled, sink your relevance (BlackBerry). The challenge for founders is balancing ambition with execution: innovation with compliance, speed with risk management.

Treat every new product launch as if you’re launching your business all over again — with the same urgency, diligence, and precision.