Minimum viable relationships (MVR): a relational readiness framework for African ventures

Startups that import MVP-first logics into high-context African markets frequently stall not because products lack utility, but because ventures lack permission to operate. This paper proposes Minimum Viable Relationships (MVR) as a relational-readiness gate that precedes MVP in such contexts. MVR formalizes the conditions under which counterparties (customers, distributors, institutions) grant access without triggering social or organizational sanction. I define the construct, situate it against adjacent ideas (design thinking, diffusion of innovations), and argue that in markets where social sanction outweighs functional risk, relationship viability must be validated before product experiments can be considered valid. The paper contributes three artifacts: (1) a seven-dimension MVR diagnostic with go/no-go thresholds that scores embeddedness, trust, guardian vouches, and channel permission; (2) an MVR Investment Memo template that enables funders to assess relational risk alongside financial and operational risk; and (3) a practical “design lab” of field tools for earning permission (pilot site commitments, data-sharing agreements, compliance pathways, and referral loops). Comparative case vignettes (e.g., SafeBoda, KOKO Networks, Wave vs. Dash, Sendy) illustrate how early permission artifacts correlate with durable traction. The framework reframes early venture due diligence in Africa from “Can the product work?” to “Are we allowed to make it work here?” and offers testable propositions for founders, investors, and ecosystem builders. Limitations and avenues for empirical study are discussed.