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Launch operating plan

Your first 90 days should produce a decision—not launch theatre.

Six two-week gates connect the product, market, route, money and evidence. At day 90 you should know what can launch, where, when and under which assumptions.

Reviewed 22 September 202612-minute readFor physical-product founders
Sequence before speed.

Market evidence without a feasible route wastes commercial effort. Compliance work without demand evidence wastes technical effort. Each 15-day block must leave an inspectable output for the next one.

Days 1–15

Freeze the decision scope

One product version, one intended use and one first-market hypothesis.

  1. Write the intended use and claims exactly as customers will see them.
  2. Name the manufacturer, importer, distributor and online channel roles.
  3. Create a change log for hardware, formula, software, accessories and packaging.
Days 16–30

Map the regulatory route

Applicable frameworks, critical unknowns and responsible owners.

  1. Screen product safety, CE-marking legislation and national requirements.
  2. Check radio, connected-software, AI, health-claim, cosmetic and children’s-product triggers.
  3. Decide whether self-assessment may be available or third-party assessment must be priced.
Days 31–45

Test the first market

Evidence that demand and channel economics can reward the route.

  1. Interview buyers or channel partners in a named country and segment.
  2. Model landed margin after VAT, returns, fulfilment and regulatory operating cost.
  3. Record the demand assumption that would make the market unattractive.
Days 46–60

Build budget and timeline

A low/high Regulatory Entry Budget and a dependency-led launch window.

  1. Collect like-for-like quotes with exclusions visible.
  2. Sequence evidence, testing, documentation, labels, registration and production release.
  3. Add corrective work and supplier delay to the high case.
Days 61–75

Create the evidence room

A founder, investor or expert can inspect the plan without reconstructing it.

  1. Store product definition, drawings, bill of materials or formula and test evidence.
  2. Create folders for route, risks, budget, timeline, claims, labels and supplier records.
  3. Record document owner, version, date and approval status.
Days 76–90

Pass the launch gate

A documented go, revise or stop decision with funded next actions.

  1. Review demand, route, cost, time, evidence and remaining unknowns together.
  2. Assign owners and due dates to every launch-critical gap.
  3. Approve only the product version and claims supported by the evidence.

What survives day 90

Keep one control page for the launch.

DecisionGo, revise or stop—with date and approver
ScopeProduct version, intended use, claims and markets
ExposureLow/high cost, launch window and critical unknowns
Next workOwner, dependency, due date and required evidence

Start with the uncertain dependency

See how the route changes your launch window.

The estimator turns the six gates into a first low/high schedule, without presenting it as a regulatory commitment.

Estimate my launch windowCheck my product with a Snapshot
A founder’s first 90 days of an EU product launch · Regulatory Gate