An MVP is the simplest version of your product that solves the core problem and delivers value to early customers. It has just enough features to validate your hypothesis and get feedback, not to be feature-complete. The goal is to test assumptions quickly and cheaply.
The Minimum Viable Product concept, popularized by Eric Ries in "The Lean Startup," is often misunderstood. It's not just a "basic product"—it's a learning vehicle. The "minimum" part means the least features needed to deliver value. The "viable" part means it actually solves the problem (not broken or useless). Many founders build too much before launching, spending 6-12 months in isolation. An MVP should take 2-8 weeks maximum. Examples of great MVPs: Dropbox's explainer video (validated demand before building), Airbnb's simple website with photos of their apartment (tested concept), Zappos founder photographing shoes at retail stores (tested online shoe buying without inventory). The MVP is not your final product—it's a test. You're validating: (1) Do people have this problem? (2) Will they use my solution? (3) Will they pay for it? Based on feedback, you iterate or pivot. The biggest mistake is adding too many features to the MVP. If removing a feature makes the product useless for solving the core problem, it stays. Everything else is cut. Ship fast, learn, iterate.
Dropbox: Drew Houston created a 3-minute video showing how file syncing would work. Got 75,000 signups before writing most code.
Airbnb: Founders rented air mattresses in their apartment during a conference. No app, no payments—just validation of concept.
Groupon: Started as a WordPress blog where the founder manually emailed PDF coupons. Proved concept before building platform.
Software MVP: ₹50,000-₹5 lakhs. No-code MVP: ₹5,000-₹50,000. The cheaper and faster, the better for validation.
Yes! Charging validates real demand. If people won't pay for your MVP, they likely won't pay for the full product either.
When you have clear product-market fit: >40% retention, users referring others, and consistent revenue growth. Don't add features just because users ask.
What is product-market fit?
Product-market fit (PMF) is when your product satisfies strong market demand—customers desperately w...
How to validate a startup idea?
Validate by: (1) Talking to 50+ potential customers about their pain points, (2) Creating a landing ...
How to build an MVP (Minimum Viable Product)?
Build MVP in 4-8 weeks using no-code tools (Bubble, Webflow) or hiring freelance developer. Include ...
How to validate a startup idea before building?
Validate startup ideas by: (1) Talking to 50+ potential customers about the problem, (2) Testing wil...
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