When Should Startups Begin Building Their MVP?
In the early days of a startup, it’s tempting to jump straight into building the product - after all, founders are often driven by a vision they’re eager to see come to life. However, launching into technical development too soon can result in wasted time, resources, and a product that no one wants. So, the question arises: When should a startup begin the technical work of building its Minimum Viable Product (MVP)?
In this blog, we’ll explore the right timing to begin technical development, how the MVP fits into the Customer Development process, and why starting too early can derail your startup.
What is an MVP, and Why Does it Matter?
Before jumping into timing, let’s clarify what an MVP is.
A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is the simplest, functional version of your product that allows you to test your business assumptions with real users. It’s not a finished product - it’s a tool to validate (or invalidate) your key hypotheses and gather customer feedback as quickly and cheaply as possible.
The MVP concept, popularized by Eric Ries’ Lean Startup methodology, forces founders to focus on learning rather than perfecting features.
An MVP answers questions like:
Does this product solve a real problem?
Will customers use or pay for it?
What features matter most?
When Should Startups Start Building the MVP?
The short answer: Start building the MVP during the Customer Discovery phase—but only after you’ve validated key hypotheses.
Let’s break this down using Steve Blank’s Customer Development framework.
1. Start with Hypotheses, Not Code
At the beginning of your startup journey, your ideas about your product, customers, and market are just guesses.
In the Customer Discovery phase:
You identify the problem you’re solving, your target customers, and how your solution might address their needs.
Instead of writing code, you engage in customer interviews to test your assumptions and refine your understanding of the problem.
At this stage, your focus should be on learning:
• Do customers care about this problem?
• Is the problem painful enough that they’d pay for a solution?
If you skip this step and start building too soon, you risk spending months developing a product that no one wants.
“There are no facts inside the building, so get outside.” — Steve Blank
2. Build the MVP to Test, Not to Scale
Once you’ve validated the problem and understand your customer’s needs, it’s time to build the MVP.
The MVP is not the final product. It’s a prototype or a basic version that helps you answer the following questions:
• Does the product solve the identified problem?
• Will customers use it or pay for it?
At this point:
• Keep it simple: Focus on the core features that deliver value and test your riskiest assumptions.
• Iterate rapidly: Use agile development methods to build, test, learn, and refine based on customer feedback.
• Prioritize speed over perfection.
For example, if you’re building a fitness app, don’t spend six months perfecting every feature. Start with one feature—like tracking daily workouts—and test whether busy professionals find it valuable.
3. Iterate Based on Feedback, Not Assumptions
The first version of your MVP will likely be wrong, and that’s okay. Startups are a process of discovery.
By testing your MVP with real customers:
• You’ll identify what works, what doesn’t, and what features matter most.
• You’ll be able to pivot (make significant changes) or iterate (make smaller improvements) based on data, not assumptions.
This feedback loop is critical. It prevents you from overbuilding unnecessary features and ensures you’re moving toward product-market fit.
“A pivot is not a failure. Pivots are how startups succeed.” — Eric Ries
Why You Shouldn’t Start Too Early
Jumping into technical work before validating your assumptions can lead to:
1. Wasted Resources: Building features customers don’t want costs time and money.
2. Unfocused Development: Without understanding the problem, you risk building a product that solves nothing.
3. Costly Rewrites: You’ll likely need to rebuild or scrap significant parts of the product later.
To avoid this, remember: Your MVP is a tool for learning, not a finished product.
Wrapping it Up
1. Start with Customer Discovery: Validate the problem and your target customers before writing any code.
2. Build the MVP to Test, Not to Scale: Create a simple version of your product to test key assumptions and gather real feedback.
3. Iterate Quickly: Use customer feedback to refine and improve your MVP, focusing only on what matters.
By starting technical development at the right time, your MVP will be grounded in real customer needs, giving your startup a much higher chance of success.
Conclusion
In the world of startups, timing is everything. Building your MVP too early can lead to expensive mistakes, while delaying it too long can slow down your learning. The sweet spot lies in starting the technical work after validating your assumptions through Customer Discovery.
Your MVP is the bridge between your vision and your customers’ reality—use it wisely, iterate quickly, and always let your customers guide the way.
Ready to Build Your MVP the Right Way? Let’s Talk!
Don’t let guesswork derail your startup. Book a free 30-minute consulting session with one of our experts and get tailored advice on:
When to start building your MVP
How to validate your business idea effectively
Strategies to save time and resources while creating a product customers love
Click the link below to schedule your session and take the next step toward startup success:
Book Your Free 30-Minute Consultation Now