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TGeneralUpdated 2 Nov 2026

Time-to-market

Period from product conception to when it becomes available to customers.

Definition

Time-to-market is the period from product conception to when it becomes available to customers. Founders reach for it when a vague conversation needs a shared, specific meaning. Name it clearly, then let the next decision — a hire, a price, a test, or a pass — follow from that meaning.

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In the room

How the word shows up in a real conversation.

A mentor asks, “What is your Time-to-market?” The useful answer is concrete: period from product conception to when it becomes available to customers. A slide title is not an answer.

Common mistake

Using Time-to-market as a label instead of a fact. If you cannot point to the evidence — a number, a customer, or a written assumption — you are using the word as jargon.

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