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Startup Dictionary

Validation

Definition

The process of determining whether your product is of interest to a given target market.

Deep Dive

Validation, in a business or product context, is the systematic process of determining whether your proposed product, service, or business idea genuinely solves a problem for a specific target market and whether customers are willing to pay for it. It's a critical phase that precedes significant investment in development, designed to reduce risk and avoid building something nobody wants. This process typically involves gathering empirical evidence directly from potential customers to confirm or refute key assumptions about market needs, pain points, and solution efficacy.

Examples & Use Cases

  • 1A startup conducting interviews with dozens of small business owners to confirm their need for a specific accounting software feature before development begins
  • 2A new app developer launching a basic landing page describing their app's concept and asking visitors to sign up for early access to gauge interest
  • 3A restaurant owner hosting a series of taste tests with potential customers to validate new menu items before a full launch.

Related Terms

Market ResearchMinimum Viable Product (MVP)Product-Market Fit

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