β Glossary
MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
The simplest version of a product that can be released to test a core business hypothesis with real users.
An MVP is not a prototype or a beta. It's a functional product stripped to its essential core that solves one problem well enough for early adopters to use. The term was popularized by Eric Ries in The Lean Startup (2011). Common examples include Dropbox's demo video before building sync, and Airbnb's single listing page. The goal is learning, not revenue. Build only what's needed to validate your riskiest assumption, then iterate based on real user feedback.