PoC vs MVP: Build the Right Thing First
Every founder faces the same fork in the road:
Should I start with a Proof of Concept (PoC) or a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)?
Get this wrong, and you risk burning months (and budget) chasing the wrong kind of validation. Get it right, and you de-risk your journey while staying focused on what matters most.
What is a Proof of Concept (PoC)?
✓ Purpose: Validate feasibility. Can this be built? Does the tech work? Will it integrate?
✓ Audience: Internal. PoCs are not for customers but for teams, investors, or partners.
✓ Output: A limited prototype, often just one feature, that answers the feasibility question.
✓ When to use it: Early-stage ideas, risky or untested technologies, complex integrations.
In short, a PoC reduces technical risk.
What is a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)?
✓ Purpose: Validate demand. Do people actually want this? Will they use it?
✓ Audience: Real users. MVPs are launched to the market to collect feedback.
✓ Output: A basic but working product, focused on essential features that solve one clear pain point.
✓ When to use it: Once feasibility is established and your bigger risk lies in market adoption.
In short, an MVP reduces market risk.
The Sequence That Works
Founders often confuse the two. They’re not the same step, and they shouldn’t happen in parallel.
→ PoC first, if you’re testing an unproven technology or integration.
→ MVP next, once you know it can be built and now need to prove people want it.
This sequence aligns with the Startup Owner’s Manual:
Customer Discovery: low-fidelity MVPs and PoCs test problems and solutions.
Customer Validation: MVPs with real users confirm whether you have product/market fit.
And it’s reflected in the Startup Genome model:
Discovery: PoC + first MVP
Validation: MVP refinements until you approach product/market fit.
Why This Matters for Founders
Too many startups skip PoC and jump to MVP, only to discover later that the core tech doesn’t work. Others spend too long polishing a PoC, when the real risk is whether users will care.
At Soluntech, we help founders make that distinction early:
PoCs for feasibility and internal validation
MVPs for adoption and external validation
The result? Less wasted time, more validated learning, and a faster path to building what actually matters
Not sure if your idea needs a PoC or an MVP?
At Soluntech, we help founders validate the right thing at the right time — reducing wasted time and resources. Let’s build what actually matters.
