It truly varies by sector, so I'll give you an example.
If you're in a mobilities phase--and I'll be talking to our membership--developing applications, the rapid prototyping is the quickest way to get to market. As you commercialize, you need to quickly do a prototype test with a customer. If it sticks, then you move forward. Otherwise, you get to the next one.
If we talk of some our other client bases, which are developing more products and solutions that are more permanent in nature and elaborate, with bigger ERP solutions, then you need a longer cycle. Prototyping would take longer. The commercialization process would take longer.
So it very much varies by the type of products you are talking about, and also by the sectors. Then you have the software and hardware differences. In the software case, the prototyping could move a lot faster than hardware. Hardware requires the manufacturing process, including prototyping and testing.
All of these processes need some help for early adoption. The quickest way, at least in my personal experience in this field, has been that if you can't get to try it on a smart customer, the idea stays at the idea stage for a very long time. Funding aside, somebody needs to use the product. It truly needs to solve a business problem. Then you can move it forward.
So the early prototype leads to very quick commercialization. It truly varies by sector. It is not a universal answer for various sectors.