This is somewhat answered here http://ycombinator.com/atyc.html http://ycombinator.com/atyc.html in the section called "Office Hours." But basically the answ

This is somewhat answered here http://ycombinator.com/atyc.html http://ycombinator.com/atyc.html in the section called "Office Hours." But basically the answer is no. Each company should go as fast as it can, but how fast you can reach a milestone like e.g. getting a beta in the hands of users depends on what you're building and when you started. Some startups can have a beta in the hands of users within a week, while others might take a year. To paraphrase Einstein, a startup should launch as soon as possible, but no sooner.