Business Strategy
SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market)
The portion of the Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM) that a company can realistically capture given competition, resources, and go-to-market capabilities. The most conservative market estimate.
Biological Context
SOM parallels the actual resources captured by an organism in competition with others. Even when resources are accessible (SAM), competitors limit what any one organism obtains. SOM accounts for competitive pressure.
Business Application
SOM is often 1-5% of TAM for early-stage companies. Calculate by estimating realistic customer acquisition given sales capacity, competitive dynamics, and brand awareness. The most useful number for operational planning.