Explore the journey of GraalVM from research concept to product in this 37-minute conference talk by Thomas Wuerthinger at Strange Loop 2023. Discover how GraalVM, a runtime system for Java applications, provides instant startup and low footprint through ahead-of-time compilation. Learn about its polyglot capabilities, enabling execution and interoperability with languages like JavaScript, Python, Ruby, WebAssembly, and native languages. Gain insights into the decade-long process of transforming initial research ideas into a released product, the team's experience entering the developer community, and major technical questions that led to shifts in thinking. Presented by Thomas Wuerthinger, Vice President of GraalVM Research & Development at Oracle Labs and GraalVM founder, this talk offers valuable lessons for those interested in runtime systems, compiler optimization, and the evolution of programming language technologies.