A time-to-power (TTP) technique was developed and demonstrated to provide improved reactor startup instrumentation. Time-to-power is defined as the projected length of time that will elapse before goal power is reached, based on the instantaneous flux level and the reactor period. The relationships between flux, period, goal level, and TTP are presented with a discussion of possible methods of application. Design features of demonstration instrumentation are presented along with experimental results from actual startup operation. The developed technique can be utilized to achieve specific, desirable startup characteristics more efficiently than with ordinary period and level instrumentation.