The significance of tech debt in software management refers to the trade-offs made during development that prioritize speed over quality. Tech debt accumulates when developers take shortcuts or implement quick fixes, leading to a need for future revisions and refinements. While it may enable faster time-to-market, unmanaged tech debt can hinder long-term maintainability, performance, and scalability. Addressing tech debt requires strategic planning and resources to refactor code and improve system architecture, ultimately enhancing the software’s sustainability and reducing potential risks.