A startup is a company or project undertaken by an entrepreneur to seek, develop, and validate a scalable business model. It is typically in the early stages of its development, founded by one or more entrepreneurs who want to develop a product or service for which they believe there is demand. Startups are focused on a single product or service and often lack a fully developed business model and adequate capital. They aim to disrupt industries, change the world, and generate high valuations and returns on investment.
Key characteristics of a startup include:
High uncertainty and failure rates: Startups face high uncertainty and have a high risk of failure, but a minority of them go on to become successful and influential.
Innovation and disruption: Startups are rooted in innovation and aim to remedy deficiencies of existing products or create entirely new categories of goods and services, disrupting entrenched ways of thinking and doing business for entire industries.
Limited resources and rapid growth: Startups often start with high costs, limited revenue, and a small team of 1-3 founders. However, they aim to grow rapidly and build on ideas quickly through a process called iteration.
Funding from various sources: Startups typically seek capital from a variety of sources, including founders' own contributions, family and friends, venture capitalists, crowdfunding, and loans.
Focus on problem-solving: Startups begin with a founder or co-founders who have a way to solve a problem. The founder(s) will do market validation through problem interviews, solution interviews, and building a minimum viable product (MVP) to develop and validate their business models.
Not all new companies are startups: Companies that have limited growth potential in terms of their customer base, revenue, and product are not considered startups. Examples include new restaurants, dry cleaners, or professional services firms.
*The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.