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A startup doesn't need to be a unicorn

mattgiustwilliamson.substack.com

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Re: A startup doesn't need to be a unicorn

#61

Post by marcinzm »

summarity wrote: post #9

Here's a model that exists in Germany, which I like: You can present a business plan to the state's investment bank and apply for several financial aides, including: * 1.5 years of universal basic income for you plus up to 2 other people. It's a tiny amount of money, but the point is to free you up to invest your actual time an money into the business. You do not have to pay this back. * up to 20k EUR in "consulting…

That just sounds like traditional small businesses. Which is cool but re-branding them to "startup" seems silly. The US has 35 million small businesses and maybe 1 million would qualify as startups.

Re: A startup doesn't need to be a unicorn

#62

Post by [deleted] »

palata wrote: post #28
muzani wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It depends very much on your definition of success. Many who grew up upper middle class would define survival as failure.

Who talked about survival? If you think that anything other than becoming as rich as Mark Zuckerberg is "survival", then you're in for a treat.

[deleted]

Re: A startup doesn't need to be a unicorn

#63

Post by Cthulhu_ »

Etheryte wrote: post #8

Well yes, that's called a regular company. Not sure if I'm missing something here?

At least some years ago, browsing HN's comment section felt like it was a different world, separated from reality. I think some people need this kind of grounding reminders every once in a while.

Re: A startup doesn't need to be a unicorn

#65

Post by mr_mitm »

summarity wrote: post #25
fastball wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And yet Germany still doesn't seem to have much more startup / entrepreneurial success than any other European country. What gives?

What are you looking for in particular? The model is geared towards slow, sustainable growth. And that growth might also not need to exceed a certain level. So you're unlikely to hear about many of them. Not all are in tech or software, many are focused on German-only (or DACH region) research, industrial development, etc. I think that's fine.

There was even an expression coined for this phenomenon in Germany: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_champions

We have lots of SMEs that are world leading in their niche, but most people have never heard of them.

Re: A startup doesn't need to be a unicorn

#66

Post by chamomeal »

Etheryte wrote: post #8

Well yes, that's called a regular company. Not sure if I'm missing something here?

That’s pretty much what I took away. I guess the difference is that in my mind a “regular” company gets its funding via a loan. The post is from someone who got into YC.

But yeah “building for profitability” sounds a lot like… good business!

Re: A startup doesn't need to be a unicorn

#67

Post by ido »

harha wrote: post #42
tiluha wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You need 25k€ to register a GmbH, but you can nowadays register a UG which only requires 1€ and can later be converted to a GmbH

Which will cost many thousands in admin per year

I run a small (software) startup in Berlin, the administrative cost is more like €1000/year (of course increasing the bigger your business gets) .

Re: A startup doesn't need to be a unicorn

#68

Post by aleph_minus_one »

fastball wrote: post #19
summarity wrote: post #9

Here's a model that exists in Germany, which I like: You can present a business plan to the state's investment bank and apply for several financial aides, including: * 1.5 years of universal basic income for you plus up to 2 other people. It's a tiny amount of money, but the point is to free you up to invest your actual time an money into the business. You do not have to pay this back. * up to 20k EUR in "consulting…

And yet Germany still doesn't seem to have much more startup / entrepreneurial success than any other European country. What gives?

> And yet Germany still doesn't seem to have much more startup / entrepreneurial success than any other European country. What gives?

Too much bureaucracy.

Many people in Germany do hate it; there even exist quite some people in Germany who would really deeply from their heart love to see the politicians dead who are responsible for the whole bureaucratic mess (which are lots of politicians).

EDIT: nicbou gives a similar point: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43609839

Re: A startup doesn't need to be a unicorn

#69

Post by s_dev »

Oras wrote: post #47
s_dev wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because gold will appreciate reliably to an extent but a company can appreciate in value far exceeding what gold can -- that's the risk/reward trade off.

The chances of a startup failing is way higher than gold degrading in price.

It sure is and many do choose gold for this reason. It depends on how much risk you want to expose yourself to.
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