There are many definitions out there, but I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Thanks!
Ask HN: When is a company no longer a “startup”?
1–5 of 5 posts
Re: Ask HN: When is a company no longer a “startup”?
#2In my opinion ... a company cease to be a "startup" when several of the following are true:
- no longer running on funding rounds (ie, they're now profitable)
- no longer doing "major" new product development (not the same as not investing in R&D, new products, etc)
- mature into a "traditional" organizational structure (less "seat-of-the-pants", more "plan-and-execute")
- older than 10 years (though some startups transition at 3 years, and others might take 20...a decade seems a plausible age cut off)
- "adults" are running the place (this is not exclusively an age determination; more of a managerial/employee maturation indicator)
- no longer trying to "do the impossible" (beat MAGNAF, displace Uber, disrupt government...) - rather, working towards being "good" at what they're "good at", letting everyone else [more-or-less] alone
Re: Ask HN: When is a company no longer a “startup”?
#3In my opinion ... a company cease to be a "startup" when several of the following are true: - no longer running on funding rounds (ie, they're now profitable) - no longer doing "major" new product development (not the same as not investing in R&D, new products, etc) - mature into a "traditional" organizational structure (less "seat-of-the-pants", more "plan-and-execute") - older than 10 years (though some startups tr…
Very interesting. What do you think of metrics like valuation or # of employees?
Re: Ask HN: When is a company no longer a “startup”?
#4In my opinion ... a company cease to be a "startup" when several of the following are true: - no longer running on funding rounds (ie, they're now profitable) - no longer doing "major" new product development (not the same as not investing in R&D, new products, etc) - mature into a "traditional" organizational structure (less "seat-of-the-pants", more "plan-and-execute") - older than 10 years (though some startups tr…
Very interesting. What do you think of metrics like valuation or # of employees?
Honestly? Not much
you can have a 500 person "startup"
or an 8 person "not startup"
also: "startup" != "small business" (and vice versa)
size has very little bearing on the relative "startup-iness" of a business
Re: Ask HN: When is a company no longer a “startup”?
#5i despise the word. its overused and vague and sounds dumb.
we already have words such as: business, company, venture and even side gig.
yes, im grumpy by nature.