A startup is a company that is in its early stages of development, typically with a limited number of employees and limited revenue. It is often focused on developing a new product, service, or platform in order to bring it to market.
The goal of a startup is to develop and test a scalable business model in order to become a viable and sustainable business.
Startups typically rely on venture capital or angel investors for funding and may also utilize crowdfunding and other sources of capital.
Startups are often characterized by their innovative approach to problem solving, their agility in responding to market needs and trends, their willingness to take on risk, and their drive to revolutionize an industry or create a new one.
They may also be characterized by their lack of resources and their reliance on the expertise of their founders and other key personnel.
Startups are typically less than 3-5 years old, have fewer than 10 employees, and make less than $1 million in revenue. However, these criteria are not set in stone, and some startups may deviate from them.
When looking at unicorns and startups that are publicly listed, they are often regarded as scale-ups.