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Not particularly. Most would interpret it here as "plucky". Small player tackling bigger players, having to work a bit harder and smarter, etc.
by prawn 9y ago
Not particularly. Most would interpret it here as "plucky". Small player tackling bigger players, having to work a bit harder and smarter, etc.
- maxxxxx 9y agoInteresting. I thought this word is often used by incumbents to look down at the newcomer. English is not my first language so it's good to learn these subtleties.
- comex 9y agoTo me it does come off as vaguely negative - in context, perhaps hinting at skepticism of whether the company will succeed in overtaking Uber. But if so, only mildly; the word definitely has its positive connotations too.
- matte_black 9y agoWhen startups were "cool" and people weren't so keen to their puffery and PR hacks or vaporware smoke tests, it was positive. However, these days you almost certainly want to be known as a "business" by anyone who matters, and one with good reviews.
- chris_wot 9y agoWhen I think "upstart", I think of my grade 9 English teacher who once described a fairly naughty student as "you young whipper-snapper!".