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Startup implies tech and/or "nontraditional" business and also tends to imply VC money. A restaurant isn't a "startup" because it's a restaurant, a hardware sto

Startup implies tech and/or "nontraditional" business and also tends to imply VC money. A restaurant isn't a "startup" because it's a restaurant, a hardware store is a hardware store. But what is a VC backed meal kit company: a startup. There's no actual word for it so startup is the catchall term

brutus1213 6y ago
Extremely insightful comment! I've been in the industry for a while and this is an excellent definition. It pertains to whether or not a business model is well-established or not.
TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
> what is a VC backed meal kit company How about a meal kit company? Words mean what people who use them intend them to mean, so we end up with things like this: noun a new business venture, or a new commercial or industrial project. adjective of or relating to the beginning of such a venture or project, especially to an investment made to initiate it https://www.dictionary.com/browse/startup https://www.dictionary.com/browse/startup NB: dictionaries are not authoritative sources for living languages, rather they can only be historical records. Thus, words mean what people who use them intend them to mean.
Legogris 6y ago
I also think a more important qualifier is the primary focus being development of a proprietary product or service, as opposed to e.g. consulting or providing infrastructure. (Not sure exactly how to word it properly to make the distinction clear, but I think you get the gist) In my book, a VC money is not a prerequisite for being a startup (although that tends to be how things go these days)
Retric 6y ago
Plenty of startups are doing the same thing as giant companies that nobody is calling a startup. SpaceX started out building rockets just like everyone else in the industry. https://boomsupersonic.com/ https://boomsupersonic.com/ designs and builds aircraft like say Boing.
manigandham 6y ago
Startup = new business model. However once those business models have become mature, it's no longer a startup. Meal kits are not that revolutionary. Frozen meals have existed for decades, adding some different ingredients and shipping isn't a big innovation on it's own and is more of a standard evolution of food retail.

brutus1213 6y ago

Extremely insightful comment! I've been in the industry for a while and this is an excellent definition. It pertains to whether or not a business model is well-established or not.

TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago

> what is a VC backed meal kit company How about a meal kit company? Words mean what people who use them intend them to mean, so we end up with things like this: noun a new business venture, or a new commercial or industrial project. adjective of or relating to the beginning of such a venture or project, especially to an investment made to initiate it https://www.dictionary.com/browse/startup https://www.dictionary.com/browse/startup NB: dictionaries are not authoritative sources for living languages, rather they can only be historical records. Thus, words mean what people who use them intend them to mean.

Legogris 6y ago

I also think a more important qualifier is the primary focus being development of a proprietary product or service, as opposed to e.g. consulting or providing infrastructure. (Not sure exactly how to word it properly to make the distinction clear, but I think you get the gist) In my book, a VC money is not a prerequisite for being a startup (although that tends to be how things go these days)

Retric 6y ago

Plenty of startups are doing the same thing as giant companies that nobody is calling a startup. SpaceX started out building rockets just like everyone else in the industry. https://boomsupersonic.com/ https://boomsupersonic.com/ designs and builds aircraft like say Boing.

manigandham 6y ago

Startup = new business model. However once those business models have become mature, it's no longer a startup. Meal kits are not that revolutionary. Frozen meals have existed for decades, adding some different ingredients and shipping isn't a big innovation on it's own and is more of a standard evolution of food retail.