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>"I don't know how you can really get a handle on the millions of 'startups' that just make money reasonably quietly." There are millions of startups? There ar

by frossie 18y ago

>"I don't know how you can really get a handle on the millions of 'startups' that just make money reasonably quietly." There are millions of startups? There are millions of startups making money quietly? Does anybody know, because from where I am sitting I'd be surprised if there were 10,000. And yes, it does make a difference to the argument.

axod 18y ago
Well most 'affiliate' websites I know of don't call themselves 'startups', and make a lot of money. Quietly. I don't know if you want to call them startups, depends on your definitions, but they're online businesses that make a lot of money. Then what about all the ebay businesses out there making a lot of money.
- frossie 18y ago
  A start-up isn't somebody making money on the Internet, or somebody using e-commerce. It is a technology company founded by a small group of people that, were its technological product prove popular, presents an opportunity for spectacular growth. It is the potential huge return that makes start-ups of interests to VCs (and if you believe PG's thesis, of potential large economic impact). If I had an Internet business idea that would make me $250,000 for life guaranteed but fixed, that's a great business idea for me - but not for an investor.
  - kragen 18y ago
    Yeah, if you use an unduly narrow definition of "start-up", you can get some small number in the few thousands. But if you use a more normal definition (like the one at the top of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Startup_company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Startup_company — “A startup company or start-up is a company with a limited operating history. These companies, generally newly created, are in a phase of development and research for markets,” or my usual rule of thumb, “A startup is a company that has not yet become profitable,”) you get a much larger number, perhaps in the millions.

by frossie 18y ago

axod 18y ago

Well most 'affiliate' websites I know of don't call themselves 'startups', and make a lot of money. Quietly. I don't know if you want to call them startups, depends on your definitions, but they're online businesses that make a lot of money. Then what about all the ebay businesses out there making a lot of money.

frossie 18y ago
A start-up isn't somebody making money on the Internet, or somebody using e-commerce. It is a technology company founded by a small group of people that, were its technological product prove popular, presents an opportunity for spectacular growth. It is the potential huge return that makes start-ups of interests to VCs (and if you believe PG's thesis, of potential large economic impact). If I had an Internet business idea that would make me $250,000 for life guaranteed but fixed, that's a great business idea for me - but not for an investor.
- kragen 18y ago
  Yeah, if you use an unduly narrow definition of "start-up", you can get some small number in the few thousands. But if you use a more normal definition (like the one at the top of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Startup_company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Startup_company — “A startup company or start-up is a company with a limited operating history. These companies, generally newly created, are in a phase of development and research for markets,” or my usual rule of thumb, “A startup is a company that has not yet become profitable,”) you get a much larger number, perhaps in the millions.