dotcom

Dotcom refers to a company that conducts business primarily online or to the dot-com era of the late 1990s and early 2000s. It derives from the ".com" generic top-level domain used in internet addresses. The term is used to describe internet companies founded during the rise of the World Wide Web that aimed to monetize through online services, advertising, and e-commerce.

The .com domain was created in 1985 as part of the original set of top-level domains and came to symbolize commercial activity on the Internet. In the mid-to-late 1990s, a rapid expansion of online startups fueled by venture capital led to the dot-com bubble, characterized by high valuations based on growth expectations rather than profits. Many companies went public through IPOs, spending heavily on marketing, infrastructure, and user acquisition.

The bubble burst around 2000–2002, leading to widespread failures and consolidations. Survivors shifted toward sustainable business models, and the period left a lasting impact on digital business practices, including the importance of unit economics, profitability, and scalable online platforms. Today, the term dotcom can refer to any company with a .com domain that operates primarily on the internet, as well as to the broader historical phenomenon of the dot-com bubble. The dot-com legacy underpins the present online economy, influencing venture capital, startup culture, and the architecture of the modern web.