startups

A startup is a young company founded to develop a scalable business model, often centered on innovative products or services, frequently technology-enabled. Startups operate under high uncertainty and pursue rapid growth. They typically emphasize product-market fit, iterative experimentation, and the ability to pivot based on feedback and data.

Common stages include seed funding for concept validation, early-stage rounds such as Series A and Series B to scale, and later rounds or exit events. Most startups rely on external funding from angels, venture capital, or incubators, though bootstrapping is also used.

Business models include software as a service, marketplaces, platforms, and productized services. Key metrics include burn rate, runway, customer acquisition cost, lifetime value, and churn. A minimum viable product is often used to test assumptions with customers.

Challenges include finding product-market fit, competition, access to capital, talent recruitment, and regulatory or compliance issues. Startups face a high risk of failure, but successful ventures can deliver outsized returns and drive innovation.

Startups contribute to regional ecosystems through funding, mentorship, and infrastructure. They are part of broader entrepreneurial and technological landscapes, sometimes achieving rapid scale and influencing markets, while others remain small or fail.