Essay · 8 min

What's A Startup? First Principles

Steve Blank · steveblank.com Free Beginner

Steve Blank's definition of a startup as an organisation formed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model, and why that makes it different from running a known business.

  • A startup is searching for its model; an established business is executing one.
  • Treat every part of your plan as a hypothesis until customers confirm it.
Open on steveblank.com ↗

It answers 2 questions

  1. What is a business model canvas, and how do I fill one in?
  2. What is a startup, and how is it different from a small business?

Read with it

  1. The official source for DPIIT recognition, the free registration that unlocks tax benefits, self-certification, and scheme... startupindia.gov.in Article · Official portal page DPIIT Startup Recognition & Tax Exemption (Startup India) Startup India / DPIIT
  2. This is the essay that forces the honest question underneath your idea: are you building a growth company or a good small... Paul Graham Essay · ~20 min read Startup = Growth Paul Graham
  3. The government's own comparison, and it leads with the exact filter you need: if you are raising funding, the decision is made... Startup India Article · 12 min read Types of Businesses (Sole Proprietorship, LLP, Private Limited, OPC) Startup India (DPIIT)
  4. A one page template that forces you to write down the problem, the customer, and why you are placed to solve it, all on a... leanfoundry.com Template · one page Lean Canvas Ash Maurya
  5. A one-page tool for writing down what you have learned about a customer's jobs, pains, and gains, then checking whether your... Strategyzer Tool · template The Value Proposition Canvas Strategyzer
  6. The foundational essay behind YC's whole worldview. Graham argues a startup needs good people, something users want, and low... paulgraham.com Essay How to Start a Startup Paul Graham
eChai Partner Brands The partnership →