An accidental, successful startup: 2012 in review

I agree with you about the web-based tools - too many people classify these things as startups when they're really not, myself included.

Not sure about the consultancy though: it's small, designed to grow fast, adapting quickly and prepared to pivot as required, and on the verge of hiring. The consultancy owns the products mentioned, so it's not only doing consultancy, which is why I've classified it as a startup. I'm open to the idea that it's not though.

This term existed before the tech industry existed and will continue to exist after the tech industry fades. The only reason it is associated with the tech industry today is because there are are currently far more startups in the various tech markets than there are in other industries. Consider: a great many of the "startup" successes of the past 3 years are not tech startups; they are normal businesses which incidentally used technology in their business, like Stripe, AirBnB, etc.