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> It feels odd to call this a startup instead of a charity or non-profit.

Everybody is spinning their small business or new charity as a `startup`. Maybe culturally they are aligned with startup principles but my idea of startup was a small group of people looking to shake things up (a market, a technology, etc) rapidly, grow fast and cash out.

A guy selling shaving cream on etsy is not a startup by this definition.

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I think that's part of it. Working on or being a startup brings a certain cachet to it and is more likely to get media attention vs just being a new small business or new charity. A normal new business calling itself a startup doesn't strike me as oddly as charity based groups. At least with a normal for-profit business the goals are roughly aligned and similar whether you're looking for the explosive growth or long term growth and stability, you're still in it to make money instead of charities which should be operating completely opposite.

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