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A startup-failure percentage depends on its definition

Does startup mean a new workplace, a new company, or a venture-backed firm? Does failure mean closure, bankruptcy, or missing an investor’s target? U.S. establishment survival data show why the unit, starting cohort, and elapsed time must be visible before a number becomes useful.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • Which definition would make the statistic relevant to the claim being made?
  • Would surviving and succeeding mean the same thing?

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One transaction, two sides of the accounts

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