[sonnyblarney]

'Startup' is a noun. It's not "I want to start up something".

In reality, nobody is calling their new law firm a startup.

Nobody is referring to said law firms as startups.

Now - if it's a specialized kind of firm that sells services online, like a 'law marketplace' or something, maybe they will call it a startup.

Yes - the term startup is quite varied ...

However, the vast majority of business generally don't apply, so there is at least some kind of 'critical mass' to what we mean bu the word.

Generally 'a business' is not 'a startup'.

[kd5bjo]

In general, a startup is a business that doesn't yet have a stable customer base or business model. What you're describing is a "tech startup", and the modifier often gets dropped in the tech press, for obvious reasons. The investment press also drops the modifier, because few other startups are interesting to them.

[badestrand]

I agree and I think technology and scale also play a role. The law-tech company Atrium for example probably gets called a startup, and I think it is because it has high ambitions (nation-wide) and is tech-enabled.

I am sure that without ambition (i.e. just serving a single city) or without tech (i.e. just building one conventional law firm in every city) it would not be called a startup.