I don't think there is an "actual startup community". There are just people that do things, some of which may become successful.
Google did not have much in common with Value America, which did not have much in common with LiveJournal. They were 3 projects, or startups, or businesses, or whatever. In the late 90s, Value America was by far the most successful, but look where they are now.
Similarly, I think it's a mistake to fetishize certain ventures as being "real" startups while the others are just "projects". Those Stanford grad students who are playing around on stuff after class may be the next billionaires. Similarly, that Sequoia-funded startup with revenue and an ex-Googler founder may just be dust in the wind in five years.
Google did not have much in common with Value America, which did not have much in common with LiveJournal. They were 3 projects, or startups, or businesses, or whatever. In the late 90s, Value America was by far the most successful, but look where they are now.
Similarly, I think it's a mistake to fetishize certain ventures as being "real" startups while the others are just "projects". Those Stanford grad students who are playing around on stuff after class may be the next billionaires. Similarly, that Sequoia-funded startup with revenue and an ex-Googler founder may just be dust in the wind in five years.