r/startups

Community Overview

About r/startups

Welcome to /r/startups, the place to discuss startup problems and solutions. Startups are companies that are designed to grow and scale rapidly. Be sure to read and follow all of our rules--we have specific places for common content and requests.

The community at a glance

r/startups is a Subreddit for Founders and startup builders with roughly 2.1M members. It uses a forum format for communication. It is the 3rd largest community in the Entrepreneurship topic page.

Roughly 223K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Struggling, Startup, and Looking For A Cofounder. Common discussion themes are Advice Requests. Product recommendations often mention early-stage startups connection, marketing channels and programs, and med-tech startup path.

On Reddit
2.1M Members

Subreddit Analysis

via GummySearch
Yearly: +223K members
Growth: +11.9% / year

Member growth over time

All time (yearly)

  • 2013: 20K members
  • 2014: 29K members
  • 2015: 24K members
  • 2016: 31K members
  • 2017: 108K members
  • 2018: 70K members
  • 2019: 89K members
  • 2020: 154K members
  • 2021: 362K members
  • 2023: 636K members
  • 2024: 229K members
  • 2025: 191K members
  • 2026: 130K members

Past year (monthly)

  • Aug: 16K members
  • Sep: 15K members
  • Oct: 14K members
  • Nov: 19K members
  • Dec: 18K members
  • Jan: 20K members
  • Feb: 18K members
  • Mar: 25K members
  • Apr: 20K members
  • May: 20K members
  • Jun: 20K members
  • Jul: 8K members

Themes

  • Advice Requests
    5 posts in the past month
    1. Any advice for someone looking to start their first project? I will not promote.
    2. What's the current state of the startup and VC ecosystem in China? How does It compare with SF? (I will not promote)
    3. Questions about starting salaries when getting ready to raise a round from VCs (I will not promote)
    #1
    Advice Requests
    Any advice for someone looking to start their first project? I will not promote. · What's the current state of the startup and VC ecosystem in China? How does It compare with SF? (I will not promote) · Questions about starting salaries when getting ready to raise a round from VCs (I will not promote)
    5

Topics

  • Struggling
    61 posts in the past month
    #1
    Struggling
    61
  • Startup
    51 posts in the past month
    #2
    Startup
    51
  • Looking For A Cofounder
    35 posts in the past month
    #3
    Looking For A Cofounder
    35
  • Looking For A Co Founder
    25 posts in the past month
    #4
    Looking For A Co Founder
    25
  • Looking For A Technical Cofounder
    15 posts in the past month
    #5
    Looking For A Technical Cofounder
    15

Flair

  • I will not promote
    21 posts in the past month
    1. Thinking of how to advertise my niche product/ platform - I will not promote
    2. [ Removed by moderator ]
    3. Any advice for someone looking to start their first project? I will not promote.
    #1
    I will not promote
    Thinking of how to advertise my niche product/ platform - I will not promote · [ Removed by moderator ] · Any advice for someone looking to start their first project? I will not promote.
    21

Product recommendations

  • early-stage startups connection
    12 posts in the past month
    1. Best ways to connect with early-stage startups? (i will not promote)
    2. Best ways to connect with early-stage startups? (i will not promote)
    3. Best ways to connect with early-stage startups? (i will not promote)
    #1
    early-stage startups connection
    Best ways to connect with early-stage startups? (i will not promote) · Best ways to connect with early-stage startups? (i will not promote) · Best ways to connect with early-stage startups? (i will not promote)
    12
  • marketing channels and programs
    6 posts in the past month
    1. Best Marketing Channels and Programs for Early-Stage Startups?(i will not promote)
    2. Best Marketing Channels and Programs for Early-Stage Startups?(i will not promote)
    3. Best Marketing Channels and Programs for Early-Stage Startups?(i will not promote)
    #2
    marketing channels and programs
    Best Marketing Channels and Programs for Early-Stage Startups?(i will not promote) · Best Marketing Channels and Programs for Early-Stage Startups?(i will not promote) · Best Marketing Channels and Programs for Early-Stage Startups?(i will not promote)
    6
  • med-tech startup path
    6 posts in the past month
    1. Best Path for a Med-Tech Startup with Strong IP? I will not promote
    2. Best Path for a Med-Tech Startup with Strong IP? I will not promote
    3. VC, Distributors, or Crowdfunding? Best Path for a Med-Tech Startup with Strong IP. I will not promote
    #3
    med-tech startup path
    Best Path for a Med-Tech Startup with Strong IP? I will not promote · Best Path for a Med-Tech Startup with Strong IP? I will not promote · VC, Distributors, or Crowdfunding? Best Path for a Med-Tech Startup with Strong IP. I will not promote
    6
  • coworking space
    5 posts in the past month
    1. Best coworking space for startups in Helsinki! I will not promote
    2. Best coworking space for startups in Helsinki! (I will not promote)
    3. Best coworking space for startups in Helsinki! (I will not promote)
    #4
    coworking space
    Best coworking space for startups in Helsinki! I will not promote · Best coworking space for startups in Helsinki! (I will not promote) · Best coworking space for startups in Helsinki! (I will not promote)
    5
  • startup projects
    5 posts in the past month
    1. Best ways to find startup projects to participate in i will not promote
    2. Best way to finde startup projects i will not promote
    3. Best way to finde startup projects i will not promote
    #5
    startup projects
    Best ways to find startup projects to participate in i will not promote · Best way to finde startup projects i will not promote · Best way to finde startup projects i will not promote
    5

Frequently asked questions

Who is r/startups for?
Best for Founders and startup builders enthusiasts looking for a Reddit-based community with forum discussion.
Is r/startups free to join?
This listing is not marked as paid-only. Access rules and any fees are decided by the community.
How many members does r/startups have?
Roughly 2.1M members, based on figures reported by the community or its host. Member counts are approximate and change over time.
What platform is r/startups on?
r/startups runs on Reddit. Reddit communities (or "subreddits") are forum-based groups on the popular social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website Reddit. Reddit is commonly known as "the front page of the internet". Users submit content to the site such as links, text posts, and images, which are then voted up or down and discussed by other members. From investing Reddit communities, to professional ones, to ones just for laughs, you're likely to find a community for you on Reddit.
What topics does r/startups cover?
On the Hive Index, r/startups is organized under Founders and startup builders.
How do I join r/startups?
You can join r/startups by clicking this link, or pressing the "Go to community" button above.
What are the Entrepreneurship communities like?
One of the biggest categories on the site, covering everything from first-time startup founders to serial entrepreneurs scaling multiple businesses. You will find communities on Reddit, Discord, and Slack for idea validation, fundraising advice, hiring strategy, and the daily grind of building a startup or company. Good for finding peers at similar stages and getting honest feedback from people who have been through it.

Monthly Stats

13
Views /mo
(+30%)
12
Visitors /mo
(+71%)
3
Referrals /mo
(+50%)