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DISCLAIMER: I've been fairly sparse with my involvement on this site, so this suggestion may not be as applicable to someone whose well versed in the communities doings and may be heavily self serving. I apologize if it reads in bad taste. Thanks for a wonderful site!

So, currently the site's purpose reads:

Answers.onstartups.com is a site for entrepreneurs starting and running new businesses.

Topics include financing, hiring employees, renting an office, legal, marketing, sales, compensation plans, banking, payroll, benefits, and more. This is the place to come with specific questions or to seek specific advice from your peers.

I realize the site is called OnStartups, but I've heard from a large number of individuals that the challenges that intrapeneurs face within Fortune 500 (and definitely Fortune 10 companies) are quite similar to entrepreneurs: financing, getting the right industry mentors, marketing new initiatives, proposal drafting and pitching - analogous to business case writing and pitching to VCs, and getting the right team together.

Of course intrapreneurship comes with its own caveats in each of these dimensions and also has some of its own challenges in being more tightly entrenched in local politics. Recently, as an intern at a Fortune 10 company, I've been proposing a new position for myself and have been learning of numerous new initiatives that are looking for support and growth within the company. So, this may detract from the initial intentions of the creators, which I would completely understand.

This site might gain a large segment of the population that may be deterred by a definition fit for a glorified group of individuals willing to risk any form of stability to be entrepreneurs when many are truly "starting and running new businesses" within larger organizations all over the world. Also, I think intrapreneurship is a great gateway for entrepreneurship for many and vice-versa, as can be seen in a post by someone, who felt unable to contribute as openly for the reason that they're not an entrepreneur in the traditional sense.

Whether or not the ideas bears any weight, thanks again for the great site, and I hope to continue being a part of the community!

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What's the difference between "intrapreneurship" and "Entrepreneurship"? This is the first time I've heard of "intrapreneurship", is an intrapreneur someone who is employed at a company? Are they sub-contractors? Would love to know more about it. – Edgar Miranda Sep 9 '11 at 4:20
@Edgar - as you suggested, intrapreneurship is about trying to start new initiatives, products, or programs within a company. Mainly, I've seen the discussed about companies that are large and well matrixed since individuals tend to work on many projects, some of which their direct mngrs have no visibility into. This allows for a lot of freedom and individual responsibility, giving way to very innovative endeavors, requiring internal pitches and funding requests within the company. I'm not sure where the lines are and if you could include sub-contractors who can't own these products. – Michael Merchant Sep 13 '11 at 0:10

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I think the issues of intrapreneurs are so different from entrepreneurs, it wouldn't be helpful to merge them. It would only confuse everyone.

Entrepreneurs have full freedom to build anything they want, so they do, and then tend to need help focus on stuff that makes more business sense.

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I do agree the Entrepreneurs have more freedom to build what they want; however, I think they still operate within constraints. Market demands, funding availability, getting traction, the constraints on their own time from what initially brings food on the table and family obligations are all issues that both groups deal with. For intrapreneurs, these constraints might just be more explicit and some involve a bit more politics. However, if you could please elaborate on how it might be confusing to have both, that'd be very appreciated! – Michael Merchant Jul 23 '11 at 14:17
Well, I have heard the word "intrapreneur" only from consultants trying to sell the magic of entrepreneurship to large companies. I have yet to meet one intrapreneur. Once I do, I'll have a discussion and find out the kinds of issues they face. Until then, I acknowledge that I don't know what I am talking about :-) – Alain Raynaud Nov 15 '11 at 4:24
Hmm... I'm surprised to hear that. I'm willing to bet that you've met many "intrapreneurs" even if they don't necessarily identify as that. Of course, the line between actively engaged employee and intrapreneur is not clear. However, I think employees that develop and lead new products and initiatives from within a company without being directed to do so are clearly intrapreneurs. I'm not sure identifying as an intrapreneur is necessary to being one, just as knowing the word "entrepreneur" is not necessary for starting your own business. – Michael Merchant Nov 16 '11 at 3:03
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I understand the concept of an intrapreneur, but working within the constraints of an employer, with a hierarchy and procedures, feels really different from bootstrapped entrepreneurs. Therefore, to me at least, the advice sound radically different. Granted, there are common points (around validating a market for instance). But for everything else, how to get people on board with no cash equity, how to pitch the press, investors, it's just a different world. – Alain Raynaud Nov 17 '11 at 3:32

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