Title: Serial entrepreneurship and digital innovation

Authors: Zheng Cheng; Hajer Jarrar; Renato Pereira; Charbel Salloum

Addresses: Leshan Normal University, 778 Binhe Rd., Shizhong District, Leshan, Sichuan, 614000, China ' CERIIM – Research Centre in Managerial Intelligence and Innovation, Excelia Business School, 102 Rue de Coureilles, 17000 La Rochelle, France ' ISCTE Business School, University of Lisbon, Avenida das Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal ' Métis Lab., EM Normandie Business School, 20 quai Frissard, 76600, Le Havre, France

Abstract: Drawing on an eight-year longitudinal case of a Chinese 3D-software serial entrepreneur, this study examine how digital business-model innovation unfolds in practice. Through in-depth interviews, observations, and archival data, we trace key entrepreneurial events and their ties to digital-technology adoption. Findings show that such innovation is largely incremental, driven by iterative learning and adaptive routines that let ventures leverage existing capabilities while integrating emerging technologies to reshape value creation, proposition, and capture. The study extends dynamic-capabilities theory to resource-scarce, fast-evolving software ventures and offers actionable guidance for entrepreneurs navigating digital transformation. While limited to a single case, the insights invite multi-case and quantitative validation.

Keywords: digital business model innovation; incremental innovation; serial entrepreneurship; software enterprises.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTTC.2025.149735

International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 2025 Vol.21 No.4, pp.327 - 344

Received: 28 Feb 2025
Accepted: 23 Jul 2025
Published online: 11 Nov 2025 *

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