Title: Success factors and barriers facing the innovative start-ups and their influence upon performance over time

Authors: Isidre March-Chorda

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, University of Valencia, Spain

Abstract: Based upon a sample of 18 start-up innovative firms, all of them located in the Bay Area of San Francisco, this study is intended to shed some light on the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats usually common to the innovative start-up firms, gathered into five areas: funding, management, focus, personal profile and goals and growth strategy. Managerial and organisational hurdles prevail during the first stages of development, whereas most strengths fall into the funding, focus and personal profile categories. An update of the 18 firms under study in year 2002 certifies the innovation start-ups usually manage grow faster than the conventional SMEs.

Keywords: start-ups; startups; innovative; entrepreneurs; founders; funding; management; growth; prospects; Bay Area; SMEs; small and medium sized enterprises; success factors; barriers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2004.004758

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2004 Vol.4 No.2/3, pp.228 - 247

Published online: 07 Jul 2004 *

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