Dipartimento di Ingegneria Gestionale

Hi-tech startups and startup intelligence

About the project

This research investigates the business models and competitive strategies of start-ups the antecedents of their adoption, and their performance impact. Special emphasis is devoted to digital start-ups. It strongly relies on in-depth case studies. The Hi-tech Startups and Startup Intelligence Observatories investigate the behaviour of key actors in the Italian hi-tech start-ups ecosystem with a threefold aim: (i) to estimate the total financing in hi-tech start-ups from formal and informal investors; (ii) to analyse its main entrepreneurial and strategic dynamics (e.g. start-up business model design, validation and innovation through Lean Startup Approaches); and (iii) to encourage strategic collaboration among start-ups and incumbents in a Corporate Entrepreneurship framework. This activity has built a unique community of entrepreneurs and investors who regularly meet, actively participate in practice-oriented research activity and use the results of this research as an input to their business.

Principal Investigators: Andrea Rangone, Raffaello Balocco, Antonio Ghezzi, Stefano Mainetti

Researcher team: Alessandra Luksch, Eliana Bentivegna, Angelo Cavallo, Silvia Sanasi, Filippo Frangi

Funders: Multiple

Duration:  2012-ongoing

Partners: Polihub Startup District & Incubator, Italia Startup

VISIT THE WEBSITE
KEY RESEARCH QUESTIONS
OUTPUTS & IMPACT

KEY RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This research investigates the business models and competitive strategies of start-ups the antecedents of their adoption, and their performance impact. Special emphasis is devoted to digital start-ups. It strongly relies on in-depth case studies. The Hi-tech Startups and Startup Intelligence Observatories investigate the behaviour of key actors in the Italian hi-tech start-ups ecosystem with a fourfold threefold aim:: (i) to estimate the total financing in hi-tech start-ups from formal and informal investors; (ii) to analyse its main entrepreneurial and strategic dynamics (e.g. start-ups business model design, validation and innovation through Lean Startup Approaches); and (iii) to encourage strategic collaboration among start-ups and incumbents in a Corporate Entrepreneurship framework.

Hi-tech Startups Observatory is active since 2012, and throughout its history it has involved a plethora of players belonging to the start-up ecosystem:

  • over 120 formal and informal investors involved, both Italian and international;
  • over 800 Italian funded hi-tech startups identified and analyzed in detail;
  • over 150 case studies on significant players.

Startup Intelligence Observatory is an innovative Research project whose main activities are:

  • Research. Census, mapping, identification of the most significant international start-ups, and analysis of current scenarios and trends (8,000+ international start-ups analysed in 30+ verticals);
  • Scouting. Scouting workshop involving partnering companies and keynote start-ups (150+ start-ups met by incumbents);
  • Community. First and broadest Innovation Manager community in Italy, coming together m monthly to discuss and debate on Digital Open Innovation most relevant themes, with the goal of sharing experiences, projects, best practices and difficulties, also through a dedicated social platform and Community management;
  • Education and Contamination. The project represents an innovative channel for training and raising internal awareness in partner companies.
  • Visibility. Through active participation in workshops, roundtables, conferences, as well as editorial releases, the project supports the visibility of partners engaged in their own cultural transformation path towards Digital Transformation.

OUTPUTS & IMPACTS

Throughout their history, the Hi-tech Startups and Startup Intelligence Observatories had a significant and multidimensional impact on the entrepreneurial and academic level (testified by an outstanding reach in terms of companies and start-ups involved, as well as a strong national and international media coverage).

Main Professional publications

The Italian Startup Ecosystem: who is who – 2013
https://www.osservatori.net/it_it/pubblicazioni/the-italian-startup-ecosystem-who-is-who-2013

Main scientific publications
  • Ghezzi, A. (2018). Digital Startups and the adoption and implementation of Lean Startup Approaches: Effectuation, Bricolage and Opportunity Creation in practice. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2018.09.017 
  • Ghezzi, A., & Cavallo, A. (2018). Agile Business Model Innovation in Digital Entrepreneurship: Lean Startup Approaches. Journal of Business Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.06.013 
  • Bortolini, R.F., Nogueira Cortimiglia, M., de Moura Ferreira Danilevicz, A., Ghezzi, A. (2018). Lean Startup: a comprehensive historical review. Management Decision . https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-07-2017-0663
  • Cavallo, A., Ghezzi, A., & Balocco, R. (2018). Entrepreneurial ecosystem research: present debates and future directions. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 1-31.
  • Todeschini, B. V., Cortimiglia, M. N., Callegaro-de-Menezes, D., & Ghezzi, A. (2017). Innovative and sustainable business models in the fashion industry: Entrepreneurial drivers, opportunities, and challenges. Business Horizons, 60(6), pp. 759-770.

FUNDERS

2018/2019 Edition: Acea, ACI, Agos, Altroconsumo, Amadori, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, Bper, Cigierre, Danieli, E.ON, Edison, Enel, Eni, Esselunga, Europ Assistance, Generali, Gruppo Hera, Iccrea Banca, IGPDecaux, Inail, Intesa Sanpaolo, Jacobs, Janssen, Leonardo, Luxottica, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Italy, Pelliconi, Pirelli, Poste Italiane, Prysmian Group, Q8, Roche, Sinelec, Siram, Sisal, TIM, Unicoop Firenze, Vivigas Energia.