Brazilian Startups Research Articles

The utilization of Industry 4.0 technologies to enhance the circular economy through the engagement of stakeholders in Brazilian food technology companies

AbstractSustainable business models tend to have greater potential for the transition to the circular economy. The present study aims to investigate how Brazilian startups in the food segment foodtech are integrating Industry 4.0 technologies to boost the circular economy, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder engagement in the process. The choice of this unit of analysis is associated with companies that were born recently, with a high chance of having sustainable and circular business models. The research involved eight food technology startups, using questionnaires, interviews, and content analysis to collect data on circular supply chain practices, Industry 4.0 technologies adopted, and the level of stakeholder engagement. The results indicate that foodtech startups are progressively incorporating technologies such as automation, big data, biotechnology, and the Internet of Things, to promote circular economy initiatives. The active participation of stakeholders has been fundamental, contributing to innovation and efficiency in processes. However, the complete transition to the circular economy and the full adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies are challenged by obstacles, including high costs and regulatory barriers. The study found that startups play a crucial role in this transition, due to their agility and capacity for innovation, which can serve as an example for larger companies. Collaboration between businesses, regulators, academic institutions, and society is essential to overcome these challenges and facilitate effective transformation. This work offers valuable practical insights for foodtech startups looking to adopt circular practices, highlighting technologies, and practices that can result in economic and environmental benefits. Startups emerge not only as adopters of new technologies but also as agents of change in industrial practices, shaping a more sustainable future for the food sector. It is recommended that future research explore the impact of regulatory policies and incentives on accelerating the adoption of these technologies by startups, in addition to evaluating the long‐term economic viability of these technological innovations in promoting a more circular economy.

Performance management systems in startups: an analysis of stages of development and catalyst factors

PurposeThis study aims to understand the manifestation and adherence of performance management system (PMS) components in Brazilian startups, concurrently considering the different stages of development and catalyzing factors.Design/methodology/approachWe gathered data through semi-structured interviews with founders and C-level executives from 19 startups. We used an inductive and exploratory method to spot patterns and differences through content analysis, aiming for a contextual understanding of startup PMS manifestation.FindingsWe analyzed the PMS of each startup, highlighting the consistency and differences among PMS components in each stage, considering the value proposition, goals, performance perspectives, monitoring indicators, action plans and performance evaluation processes. We also observe various catalyst factors that played an important role in accelerating the early development of the PMS in each stage.Practical implicationsThis study provides a practical understanding of the meaning of each PMS component maturity that could be applied to startups in different stages and the catalyzing factors that played an important role in accelerating the initial development of PMS, providing practitioners with a holistic and situated context approach.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies to provide empirical evidence on the manifestation and adherence of different components of the PMS in Brazilian startups, considering concurrently the organizational life cycle and existing catalyzing factors to the reality of these organizations.

Roles, Social Positions and Influences of Leadership in Significant Work Experiences

Objective: This article explores the concept of meaningful work in a multifaceted context, focusing on the different social positions that act as leaders and the roles played by these leaders. The study, carried out with collaborators from Brazilian startups, adopts an exploratory qualitative approach, combined with descriptive elements to capture the essence of meaningful work from the perspective of participants. Thus, its goal was to investigate the relationships between social positions, leadership roles, and meaningful work experiences, providing insights for leaders, human resource managers, and professionals involved in startups. Method: Qualitative research involved interviews with collaborators from Brazilian startups, exploring significant work experiences. The study adopts a descriptive approach to present the essence of the phenomenon. Results and Conclusions: The results identified several social positions (manager, colleague, working group, family, etc.) and leadership roles (sensei mentor, inspirational example, etc.) that influence positively or negatively the significant work experiences. Leaders play crucial roles in promoting a meaningful work environment, impacting employees’ perception of the value and significance of their work activities. Research Implications: The insights in this study offer opportunities for executives, human resource managers and startup leaders to improve work environments by promoting more meaningful experiences for their employees. It also highlights the importance of developing leadership in organizations. Originality/Value: This study stands out by exploring the intersection between social positions, leadership roles and meaningful work. It contributes to the practical understanding of how different leaders and their functions influence the work experience, offering a valuable and original perspective in the context of Brazilian startups.

SUSTENTABILIDADE E INOVAÇÃO NA INDÚSTRIA PET: UMA ANÁLISE SOB A PERSPECTIVA DA TEORIA DA MODERNIZAÇÃO ECOLÓGICA

ABSTRACT This study aims to analyze the sustainability and innovation of practices adopted by startups in the pet industry, from the perspective of the Ecological Modernization Theory (EMT). A multiple case study was conducted involving 25 Brazilian startups. Data collected from interviews with owners and managers of these organizations were evaluated through content analysis. The findings reveal that the practices of pet industry startups are partially aligned with the EMT. There is a significant presence of digitization and innovations in processes and products, as well as initiatives focused on recycling, waste reduction, and conscious consumption. The absence of public policies and strict regulatory standards are the main identified barriers that hinder the adoption of a sustainable strategic vision. The study bridges the EMT with organizational reality, uncovers opportunities for collaboration in open innovation, and presents practical actions for advancing sustainability in organizations.

Smart Cities: An analysis of publications about Brazilian startups providing digital solutions

This article aims to analyze how Brazilian startups are promoting technological solutions for the development of smart cities. The literature review was based on published material obtained through the survey of startups focused on smart cities in the Smart City Report Distrito 2020 digital archive. In addition, searches were conducted in the Scopus, Science Direct, Scielo, and Web of Science databases, using keyword combinations such as "Technology Transfer," "Startup," and "Smart City." The research resulted in 56 papers, but none of them related to startups promoting digital solutions for smart cities in the Brazilian context. From the analysis of Smart City Report data, it was possible to observe that smart cities are becoming an increasingly growing theme worldwide, especially in the context of digital and urban transformation. However, solutions for municipal governance and administration are less frequent, with only 10% of startups directing their solutions to governments, suggesting that the country is still in an early stage of implementing smart cities. Collaboration between companies and municipal governments is essential to achieve more efficient city management. The theoretical contribution of this work helps to reduce the gap in this topic in the academic field, bringing analyses of data from the Brazilian market. Showing socially stimulating business opportunities so that there is digital entrepreneurship in market gaps. Promoting that the city environment is more developed to meet these smart cities.

Operationalizing Dynamic Capabilities and Market Orientation: Empirical Insights for Startups in Dynamic Environments

In today's markets, companies operate in dynamic environments characterized by rapid changes, complexity, and uncertainty. For these companies, especially startups that are based on fast-growing, high technology, and innovative approaches to create new markets or offer superior solutions in existing markets, marketing management presents one of the most significant challenges for entrepreneurs. This study aims to address this challenge by developing a practical framework based on the theory of dynamic capabilities (DCs) and market orientation (MO). The objective is to build long-term competitive advantages for startups operating in dynamic environments. A theoretical model was built using a systematic literature review, and this was later refined through longitudinal case studies of brazilian startups. The result is a robust framework that supports both literature and entrepreneurs. It assists in the identification and exploitation of market opportunities by leveraging DCs and MO. Furthermore, it supports decision-making processes aimed at achieving sustainable competitive advantages. The framework also encourages entrepreneurs to reflect on their practices related to the dimensions of these constructs.

Performance management and open innovation: evidence from Brazilian startups

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of performance management (PM) practices on in-bound open innovation (OI) and out-bound OI. To do this, the authors examine the organizational effectiveness as well as the non-financial and financial performance of Brazilian startups that have had recent OI relationships with larger companies.Design/methodology/approachUsing data collected from 103 Brazilian startups, the hypotheses were tested via partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). An additional analysis was performed using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).FindingsThe findings show that PM practices orchestrate in-bound OI and out-bound OI; however, only in-bound OI promotes organizational effectiveness in Brazilian startups. Organizational effectiveness results in good non-financial performance, which in turn improves financial performance. PM practices have an indirect effect on financial performance from the serial mediation of in-bound OI, organizational effectiveness and non-financial performance. Moreover, several combinations of conditions lead to high levels of organizational effectiveness, non-financial performance and financial performance.Originality/valueThis study provides new evidence and insights from an emerging market on the antecedents and consequences of startups' OI adoption.

Use of AHP and grey fixed weight clustering to assess the maturity level of strategic communication management in Brazilian startups

PurposeThe aim of this research was to evaluate the maturity level of strategic communication management implemented by Brazilian startups.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), survey and Grey Fixed Weight Clustering modeling techniques. Three experts with extensive academic and practical experience in the subject participated in the AHP process, providing their opinions on the relative importance of eight variables associated with the topic under investigation, thus enabling their prioritization. Concurrently, data were collected through a survey from 23 respondents who have extensive knowledge about the realities of Brazilian startups. The weights derived from the AHP and the survey data were utilized in the Grey Fixed Weight Clustering modeling.FindingsBased on the opinions of the 23 respondents, the level of implementation of practices related to strategic management, brand management, external image management and internal communication management is superficial. In addition, according to the majority of experts, Brazilian startups exhibited a medium level of maturity to address the key challenges related to communication management. Furthermore, this study reveals that the variables “financial resources allocation,” “stakeholder relationship” and “brand management” were deemed the most significant for the model.Originality/valueThe contributions presented herein can be beneficial for both researchers and startup managers seeking to enhance communication strategies in their organizations. This research also contributes by highlighting how grey systems theory can be extremely useful for conducting decision-making analyses in the context of startups, which is characterized by uncertainty and imprecise information.

A importância do investimento de venture capital para startups e a liberdade contratual no ecossistema empreendedor

The importance of startups in the world economy is increasing. Brazil, to align itself with this trend, instituted the Legal Framework for Startups, defining the appropriate mechanisms for investing in these companies. The importance of the topic stems from the startups’ need for external resources to be able to consolidate in the market. In this sense, the role of serial investors is of great relevance since they usually have experience in this ecosystem. Thus, to encourage investment in startups, the Legal Framework protected the personal assets of investors until the investor becomes partner of the company’s corporate structure, prohibiting, however, interference by these investors in investee companies, going against the practice of market, which aims to define some matters on which the affirmative vote of these investors is required. Thus, based on the understanding that a change in this logic could lead to a decrease in the volume of financial resources contributed to Brazilian startups, this article sought to demonstrate that the Legal Framework does not aim to prevent the influence of investors in the investees, since the vote affirmative granted to these third parties is not about management or voting in the company, but only a mere external control.

The growth of hierarchy in organizations: Managing knowledge scope

AbstractResearch SummaryTheory posits hierarchy as a response to coordination challenges and emphasizes organization size and the need to transfer knowledge as the mainspring of these challenges. This connection, however, is largely based on the quantity of knowledge to be transferred rather than its characteristics. Building on the knowledge‐based view, we propose that knowledge scope—the variety of knowledge across an organization's members—affects coordination costs and hierarchy expansion. Using an economy‐wide database from Brazil, we show that firms are more likely to expand their hierarchy when knowledge scope increases. This effect varies with firms' capacities to manage knowledge; firms whose employees perform more similar tasks or have shared experience at previous employers are less likely to expand hierarchy in response to increases in knowledge scope.Managerial SummaryGrowing organizations often struggle to coordinate the work of their employees within their current organizational structures. We distinguish coordination problems generated by increased size from problems generated by expanding the variety of knowledge used and argue that both spur organizations to hire additional managers. Using a database of Brazilian startups, we show that a greater variety of knowledge used is associated with the expansion of hierarchy. Additionally, we find that organizations whose employees have more shared work experience have a greater ability to coordinate and thus delay the expansion of hierarchy. Overall, our results show the importance of the characteristics of an organization's knowledge base for organizational structure and suggest building teams with shared experience can enhance an organization's ability to adapt to coordination challenges.

Economic Viability of Brazilian Startups that Raised Funds via Equity Crowdfunding

Economic Viability of Brazilian Startups that Raised Funds via Equity Crowdfunding

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on startups

Purpose: Companies around the world have been challenged by the unprecedented crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although several studies have been conducted to understand how companies are surviving these challenges, little attention has been paid to survival strategies among startups. This research intends to address this gap by exploring how startups have put into practice causation, effectuation and/or crucible strategies in attempting to secure the survival of their businesses. Design/methodology/approach: Applying an inductive approach, this research uses descriptive and comparative 3 case studies from three Brazilian startups. Findings: The main findings reveal that: (i) the startups have been able to create positive effects from the COVID-19 pandemic after adopting different sets of causation, effectuation and crucible strategies; (ii) the emergence of the Reborn Epidemic Company concept has developed since startups started generating revenue following changes implemented due to the effects of the pandemic; (iii) crucible strategies have been successfully implemented by startup 2 in redesigning the business entirely and reorienting its product towards a completely new market niche. Originality: The findings corroborate the emergent Low-Touch Economy paradigm. Theoretical and practical contributions are addressed, as well as suggestions for future research.

Desempenho de spin-offs e startups brasileiras: Um estudo sobre a evolução tecnológica a partir do empreendedorismo e das redes

Objective: to understand the relationships in advance of technological maturity and organizational performance in academic spin-offs and Brazilian startups. Method: quantitative research, with the application of 62 questionnaires, 17 of which were used as a pre-test. Originality/Relevance: this paper develops an approach oriented towards knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship in the context of a developing country, using data obtained from academic spin-offs and startups, based on an original model that relates the studied constructs. Results: empirical results made it possible to highlight the importance of Entrepreneurial Orientation as an antecedent of both Knowledge Conversion Capacity and Network Capacity. Theoretical/methodological contributions: aspects related to Entrepreneurial Orientation, Knowledge Conversion Capacity, Network Capacity and Technological Maturity were articulated in a conceptual model with a view to ultimately identifying the determinant mechanisms of Organizational Performance. Social/Management Contributions: the findings underscore the role of the ecosystem as a critical meta-structure for entrepreneurial development. This is because the components of the Entrepreneurial Orientation at the firm level are intrinsically connected with the diffusion of a culture of entrepreneurship in the agents. Additionally, both the Knowledge Conversion Capacity and the Network Capacity encompass the dynamics of interactions and knowledge flows between the firm and agents with complementary capacities. Thus, the results of this research underscore the need to develop a systemic orientation for understanding new knowledge-intensive enterprises.

A competitiveness measurement system of Brazilian start-ups

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a competitiveness measurement system for start-ups considering multiple critical success factors.Design/methodology/approachThe methodological approach uses concepts from key performance indicators (KPIs) and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) based on the fuzzy AHP (FAHP) methodology to weight the criteria related to fundamental points of view (FPVs) and critical success factors (CSFs).FindingsData collection was performed with 21 specialists and 28 start-ups, which returned the weights and performance of CSFs and FPVs related to the start-ups’ competitiveness. The results show only one start-up had a highly competitive global performance. In addition, all start-ups showed low competitiveness related to industry 4.0 technologies.Originality/valueThe article collaborates with existing research as a starting point for discussions on the subject, considering that previous research did not address the measurement of the start-ups’ competitiveness level through multiple factors, as developed in this article. In addition, we provide decision-makers and other stakeholders in the start-up ecosystem with a robust measurement system to assess business competitiveness and diagnose the company’s situation.

Franchising Strategies in Startups: Building an Analytical Framework

Startups are a contemporary business model that repeatedly presents issues related to financial constraints. Recently, the adoption of franchising emerged as a possibility for startups. This study adopts a novel approach in the startup literature to explain the decision-making process for startups formulating franchising strategies. Additionally, an exploratory framework of this process was designed. Multiple-case studies on Brazilian startups that operate through franchised units were carried out. For startups that operate through conventional franchises, the use of third-party capital is predominant, while for those that operate with micro franchises the lack of an employment relationship is determinant.

Use of management controls and product innovation in startups: intervention of knowledge sharing and technological turbulence

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of the use of different types of management controls (cost information, budget information, nonfinancial indicators and informal controls) on product innovation mediated by knowledge sharing and moderated by technological turbulence.Design/methodology/approachPartial least squares structural equation modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis have been used in a sample of 142 Brazilian startups that are in the traction stage.FindingsInformal controls and nonfinancial indicators are used for product innovation, while budget information and cost information have not been shown to be directly associated with product innovation. However, as technological turbulence increases, budget information becomes particularly relevant to the innovation process. Informal controls are directly related to knowledge sharing in the startups studied.Practical implicationsThe results can be useful to managers of startups in the traction stage, as the research highlights different management controls and possible combinations that can be used to drive product innovation, in addition to highlighting the role of knowledge sharing in promoting innovation, especially in the context of technological turbulence.Originality/valueThe literature on management control systems (MCS) has challenged the traditional belief that their use is restricted to the entrepreneurial stance of startup companies. The study develops an understanding of how and under what conditions the presence of MCS supports innovation in startup companies, in particular, what types of management controls used by these companies impact product innovation.

Influência de configurações organizacionais no desempenho de startups

ABSTRACT This article aimed to investigate the influence of organizational configurations on startup performance. The gap addressed by the article involved analyzing factors simultaneously, considering the possibility of equifinality with regard to the understanding about startup performance. A survey was conducted of 112 southern Brazilian startups. To compose the configurations, the cluster analysis technique was used. The chi-squared and covariance analysis (ANCOVA) tests were used to identify the effect of organizational configurations on startup performance. The results reinforced the assumptions of the configurational approach, highlighting the relationship of interdependence of imperatives in explaining organizational performance. The main distinctive characteristics of the three startup configurations found were: size; characteristics of the information from the management control system (MCS); entrepreneurial orientation (EO); cost leadership strategy (CLS); acceleration; and entrepreneurial source of investment (ESI). The results showed that differences in the characteristics of the information from the MCS and in the level of EO represent a deviation from the ideal configuration and are related with a drop in performance. The paper extends the knowledge on the imperatives investigated for the context of startups and on how these interact to compose the configurations. The results were shown to be relevant in explaining performance, corroborating the idea of equifinality, in which two distinct configurations presented similar performance. By analyzing the configurations that presented the best performance, managers can evaluate in which configuration they find themselves so as to guide actions to improve the startup success rate.

Packages of management control systems, entrepreneurial orientation and performance in Brazilian startups

PurposeThis study aims to understand the relationship between the elements of a startup firms’ management control system (MCS) package, its entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and firm performance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected survey data from a sample of 100 Brazilian startups who had exited technology-based parks and incubators. The authors used two data analysis techniques, namely, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).FindingsThe findings show that cultural and planning controls were the only two MCS elements that were included in all high-performing startup firms’ MCS packages. The authors also found that EO has a positive influence on firm performance through the MCS package.Research limitations/implicationsThe mixed-method approach allowed for a holistic view of the analyzed phenomenon. PLS-SEM analysis was applied to the symmetric relationships between the proposed relationships while fsQCA was used to analyze the asymmetric combinations between EO dimensions and MCS package elements, which promoted high firm performance.Practical implicationsThe authors show how different combinations of MCS elements form a package, mediating EO, which can enable high performance.Originality/valueUsing fsQCA and PLS-SEM, the authors were able to better understand the important role that MCS package adoption has on a startups’ performance and provide new evidence regarding the interface between MCS and EO. This extends the understanding of the importance that cultural and planning controls have in an MCS package to support startup performance.

Impact Assessment of Lean Product Development and Lean Startup Methodology on Information Technology Startups’ Performance

This research aims to evaluate the impact of lean product development (LPD) and lean startup (LS) practices on startup performance. A survey with 114 responses from Brazilian startups in the Information Technology sector evaluated the direct effects of LPD and LS on organizational performance, as well as the potential cross-effects between them. The assumptions were validated using a structural equation modeling for data analysis, which confirms that the adoption of these methodologies has a positive significant impact on startup performance, especially the practices involving teamwork and the design of minimum viable products.

Life cycle analysis of Brazilian startups: characteristics, intellectual capital, agents and associated risks

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to present the stages of the Brazilian startups' organizational life cycle (OLC), identifying and describing the main factors related to the entrepreneurial and organizational perspectives, as well as the factors related to external relationship agents and the associated risks at each OLC stage. In addition, the variables that comprised the three perspectives above were used for a descriptive reading of the evolutionary process from the perspective of intellectual capital during the stages.Design/methodology/approachThe type of research used was quantitative with a descriptive character. For data collection, the authors have used the survey method and two complementary questionnaires were used as research tools. The measurement scale used in these instruments was the 11-point Likert scale. In total, 100 Brazilian startups registered in the STARTUPBASE and residents in São Paulo comprised the sample of this research. For the data processing, it was used the exploratory factor analysis techniques, to identify the analysis factors, and the cluster analysis, to identify the OLC stages.FindingsBased on the results obtained, four stages were identified and described to build the OLC model of this research: Stage I – conception and development; Stage II – organization and traction; Stage III – growth and scale; and Stage IV – consolidation and transition. In addition, the authors described the main lines of evidence found at each stage.Practical implicationsThis research contributes to academic studies of the OLC in startups and the evolution of risks that originate from the relationship between external agents in the business environment and startups. Thus, a management map is built, which helps entrepreneurs and managers construct these businesses since such a management map allows identifying the risks and challenges that a startup needs to overcome to grow and develop.Originality/valueThe originality of this research lies in the adaptation of the OLC approach, which is widely used in studies analyzing the growth and development of mature organizations. The authors used this adaptation to analyze the growth and development of startups in Brazil. In addition, the identification and analysis of external agents that make up the business environment, as well as the analysis of the risks, originated from the relationships between the startup and these agents, brought original and essential results and discussions, both for OLC studies and for risk analysis studies in startups.