Successful Start-up Research Articles

ECW assisted plasma startup with low toroidal electric field and full metal wall in EAST superconducting tokamak

Abstract Recent experimental results from the EAST superconducting tokamak with a full metal wall (without Li-coating) provide strong support for the ITER startup scheme with electron cyclotron wave (ECW) assistance. Detailed investigations were performed on the impact of different magnetic field geometries, including quadrupolar field configuration (QFC), wide null field configuration (NFC), and trapped particle configuration (TPC). All three configurations enabled the breakdown of neutral gas with ECW pre-ionization. However, in most discharges with QFC, the absence of closed flux surfaces after the breakdown was associated with unsuccessful plasma startups. Conversely, both NFC and TPC achieved successful plasma startups under normal conditions, with TPC demonstrating higher robustness against high impurity levels compared to NFC. Experiments found that the minimum ECW power required for a successful TPC startup is approximately 0.48 MW. Plasma startup failed if the prefill gas pressure exceeded optimal levels for a given ECW power (≥0.48 MW), with the critical gas pressure linearly dependent on the ECW power. Additionally, higher ECW power was required with increased impurity levels. With ECW assistance, the toroidal electric field at R=1.85 m in EAST routine operations (<0.15 V/m) is significantly lower than ITER's maximum value (0.3 V/m), suggesting the possibility of reducing flux consumption and lowering demands on coils and power supplies for ITER.

Is Innovation a Key Factor for Success of Start Ups in Croatia?

Is Innovation a Key Factor for Success of Start Ups in Croatia?

Predicting the success of startups using a machine learning approach

Successful investment in early-stage companies has high uncertainty. More specifically, the tools available to investors need to be more robust to reduce the risk and manage the uncertainty of startups. This research aims to use machine learning methods to design a prediction solution to identify successful startups for investors. In order to design the predicting solution and provide policies, classification, and clustering algorithms have been utilized to predict the success of startups and perform feature importance analysis based on the SHAP and permutation methods. Subsequently, the performance of four classification algorithms, such as Random Forest, Gradient Boost, Multilayer Perceptron, Logistic Regression and Support Vector Machine, are compared to predict business success. Meanwhile, Random Forest and Gradient Boosting algorithms showed the best accuracy, which was equal to 82% and 80%, respectively. Based on the feature importance of Random Forest and Gradient Boosting, which is obtained from the SHAP method, indicated that the higher values of “Number of followers on LinkedIn”, “Number of employees on LinkedIn”, “Number of followers on Twitter”, and “Last raised amount” have higher SHAP values and a more significant impact on the model output. Three clustering algorithms including hierarchy, K-means, and DBSCAN were also compared. Among them, the K-means algorithm performs best with 72% silhouette, and K-means was employed to explain each cluster’s characteristics. Finally, an effective artificial intelligence-based prediction solution has been proposed to show the way for investors to apply machine learning concepts to predict the success of startups.

Are accelerators akin to breweries or wineries? A Bayesian variance decomposition of accelerator and cohort effects

AbstractResearch SummaryThe literature on startup accelerators uncovers multiple factors associated with accelerators’ advantages. Yet, we have a limited understanding of the relative magnitude of these factors. We ask: Are accelerators akin to breweries, where quality is mainly a function of the institution of origin (i.e., brewery for beer, accelerator for startups); or are they similar to wineries, where quality varies across cohorts (i.e., for a given winery, some vintages are of higher quality)? We explore this question using data from 1,350 tech‐startups graduating from dozens of accelerators in a global technology hub. A Bayesian hierarchical variance decomposition approach is introduced to account for the highly‐skewed zero‐inflated distribution in startups’ performance. We find that a notable fraction of startup performance is due to vintage; within‐accelerator, cross‐cohort variation.Managerial SummaryStartup accelerators (i.e., short‐term programs designed to help startups grow) are highly popular, with dozens of accelerators operating around the globe. Our focus is on accelerator programs aimed at catapulting technology ventures towards high growth. We ask: Are accelerators akin to breweries, where quality is mainly a function of the institution of origin (i.e., brewery for beer, accelerator for startups); or are they similar to wineries, where quality also varies across cohorts (i.e., for a given winery, some vintages are of higher quality)? A Bayesian hierarchical variance decomposition approach isused to study data from a global technology hub, detailing the performance of hundreds of startups that graduated across multiple accelerators. We find that a significant portion of startup success is linked to cohort‐specific factors within accelerators, highlighting the role of timing and dynamics of each accelerator cohort.

Sustainable business operations in technology startups: A model for leadership and administrative excellence

Sustainable business operations have become a critical factor for success in technology startups, where rapid growth and resource constraints pose unique challenges. This review proposes a comprehensive model for sustainable operations management in tech startups, emphasizing the synergy between leadership and administrative excellence. The proposed model aims to guide startups in balancing profitability, scalability, and environmental responsibility while fostering long-term growth. The explores the challenges of achieving sustainability in startups, including limited resources, pressures of rapid scaling, and the environmental impact of tech-driven innovations. It emphasizes the pivotal role of visionary leadership in setting long-term sustainable goals, fostering a culture of innovation, and effectively managing change. Leadership’s ability to align sustainability with operational goals is critical in navigating the dynamic and competitive nature of the tech industry. Additionally, the review highlights the importance of administrative innovations in optimizing resource management, implementing data-driven decision-making, and streamlining processes. By leveraging automation and technology, startups can create more efficient and environmentally friendly operational systems. The model integrates leadership vision with administrative processes, creating a holistic approach that encourages continuous improvement and innovation. The benefits of adopting sustainable operations, such as enhanced financial resilience, competitive advantage, and improved brand reputation, are also discussed. Moreover, sustainability offers tech startups a significant edge in attracting and retaining top talent while fostering customer loyalty. Ultimately, this model serves as a blueprint for technology startups to build scalable, efficient, and responsible operations, ensuring their success in the long term by aligning leadership and administrative strategies with sustainability objectives. Keywords: Sustainable Business, Technology Startups, Leadership, Administrative Excellence.

The influence of entrepreneurial education on the development of entrepreneurial intentions of young people

A successful start-up begins with an innovative idea, which is then realized by identifying and seizing an opportunity. Innovation is one of the most crucial entrepreneurial qualities in this type of entrepreneurship. The aim of this paper is to determine the fundamental and specific characteristics of start-up entrepreneurship and to examine the entrepreneurial intentions and knowledge of young people in this field. The empirical research in this paper includes both secondary and primary research. Secondary research involves the presentation of relevant studies in the fields of start-up entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education. The primary empirical research was conducted on a sample of 160 students from higher education institutions in Međimurje and Varaždin counties. The results indicate that students are relatively well-informed about the possibilities of starting a start-up company. Their personal assessments of their familiarity with the processes involved in starting a start-up are of average value. Additionally, respondents identified administrative procedures, high taxes, lack of knowledge about funding sources, and insufficient information about reference centers as the main obstacles to entering entrepreneurship. By testing the research hypotheses, it was found that attending formal classes in entrepreneurship positively affects the entrepreneurial intentions of young people. The limitations of the research include the restriction of the sample to northwestern Croatia. The findings suggest a further need to strengthen entrepreneurship education and expand it to younger populations in the Republic of Croatia.

The start-up characteristics of a novel loop heat pipe with stainless steel capillary wick

Loop heat pipe (LHP) is an advanced thermal management technology that utilizes liquid–vapor phase change and capillary action to achieve efficient heat transfer across long distances and in various directions. The start-up of an LHP is crucial for its reliable and stable operation. This study aims to explore the start-up characteristics and temperature variations of various components under different heating conditions by designing a cost-effective flat plate evaporator LHP with a stainless-steel casing and acetone as the working fluid. The experimental analysis examined the performance of the LHP under varying heating powers from 28 to 60 W, positions, and gravity angles. The findings revealed that the LHP successfully started at 28 W, and a temperature overshoot occured when the heating position was near the compensation chamber. Notably, the start-up time was 400 s faster compared to the heating condition near the mean pressure chamber. When the evaporator was tilted such that the compensation chamber was above the evaporator’s pressure equalization chamber, circulation within the LHP could not be established. The thermal resistance of the LHP decreased with increasing heating power, achieving a maximum reduction of 51.51 %. When both the compensation chamber and the mean pressure chamber were heated simultaneously, the impact of the gravity inclination angle on thermal resistance was minimized. This study introduces an innovative capillary wick LHP with high start-up success rates and cost-effectiveness, providing both empirical data and theoretical insights for the refinement and optimization of civilian LHP designs.

EXAMINATION OF STARTUPS INVESTMENTS BY RECEIVING THE MOST INVESTMENT SECTORS: THE CASE OF TURKISH STARTUP ECOSYSTEM

Startups, which are structures where the concepts of research and development, innovation and technology come together, can be described as innovative initiatives with the ability to grow rapidly and scale. The increase in the number of startups, whose importance and effectiveness are increasing day by day in the economies of developed and developing countries, is very important for the country's economies. For this reason, the support provided to startups by the public, private sector, universities, and non-governmental organizations is increasing day by day in almost every country, in parallel with the importance of startups. In this study, the total investments and investment numbers made in startups in Türkiye over the years were examined specifically for startup sectors, using the document analysis method, which is one of the qualitative research methods, and data obtained from secondary sources. When the data obtained from the study was examined, it was concluded that the sectors where the most startups were founded, and the most investments were made were the sectors with more successful startups and unicorns.

체계적 문헌고찰 방법을 활용한 스타트업 성공에 관한 연구동향 분석

Startups are considered to play an important role in creating jobs, revitalizing the economy, and enhancing national competitiveness. Accordingly, the government's multifaceted efforts have increased the number of startups, but continued advancement in quality is necessary. In order for startups to grow into global companies and play a leading role in leading national economic growth, it is necessary to first clearly identify the various factors necessary for startup success. Accordingly, this study was conducted for the purpose of suggesting implications and future research tasks that can be provided by research trends on startup success by synthesizing previous studies. To this end, a total of 104 domestic documents were collected through a systematic literature review that collected and analyzed existing domestic studies, and the following results were obtained by analyzing the concept of startups and trends in research related to startup success, trends by research period, academic field, and method, trends in research topics, and the relationship with major variables in research. First, research on startup success has been steadily increasing from 3 studies in 2014 to 21 studies in 2023. This is because startups have different characteristics and potential from existing startups based on their innovativeness and rapid growth potential. Second, the fact that startup success research has been conducted in various fields such as society, culture, art, technology, science, and law and published in 50 academic journals suggests that startups play an important role in various industrial ecosystems. Third, the results of analyzing research on startup success based on the ERIS model show that research topics are more biased toward resource and management strategy dimensions. This suggests that resource factors and management strategy factors are recognized as key factors in startup success. However, since startup success is achieved through the mutual influence of various factors, research on founder factors and industrial environment factors should also be conducted in a balanced manner to ensure comprehensive interest in startup success. This study is significant in that it provides useful insights to founders and policymakers who want to continue the direction and growth of future startup research based on these results.

The role of digital transformation in enhancing clean energy startups' success: An analysis of it integration strategies

This review paper explores the pivotal role of digital transformation in enhancing the success of clean energy startups. It delves into how integrating digital technologies such as IoT, AI, big data, and blockchain can foster innovation, improve scalability, and boost operational efficiency. The paper also examines various IT integration strategies, including cloud computing, data analytics, and smart grid technologies, and their implementation models, highlighting the challenges and potential solutions. Additionally, it discusses the impact of digital transformation on market competitiveness and provides strategic recommendations for startups to leverage these technologies effectively. The paper concludes by predicting future trends in digital technologies and outlining policy implications to support the digital transformation of the clean energy sector.

Unlocking funding success for generative AI startups: The crucial role of investor influence

Generative AI (GAI) is transforming industries by enabling autonomous content creation. This study explores the impact of investor and technological influences on the funding of 556 GAI startups from 2010 to July 2024. Using principal component analysis, we find that investor influence significantly boosts funding across all levels, while technological influence is insignificant. The results highlight the crucial role of investor networks in securing financial resources for GAI startups. The study's implications suggest that entrepreneurs and policymakers should focus on building strong investor relationships to support the growth of GAI ventures.

Prioritizing Success Factors for Start-ups in Indonesia Using the Best Worst Method (BWM)

The rapid growth of Indonesia’s start-up ecosystem presents both opportunities and challenges for new ventures striving for sustainability and competitiveness. This study applies the Best Worst Method (BWM) to prioritize key success factors for start-ups in Indonesia, providing a structured framework for decision-making. Six critical factors were evaluated: access to funding, innovation capability, market competition, regulatory environment, talent acquisition, and scalability potential. Through pairwise comparisons, this research identifies access to funding as the most critical factor, while scalability potential is considered the least influential in determining start-up success. The findings offer valuable insights for entrepreneurs, investors, and policy-makers, highlighting areas where targeted support can enhance the growth and sustainability of start-ups. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on start-up development in emerging economies by providing a decision-making tool to guide strategic priorities within Indonesia’s dynamic entrepreneurial landscape.

BRANDING AND MARKETING FOR STARTUPS

Building brand trust is crucial for any startup's success, but it holds particular importance for sustainable startups operating in an increasingly competitive and environmentally conscious marketplace. This study explores the effectiveness of storytelling as a branding and marketing tool for sustainable startups. We address the research gap by examining how narrative-driven communication strategies can foster trust and connection with target audiences who value environmental responsibility. Through a qualitative case study analysis, we examine the branding and marketing campaigns of three successful sustainable startups. The case studies delve into the startups' use of storytelling elements like brand narrative, customer testimonials, and social impact initiatives. We analyze how these narratives are communicated across various marketing channels, including social media, website content, and influencer partnerships. Keywords: Sustainable Startups, Brand Trust, Storytelling, Marketing Communication, Case Studies

Towards a Socially Conscious Start-up Brand: EDI in Entrepreneurial Branding

Successful start-ups are those capable of evoking customer loyalty. To achieve this, a well-crafted brand with a clear brand message that resonates with the target audience is needed. The pandemic, and its aftermath, has led to heightened scrutiny of brands by audiences, with consumers spending more time and money online. Purchase decisions and brand loyalty are increasingly influenced by what brands stand for, with a preference for those that believably prioritise people over profits. Nearly two-thirds of UK consumers expect brands to address societal issues. This trend is particularly pronounced among Generation Z, the fastest-growing demographic in the UK and other advanced economies in terms of spending power. This age cohort differs in several respects from preceding generations, showing a distinct hunger for social causes relating to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). This paper presents findings from an investigation into Generation Z's perception of EDI as part of entrepreneurial market communications. Our research aims to explore the target audience's awareness and attitude toward the inclusion of EDI elements in start-up brands and to ideate tangible recommendations for entrepreneurs in terms of embracing EDI as part of their brand’s activities. Guided by Design Thinking, a total of 35 semi-structured interviews were conducted with young adults in Greater London, UK. Through inductive Thematic Analysis, four key themes emerged: (i) There is currently limited visibility and awareness of start-ups with EDI branding; (ii) there is a desire for authenticity alongside distrust of brands delivering on this; (iii) there is an expectation of intersectional diversity; and (iv) there is a limited risk of 'cancel culture' for start-ups. Based on these insights, four tangible recommendations were formulated for crafting socially conscious start-up brands: (i) embrace intersectional diversity internally and externally; (ii) cultivate a community to co-create EDI initiatives; (iii) utilising/collaborate with existing EDI associations; and (iv) prioritise EDI efforts in branded communications.

The Power of Proximity: The Impact of Proximity Between Early-Stage Investors and Universities

Early-stage investors and universities are crucial stakeholders in entrepreneurial ecosystems, yet their combined impact remains underexplored. This paper examines how the proximity between early-stage investors and universities affects the founding rate and success of affiliated startups. The analysis utilizes data from the Crunchbase 500 list for Germany. Findings indicate a positive correlation between the proximity of early-stage investors and universities with higher success rates and founding rates of affiliated startups. However, the results show varying dynamics and partial statistical significance, suggesting different implications for small versus large universities. Should these tendencies be confirmed with a more extensive dataset, the findings could have practical implications for early-stage investors and universities, tailored to their size.

Key Factors for Student Startup Success: Insights from Higher Education Professors

The study aims to identify and analyse the key factors of student start-ups from the perspective of higher academic institution professors. Entrepreneurial students in higher education face challenges such as limited funding, scarce resources, lack of business experience and struggling to balance academic commitments with their start-up ventures. Additionally, they struggle with navigating complex business regulations and often lack access to proper networks or mentorship. This research contributes to a better understanding of how the entrepreneurial ecosystem in higher education institutions can support student start-up initiatives to succeed. For the research, a survey was conducted targeting ten experts from higher education institutions engaged with business or entrepreneurial study programmes. The research used the content validation method and descriptive statistical analysis to evaluate the responses, focusing on measures of central tendency and variability to determine the degree of consensus among respondents regarding the 36 statements provided. The study results revealed that while respondents agreed on the importance of student attitudes towards failure and self-confidence, there was strong disagreement among them regarding the belief that non-business students have a lesser chance of creating a successful startup. Also, experts suggested that entrepreneurship education should place more emphasis on the development of students' entrepreneurial mindset, which is considered to be an essential quality for the uncertain journey of entrepreneurship. Finally, the survey results indicated that networking and experiential learning are crucial for startup development. This underscores the importance of scientific debate not only on innovative funding models but also on non-financial support systems that surpass traditional educational methods in higher education environments.

Leveraging Machine Learning Models to Enhance Startup Collaboration and Drive Technopreneurship

In the dynamic and competitive realm of startups, identifying and cultivating effective collaborations is crucial for sustained success. This research evaluates how machine learning (ML) technologies can enhance startup collaborations by advancing decision-making processes through the analysis of historical data. Employing the SmartPLS methodology, this study collected data from 220 stakeholders, including 207 actively engaged in startups that are either utilizing or integrating ML technologies. The investigation focuses on understanding ML models, the importance of historical data, and the dimensions of collaboration critical to the success of startups. Through analysis with PLS-SEM, it was found that ML models significantly boost inter-startup synergy and the effectiveness of collaborative efforts. The results provide vital insights for industry practitioners and strategic decision-makers, offering practical strategies to employ ML in optimizing collaboration and ensuring sustainable growth within the technopreneurship arena. This study not only highlights the benefits of ML in fostering cooperative ventures but also aims to refine the strategic frameworks essential to the startup ecosystem.

From Inception to Recognition: Crafting Digital Marketing Success for Startups

In today’s digital landscape, startups face significant challenges in establishing brand recognition and engaging customers effectively. This paper explores how the AIDA Model comprising Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action can be applied to create digital marketing strategies that guide startups through each stage of the consumer journey, from building initial awareness to encouraging conversion. It focuses on the importance of using specific marketing tactics, such as creating engaging content, leveraging social media, fostering personalised communication, and utilising data analytics to enhance brand visibility and customer loyalty. By examining real-world examples and reviewing existing research, the study illustrates how the AIDA Model helps startups navigate common hurdles like limited budgets, high competition, and the need for swift brand establishment. The paper concludes by offering practical recommendations to help startups achieve growth and a robust market presence through strategic digital marketing efforts.

Do the Characteristics of Startup Founders Matter for Funding Performance?

Introduction/Main Objectives: Based on the upper echelons theory, this research examines the role of startup founders' characteristics on startup funding performance (SFP). This study considers the founder's experience, education, and gender as the characteristics that positively affect the SFP. Background Problems: While academia and industry emphasize the importance of startup funding performance (SFP), the empirical evidence on its determinant has received less attention. Yet, upper echelons theory addresses the importance of a leader's characteristics in increasing the organization's performance. Therefore, the current study focuses on investigating the role of startup founders' characteristics in the SFP. Novelty: The current study proposes the founder's characteristics as the key factor for startup funding. Unlike previous studies, this study utilized a survey design to answer the research question. Additionally, this study is the pioneer for entrepreneurial finance studies in gauging the upper-echelons framework. Research Methods: This research collected information from 228 Indonesian Startups through a survey. The estimation model is estimated using robust cross-sectional OLS regression and logistic regression. For robustness purposes, this study tackles the endogeneity issue by using two-stage least squares (TSLS) and PLS-SEM. Finding/Results: The regression results (including the two-stage least square approach) reveal that education and gender play a significant role in SFP but not experience. Moreover, it shows that higher education would increase a startup's probability of having better funding. Meanwhile, male entrepreneurs have lower funding performance than women entrepreneurs. Conclusion: Our study surmises that the education of the founders is crucial for startup financing in Indonesia. It also shows that the experience of founders has a trivial effect. It supports the upper echelons theory, emphasizing the pivotal role of founders' characteristics in entrepreneurial finance. Policy-wise, focusing on education can enhance startup success while addressing gender disparities is crucial. However, limitations exist, suggesting the need for longitudinal studies and broader sample sizes. Future research could explore managerial abilities and cultural factors, offering fresh insights into the literature.

Blending Work Values, Engagement, and Satisfaction to Drive OCB in Technopreneurial Startups

In startup companies, financial and other resources are often still limited, so human resources are a valuable asset that plays a crucial role in running an entrepreneur. Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB) support new companies or startups success and growth. OCB can increase efficiency and productivity, create a positive work environment, and improve the ability to adapt to change. Therefore, startup companies must encourage and foster OCB among employees to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. This research analyzes the factors influencing OCB by exploring the role of work values, engagement, and job satisfaction. The participants in this research were 351 employees of startup companies in Jakarta. The sampling technique uses simple random sampling, and data analysis uses SEM-PLS. The research findings state that work values positively impact engagement and job satisfaction. Then, work engagement and job satisfaction were ultimately proven to increase employee OCB in startup companies. This study enriches the literature, especially in managing human resources in organizations, and becomes a basis for companies to create rules and policies to increase OCB in a dynamic and competitive business.