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The purpose of this paper is to shed some new light on the entrepreneurial finance of green start-ups, for which there has been little quantitative empirical evidence thus far. It explores what challenges green start-ups might experience when it comes to financial access.

The paper includes a survey of start-ups in Finland, Germany and Sweden and the separate evaluation of the “greenness” of participating companies’ product/service portfolios based on Eurostat’s Environmental Goods and Service Sector classification. A logistic regression is carried out for different company phases for two measures of challenges (“difficulty accessing finance” and “rejection by investor/funder”).

Green start-ups as an overall group cannot be said to have more challenges in access to finance. Particularly, a lack in business education and a high level of innovativeness, however, seem to be lead to more challenges for green start-ups in accessing finance compared to other start-ups.

Further research might seek to identify which exact characteristics of innovative green start-ups lead to challenges in financial access, i.e. is it individual factors such as high risk levels, high investment sums, long development periods or a low return prospect – or is it rather a combination? It might, furthermore, be rewarding to investigate whether “interventions” of business-related training might reduce challenges.

Suggestions are made for improved policy support to sustainable entrepreneurship in the case of green start-ups.

This research paper provides quantitative empirical analysis in a new research area, which has previously been predominantly theory based with some anecdotal observations as well as some early qualitative research.

Creative industries, such as the designer fashion industry (DFI), are among the toughest in which to establish sustainable business ventures. While studies have examined how networks and social capital contribute to independent DFI start-ups and why such businesses fail, these studies have been largely restricted to well-established entrepreneurial spaces like London, which differ in structure and size compared to emerging DFI entrepreneurial spaces in small economies like New Zealand. This chapter addresses this gap in the creative enterprise literature by presenting findings from an examination of 12 New Zealand fashion designers’ accounts of their responses to start-up challenges. The analysis, which paid particular attention to the relationship between social capital and reported strategic practice, revealed that the designers’ challenge profiles and strategic responses were linked to very ‘biographical’ personal networks and their personal enterprise orientations. While those designers with well-established networks started the most resilient businesses, the analysis revealed that even these designers were not necessarily particularly strategic when tapping into the social capital embedded in their networks. Overall, the findings provide further confirmation of the importance of social capital and network management during start-up. Most significantly, they demonstrate why designers need to be forward looking and employ a strategic approach to developing and accessing social capital and when making business decisions. Those who did so were more likely to have viable ventures than those who accessed social capital in order to react to unanticipated challenges.

Along with technology-based ecosystems, healthcare start-ups are expanding multi-fold. On the other hand, underlying uncertainties pose several challenges for these health-tech enterprises at macro-meso-micro level, influencing their business circumstances and profitability. The current study aims to comprehend the macro-, meso- and micro-level barriers that make it difficult for enterprises to set up healthcare technology start-ups. The study also observed the perceived effect of these challenges on firms' performance and cost structure over time. Using the theory of behaviour under uncertainty, the study revealed multiple systemic, sector-related, human and implementation barriers that hinder business growth and lead to uncertainties for health-tech start-ups.

Using a grounded theory approach, the study collected the views of 51 health tech start-ups in the UK using an online participants pool. The data was collected using qualitative data techniques in the form of open-ended essays, and a content analysis using thematic coding process was conducted. The questions centered around the different institutional uncertainties or barriers while setting up or running a healthcare start-up.

The study revealed several macro-, meso- and micro-level barriers these technology-based enterprises perceive in the healthcare industry. These are recognised as systemic barriers, such as lack of funding and procedural issues; sector-related barriers, such as market-related impediments; human barriers, including psychological barriers and resistance to new technology; and implementation barriers, such as operational and personnel issues.

The study used qualitative, open-ended essay techniques to collect the data. Future studies may use a mixed-methods approach to provide holistic insights. The study is conducted in a single developed country, the UK. Future work may expand these findings by comparing developed market challenges with those of emerging markets and by assessing the viewpoints of healthcare start-ups.

This research will assist the healthcare sector and government understand health tech start-up hurdles and uncertainty. Policymakers must assist start-ups and encourage entrepreneurial innovation. Regulating and enabling policies will help. The paper examines start-ups' macro, meso and micro uncertainties. Policymakers promoting sector entrepreneurship must consider these barriers while designing policy guidelines.

The study contributes to the existing literature on technology start-ups, particularly in the healthcare industry, and identifies significant barriers these start-ups face. The study synthesizes research on health-tech start-up uncertainty and bridges the gap between theory and practice by applying empirical findings.

The purpose of this paper is to provide the insights on the challenges influencing rural start-ups. It provides insights with regards to managerial, operational, marketing and finance-related challenges influencing the rural start-ups in the study. The study aims to expand the domain of start-ups by including a broader range of challenges and related aspects found in the start-up literature.

The paper opted for an exploratory study using the open-ended approach of grounded theory, including 61 rural start-ups operating in Karnataka, India. The data were analysed through non-parametric test to understand the comparison between different sectors of rural start-ups.

It suggests that marketing techniques and infrastructure challenges influences the rural start-ups. Therefore, success of start-ups is influenced by these related variables.

Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Researchers are therefore encouraged to test the proposed propositions further in the area of challenges and growth in the domain of managerial, infrastructure, marketing, finance, human resource and logistics in rural start-ups. The study is restricted to rural start-ups located in districts of Karnataka, India.

The paper includes implications for managing the challenges for enhancing the growth of start-ups. The paper provides insights on the significant challenges witnessed by the start-ups and provides directions for the growth of start-ups.

This paper fulfils an identified need of the start-ups in rural sector and contribute to the growth of start-ups in rural sector of India.

This paper fulfils an identified need to study how rural start-ups operate and create a niece in the growth of Indian economy.

The development of an effective corporate vision is a necessary issue for corporate performance, and it is a key issue for corporate sustainable development as well. The recognition of questions like “what is the role of corporate vision in corporate performance” is directly related to the attitude and practice of entrepreneurs and managers toward the development of corporate vision as well as the effectiveness of the corporate vision itself. To better answer the questions concerning the role of corporate vision development and effectively guide the practice of corporations, the authors study the pathways and mechanisms by which corporate visions operate to assist businesses in achieving high performance.

The article completes the construction of indicators to measure each dimension of the corporate vision in line with social cognitive theory and analyzes the relationship between corporate vision and corporate performance by combining qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA) research methods. The article provides insights into the logic of constructing and adjusting corporate visions from a process perspective.

The mechanisms by which corporate visions can be articulated, accepted and transformed within the organization are also the means by which corporate visions can improve corporate performance. In a dynamic environment, the corporate vision setting and acceptance process integrates the requirements of various stakeholders, leading to the adjustment and acceptance of the corporate vision. As a result, the vision has continuous validity in a changing environment. Both start-ups and non-start-ups can benefit from the guidance provided by a strong corporate vision in overcoming a variety of issues and obstacles to produce strong business performance.

This is the first study that shows the relationship between corporate vision and corporate performance from a process perspective. The authors are interested in understanding which characteristics for building a corporate vision are more accepted by organizational members and, in turn, create high corporate performance. The authors also explore the conditions for corporate vision acceptance. This research has positive implications for shedding some light on the mechanisms by which corporate visions improve corporate performance.

The paper represents a starting point of a broader research project in strategic start-up communication. The main purpose of this study is to demonstrate the current state of research in this area and to compare those insights with an explorative study on the start-up ecosystem.

A neo-institutional framework is combined with the dual narrative framework of strategic communication and emergence to explain the emergence of strategic communication in this organizational field (start-up ecosystems). Research questions are derived from a systematic literature review and subjected to exploratory testing in two different qualitative surveys, with experts and investors, reflecting an external perspective, and with start-ups themselves.

Results from the literature review and the explorative interviews with expert external actors indicate eight areas in which start-ups face strategic communication challenges: the basic orientation of strategic communication, branding, external image, stakeholder relations, allocation of financial resources, owner centricity, human resources and internal communication. External consultants and funders recommend highly planned approaches like target group-oriented communication, well thought-out positioning with uniform messages and precisely applied communication channels. However, the internal perspective of start-ups presents a contrary picture based on emergent products of strategic communication.

The study indicates the importance of both the emergence in strategic start-up communication and the demonstration of planned strategic communication. Investigating a whole start-up ecosystem in a country regarding the emergence of strategic communication forms, practices and products offers potential for cross-country comparative research.

The findings indicate key challenges of strategic communication of start-ups. Bearing in mind these key challenges when founding a start-up can make a difference in the success of the start-up.

The article presents the first systematic literature review in the area of strategic start-up communication and a theoretical framework for further investigation. Moreover, the results of the explorative study demonstrate the importance of the different forms of planning and emergence in strategic start-up communication. Hence, this paper provides practical implications for practitioners working and investing in the start-up ecosystem.

When we take the lens of race, ethnicity, gender, and class to the collected academic work on women business owners, what does it reveal? What do we really know? Are there differing definitions of success across segments of the women businessowner demographics? Do the challenges faced by African American women entrepreneurs differ from those confronting white female entrepreneurs? Do immigrant female women businessowners face more significant institutional barriers than their counterparts who have been U.S. citizens for at least two generations? Are there similar reasons for starting their businesses?

This paper aims to explore the challenges faced by start-ups during COVID-19 and highlight solutions for catering to the new-normal consumer behaviour. The study accounts for 15 deep-tech start-ups sailing through the pandemic and their responsiveness. This study brings forth insights and experiences from the Indian start-up founders and CEOs during COVID-19.

This study uses a qualitative approach and is exploratory and phenomenological. A purposive sample of 15 young start-ups founded between the years 2013–2020 by founders aged between 24 and 41 was selected for the study. The recorded telephonic interview was collected from the founders from April 2021 to September 2021. The thematic analysis of the study evolves from Braun and Clarke (2006) using the MAXQDA 2020.

The study emphasizes upon challenges faced by start-ups, crisis management of start-ups and the relevance of technology-based start-ups during challenging times. This research provides a qualitative framework to establish the role of the technology acceptance model (TAM) towards the adaptability, responsiveness and resilience demonstrated by the start-ups. The findings also highlight the solutions to address challenges faced by start-ups and road to recovery.

The study has great relevance and lessons for budding entrepreneurs during crisis management. The study has implications for corporations and governments in terms of setting up incubators and accelerators to support budding entrepreneurs.

The study is unique in highlighting the relevance and importance of TAM for start-ups during crisis management like COVID-19. The study thrusts upon the need of technology acceptance for better crisis management.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the food and beverage sector very severely. The complete breakdown of the supply chain and lack of customers was particularly challenging for start-ups in the industry. Those that survived were the ones who made a timely and smooth transition in business models to become more technology driven. However, the issues faced and the ground realities of the extent of struggle that these start-ups went through are less understood in the scholarly literature, with most accounts being anecdotal. The purpose of this paper is to address these issues.

The present study attempts to bridge this gap by conducting a qualitative study to collect data from 35 owners/employees of food and beverage start-ups and using the grounded theory approach to code it and identify key themes.

Content analysis of the 35 responses revealed three main themes: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on operations of food and beverage start-ups, challenges due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and combating the pandemic, divided into seven subthemes: differences in operations pre- and post-COVID, key changes experienced in operations post-COVID, problems arising in operations due to the pandemic, problems in the use of digital marketing due to the pandemic, problems in the use of technological platforms due to the pandemic, using innovative approaches and technological innovations and using disruptive technologies.

The study contributes novel insights by investigating the changes experienced by food and beverage start-ups due to the pandemic, the innovations introduced by them and the perception about the role of disruptive technologies in their postpandemic operations of food and beverage start-ups.

Women in entrepreneurship can have a significant impact on economic and social development globally and particularly in developing countries. But the challenges entrepreneurial women face are unique and multiple, pressing the need for research and policies to maximize impact. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the challenges women start-up founders face to secure funding in the technology industry. The tech industry was selected because it is a non-traditional industry for women with high potential for role models to bridge an existing gap in information on women start-up founders to secure capital financing to attain business sustainability. It covers venture capital investors’ role, Latin American cultural reasons, and gender.

This study is based on an inductive, qualitative approach and in-depth interviews with 20 women entrepreneurs and start-up founders from Latin American countries who received support from the Chilean Government sponsored accelerator “Start-Up Chile.”

The analysis uncovered ten aspects that impact entrepreneurial women founders’ access to capital in three categories: capital needs, networks, and individual characteristics.

This study identifies factors that affect women entrepreneurs in raising capital and in facing the following challenges: first, working in a non-traditional field for women as it is the technology industry, and second assuming a leadership role as start-up founders. The results offer recommendation with potential to drive public policies in Latin America, which may be scalable to other developing and also to developed countries where market systems prevail. The findings show that women entrepreneurs, but also men, seeking start-up financing and alternatives are a viable source of employment and economic sustainability to mitigate the effects of increasing levels of unemployment worldwide.