Accelerating growth - Determinants of revenue growth in technology startups

Sammanfattning: In today’s competitive market landscape, companies in an early phase with a business model that in the long term is expected to generate revenues from a global customer base, are facing increasing challenges to realise their growth targets. At the same time, global economical, technological, and societal megatrends forces incumbents and new challengers alike to adapt their modus operandi. The purpose of this thesis is to identify, analyse and describe the determinants for growth in technology startups, in terms of their strategy, resources & capabilities, and value proposition. Relying on the analysis of the case studies in conjunction with established academic research, three areas of importance were identified. Firstly, a guiding coalition that provides strategic direction is needed, at least in an advisory role, to guide the startup in the competitive landscape. Secondly, technology startups should put great emphasis on finding and retaining the right people in order to complement the capabilities of the entrepreneur and mitigate risks. Lastly, the startup must ensure that the product-market fit is adequate by researching the target market, construct a segmentation logic, and develop and configure a product or service that satisfies the segments’ preferences.