Publications

02 Oct 2000
Research & Ideas

Networked Incubators: Hothouses of the New Economy

the Internet economy. It shares certain features with other incubators—mainly, it fosters a spirit of entrepreneurship and offers economies of scale. But its key distinguishing feature is its ability to give start-ups preferential access... View Details

Keywords: by Morten T. Hansen, Henry W. Chesbrough, Nitin Nohria & Donald N. Sull

9 AM – 10 AM EDT, 30 Oct 2019
HBS Online

HBS Online Entrepreneurship Essentials

Master a proven framework for building and financing new ventures and learn to speak the language of the start-up world. Program Dates: October 30, 2019 - December 27, 2019 View Details

9 AM – 10 AM EDT, 12 Jun 2019
HBS Online

HBS Online Entrepreneurship Essentials

Master a proven framework for building and financing new ventures and learn to speak the language of the start-up world. Program Dates: June 12, 2019 - July 10, 2019 View Details

9 AM – 9 AM EST, 14 Nov 2018

HBX Entrepreneurship Essentials

Master a proven framework for building and financing new ventures and learn to speak the language of the start-up world. Program Dates: November 14, 2018 - December 12, 2018 View Details

Research Summary

3. Emergence and Early Growth of a New Venture in an Unfriendly Environment: The Role of a Business Group

Abstract: How can an established organization ease the emergence and early growth of a new venture in an unfriendly environment? To answer this question, I describe and analyze the foundation and early life of two biotechnology start-ups at the... View Details

May 2017 (Revised June 2017)
Case

ATH Technologies (A): Making the Numbers

By: Robert Simons and Jennifer Packard

An exercise that takes students through five stages of growth in an entrepreneurial start-up in the medical devices industry: 1) founding, 2) growth, 3) push to profitability, 4) refocusing process, and 5) takeover by new management. At each stage, students must... View Details

Keywords: Strategy And Execution; Management Control Systems; Balancing Innovation And Control; Performance Management; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Startups; Profit; Geographic Location; Governance Controls; Innovation and Invention; Management Succession; Performance Evaluation; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

July 2017
Case

Magpie: Developing and Using Buyer Personas

By: Frank V. Cespedes

The founders of a start-up platform for publishers have developed preliminary personas of target customers and are evaluating the implications for initial target buyers, messaging, and marketing programs. The case is useful for discussing the process of developing... View Details

Keywords: Buying Process; Marketing; Sales; Distribution Channels; Segmentation; Entrepreneurship; Social Media; Consumer Products Industry; Fashion Industry; United States

January 2002 (Revised July 2007)
Case

Publishing Group of America (A)

By: Jay O. Light, Michael J. Roberts and Taslim Pirmohamed

A small start-up in the publishing business compares three possible alternatives for its new round of equity financing. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Venture Capital; Equity; Financing and Loans; Information Publishing; United States

June 2001
Case

Infinata: The Quest for Human Resource Venture Capital

By: Jay O. Light and Anthony Massaro

A potential start-up in the Web-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is considering a deal with a software developer. View Details

Keywords: Negotiation; Negotiation Deal; Customer Relationship Management; Internet and the Web; Business Startups; Information Technology Industry

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January 1989
Supplement

Suzanne de Passe at Motown Productions, Video

By: Linda A. Hill

Updates events in the case and draws a tighter focus on managing a start-up and women in leadership. View Details

Keywords: Management; Leadership; Gender; Business Startups

13 Sep 2004
Research & Ideas

Cash and the Woman-Owned Business

Building sufficient cash reserves to launch a business and managing subsequent fundraising are challenges for every entrepreneur, but they are particularly daunting tasks for women. Women often come up short of cash at start-up and, when... View Details

Keywords: by Candida Brush, Nancy M. Carter, Elizabeth Gatewood, Patricia G. Greene & Myra M. Hart

October 3, 2016
Article

Immigrants Play a Disproportionate Role in American Entrepreneurship

By: Sari Pekkala Kerr and William R. Kerr

This article summarizes recent research on how immigrants contribute to the formation of U.S. start-ups and the traits of the businesses founded. View Details

Keywords: Networks; Demographics; Entrepreneurship

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January 2002 (Revised March 2002)
Case

Intuitive Surgical - Negotiating the Deal

By: Jay O. Light and Anthony Massaro

Two cofounders of a company enter into a negotiation to set the terms of a start-up in the field of laparoscopic surgery. View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Tactics; Negotiation Style; Negotiation Deal; Health Care and Treatment; Business Startups; Health Industry

February 2001 (Revised June 2001)
Case

ClubTools, Inc.

By: Paul W. Marshall and Kristin Perry

Discusses the development of an Internet start-up by a recent HBS graduate. Details the company's business plan, incubation, technology development, marketing strategy, and search for funding. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Business Plan; Cash Flow; Marketing Strategy; Financing and Loans; Technological Innovation; Internet and the Web; Forecasting and Prediction