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October 2012 (Revised February 2013)
Case

Innova Capital: The Transition

By: Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon

The partners at Innova Capital, a leading mid-market private equity investor in Poland, must negotiate a transition of power between the two ex-patriate founders and three talented young Polish partners. If they fail to find an accomodation, the entire firm will... View Details

Keywords: Firm Structure; Career Management; Emerging Market; Succession; Entrepreneurship; Private Equity; Venture Capital; Negotiation; Investment; Restructuring; Transition

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

06 Apr 2016
Research & Ideas

Should Entrepreneurs Pitch Products or Ideas for Products?

In trying to secure financial backing for a new product, independent innovators generally face the question of how much to invest in development before showing it around. Should they create, say, a working prototype (and maybe even generate sales) or pitch the idea for... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Motion Pictures & Video; Entertainment & Recreation; Banking

01 Sep 2009
First Look

First Look: September 1

disclosure regulation (the U.K.), the analyst school-tie premium has remained large and significant over the entire sample period. Specialization and Success: Evidence from Venture Capital Authors:Paul A.... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

03 May 2016
Working Paper Summaries

Pay Now or Pay Later? The Economics within the Private Equity Partnership

Keywords: by Victoria Ivashina and Josh Lerner; Banking; Financial Services

16 Mar 2010
First Look

First Look: March 16

Abstract We document geographic concentration by both venture capital firms and venture capital-financed companies in three metropolitan areas: San Francisco, Boston, and New... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

06 Jan 2010
What Do You Think?

Is a Stringent Climate Change Agreement a Pot of Gold?

Summing Up Do we even need a stringent climate change agreement? Judging from this month's comments, a question can be raised about the necessity of a climate change agreement, stringent or not, as a catalyst to foster innovation and the View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett; Energy; Utilities

December 2018
Supplement

iyzico: Fundraising in Emerging Markets (B)

By: Marco Di Maggio and Gamze Yucaoglu

The case opens in July 2016 as Barbaros Ozbugutu, co-founder and CEO of the Istanbul-based payment technology start-up iyzico, contemplates the pros and cons of the different term sheets the company has received for its Series C round. The case then informs the reader... View Details

Keywords: Iyzico; Fundraising; Business Startups; Venture Capital; Emerging Markets; Negotiation Offer; Decision Choices and Conditions

16 Jul 2021
Op-Ed

For Entrepreneurs, the Benefits of Slowing Down

A few months ago, I wrote about the ridiculous increase in velocity that we are seeing in the venture capital market in my post, Velocity and Venture Capital: 11. Now that... View Details

Keywords: by Jeffrey Bussgang

30 Oct 2006
First Look

First Look: October 31, 2006

board levels. It explores whether this tension exists both at the level of the individual entrepreneur's financial gains and at the level of the overall venture's value, and also whether entrepreneurs can avoid the tradeoff by building more human View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

March 2011
Teaching Note

PrimedicProviding Primary Care in Mexico (TN)

By: Richard G. Hamermesh

Teaching Note for 811040. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Health Care and Treatment; Venture Capital; Financing and Loans; Business Model; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; Mexico

May 2022 (Revised December 2023)
Case

Founder Collective

By: Jo Tango and Alys Ferragamo

Founder Collective ("FC") launched in 2009 with a clear mission: to be the most aligned fund for founders at the seed stage. In keeping with its mission, FC maintained smaller fund sizes and was not a lifecycle investor. By November of 2021, the seed market had become... View Details

Keywords: Seed Investing; Business Startups; Mission and Purpose; Investment; Competitive Strategy; Venture Capital

April 2021
Teaching Note

Thingtesting: Launching a Brand Discovery and Testing Digital Community

By: Ayelet Israeli and Jill Avery

Teaching Note for the "Thingtesting: Launching a Brand Discovery and Testing Digital Community" HBS Case No. 520-086. View Details

18 Sep 2000
Research & Ideas

Getting It Done: Improving Nonprofit Performance

easier to achieve in a for-profit organization than in a comparable nonprofit," he writes in a recent working paper, "Philanthropic Social Capital Markets and Performance-Driven Philanthropy," and the most important reason is capital. "It... View Details

Keywords: by James E. Aisner

09 Apr 2014
Research & Ideas

A Playbook for Small-Business Job Creation

to capital, which was a primary focus of hers at the SBA. Spreading The Wealth Having spent over 25 years in private equity and venture capital firms before becoming SBA Administrator, Mills has perspective... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Banking; Financial Services

July 2023
Case

Honeycomb

By: Jeffrey J. Bussgang and Kumba Sennaar

Honeycomb, an audio app enabling seniors to record stories and save family memories, suddenly draws interest from a younger user demographic. The co-founders consider pivoting to better serve this new user demographic. How should they think about strategy, brand, and... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Venture Capital; Operations; Business Startups; Customer Focus and Relationships; Age; Brands and Branding; Technology Industry; United States

September 2023
Case

Ada: Cultivating Investors

By: Reza Satchu and Patrick Sanguineti

Mike Murchison, co-founder and CEO of Ada, has an enviable dilemma. Launched in 2016 by Murchison and his co-founder David Hariri, Ada is an AI-native company that aims to revolutionize how businesses approach customer service. The company has already attracted a buzz,... View Details

Keywords: Founder; Fundraising; Business Startups; Decisions; Entrepreneurship; Venture Capital; AI and Machine Learning; Technology Industry

May 2013
Supplement

AME Learning Inc.

This is the Spreadsheet Supplement for HBS Case #810065 (AME Learning). Includes Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2, Exhibit 8, and Exhibit 9. View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurial Management; Entrepreneurs; Angels; Angel Investors; Growth Planning And Management; Growth Strategy; Family Businesses; Family-owned Business; Careers; Venture Capital; Entrepreneurship; Personal Development and Career; Family and Family Relationships; Family Business; Canada; United States