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- All HBS Web
(3,913)
- People (5)
- News (1,269)
- Research (1,827)
- Events (13)
- Multimedia (53)
- Faculty Publications (1,523)
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- December 2018 (Revised June 2021)
- Case
Bulb 2015: Foundation
By: John R. Wells and Benjamin Weinstock
In late August 2015, Amit Gudka and Hayden Wood, co-founders of Bulb, Ltd (Bulb), were ready to offer affordable renewable energy to the United Kingdom’s 27 million households. They hoped to capitalize on the hundreds of thousands of customers switching their energy... View Details
Keywords: Green Energy; Start-up; Launch; Customer Acquisition; Customer Churn; Customer Engagement; Electricity; Resources; Growth Strategy; B-Corp; Entrepreneurial Journey; Entrepreneurial Management; Start-ups; Renewable Energy; Business Startups; Business Plan; Business Model; Working Capital; Customers; Growth and Development Strategy; United Kingdom
Wells, John R., and Benjamin Weinstock. "Bulb 2015: Foundation." Harvard Business School Case 719-440, December 2018. (Revised June 2021.)
- February 2003
- Supplement
Silvio Napoli Cross Cultural Management
Presents an interview with Silvio Napoli regarding cultural aspects of an Italian manager in a Swiss company opening an Indian subsidiary. Issues range from personal and family adjustment to management style, corporate culture, and differences in national... View Details
Keywords: Management Style; Business Subsidiaries; Nationality; Organizational Culture; Personal Characteristics; Business Startups; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Italy; Switzerland; India
Bartlett, Christopher A. "Silvio Napoli Cross Cultural Management." Harvard Business School Video Supplement 303-806, February 2003.
- August 2000 (Revised February 2002)
- Case
Arepa
By: Jay O. Light and Daniel J. Green
This case illustrates the importance of structuring negotiations with large companies and investors that are critical to a start-up's success. It depicts a firm with innovative technology that contracts with giant companies in order to survive. It also demonstrates how... View Details
Keywords: Negotiation; Organizational Structure; Entrepreneurship; Technological Innovation; Business or Company Management; Business Model; Partners and Partnerships; Business Startups
Light, Jay O., and Daniel J. Green. "Arepa." Harvard Business School Case 201-008, August 2000. (Revised February 2002.)
- December 1996 (Revised June 1998)
- Case
Midnight Networks, Inc.
By: H. Kent Bowen and Marilyn Matis
Midnight Networks, Inc., is a small computer network validation company. This case describes how the five founders built their business from operations earnings and how they established "best practices" operational processes to run their firm successfully. Operational... View Details
Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Business or Company Management; Operations; Organizational Culture; Applications and Software; Business Startups; Business Growth and Maturation; Information Technology Industry; Massachusetts
Bowen, H. Kent, and Marilyn Matis. "Midnight Networks, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 697-019, December 1996. (Revised June 1998.)
- 07 Dec 2015
- Research & Ideas
The Rise of Personalized Entrepreneurial Finance and Other VC Trends
limit the success of these programs. Q: The news site Quartz published a chart showing the fastest-growing areas of startup investment since 2012: Bitcoin, photo sharing, storage, space travel, transportation, hospitality. What does that... View Details
- 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
Tango, Jo, and Alys Ferragamo. "Founder Collective." Harvard Business School Case 822-129, May 2022. (Revised December 2023.)
- March 2011
- Background Note
Pitching Business Opportunities
By: Lynda M. Applegate, William R. Kerr and Alexis Brownell
This note can be used to develop a business plan pitch for a new venture. View Details
Keywords: Business Plan; Business Startups; Spoken Communication; Competency and Skills; Entrepreneurship
Applegate, Lynda M., William R. Kerr, and Alexis Brownell. "Pitching Business Opportunities." Harvard Business School Background Note 811-086, March 2011.
- June 2005 (Revised July 2006)
- Case
fortu PowerCell GmbH
By: Michael J. Roberts, William A. Sahlman, Vincent Dessain, Monika Stachowiak and Anders Sjoman
Describes the financing, strategy, and growth decisions facing fortu, a young German battery company. The company is contemplating a facility in East Germany, where state subsidies make the finances appealing. A sudden offer to license fortu technology for application... View Details
Keywords: Technological Innovation; Financing and Loans; Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; Battery Industry; Germany
Roberts, Michael J., William A. Sahlman, Vincent Dessain, Monika Stachowiak, and Anders Sjoman. "fortu PowerCell GmbH." Harvard Business School Case 805-159, June 2005. (Revised July 2006.)
- February 2001
- Case
Bang Networks, Inc.
By: Paul A. Gompers and Sergio Rattner
Bob Rosin, president and CEO of Bang Networks, must decide how much debt financing to take on. The company is a raw start-up and is considering taking on $10 million in debt. The firm has six offers and needs to identify the best one. View Details
Gompers, Paul A., and Sergio Rattner. "Bang Networks, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 201-074, February 2001.
- September 2000 (Revised March 2006)
- Case
ZOOTS--The Cleaner Cleaner
By: Myra M. Hart and Sharon Peyus
A successful entrepreneur (retailing) starts a new venture in dry cleaning. The case focuses on transferable models, skills, and knowledge from one venture to the next. Areas of emphasis are: managing growth, challenges of operations, financing, and competitive moves. View Details
Keywords: Growth Management; Competitive Strategy; Operations; Knowledge Dissemination; Business Startups; Corporate Finance; Service Industry; Retail Industry
Hart, Myra M., and Sharon Peyus. "ZOOTS--The Cleaner Cleaner." Harvard Business School Case 801-114, September 2000. (Revised March 2006.)
- September 2000 (Revised October 2006)
- Teaching Note
Wildfire Communications, Inc. (A) and (B) (TN)
Teaching Note for (9-396-305) and (9-396-306). View Details
- January 1997 (Revised December 1999)
- Case
OXO International
By: H. Kent Bowen, Marilyn Matis and Sylvie Ryckebusch
OXO, a kitchen tools and gadgets company, was started by a businessman who had 30 years of experience in the housewares industry. With his wife and son as founders, he creates a new niche in the gadgets industry for high-end gourmet stores. The company has headquarters... View Details
Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Supply Chain Management; Production; Design; Ownership; Business Startups; Acquisition; Consumer Products Industry; Asia; New York (city, NY); Connecticut
Bowen, H. Kent, Marilyn Matis, and Sylvie Ryckebusch. "OXO International." Harvard Business School Case 697-007, January 1997. (Revised December 1999.)
- February 1978
- Case
Sierra Log Homes, Inc. (A)
Describes the history and evolution of the log home manufacturing industry, a rapidly growing embryonic industry capitalizing on the back-to-basics lifestyle changes in the United States. Focuses on one of the leading firms in the industry, but allows a discussion of... View Details
Keywords: Business or Company Management; Change Management; Industry Structures; Supply and Industry; Problems and Challenges; Business Startups; Business Strategy; Manufacturing Industry; United States
Porter, Michael E. "Sierra Log Homes, Inc. (A)." Harvard Business School Case 378-195, February 1978.
- June 2007 (Revised March 2008)
- Case
Zoots - Financing Growth (A)
By: Michael J. Roberts, William A. Sahlman and Todd Krasnow
Traces the genesis and founding of Zoots, the largest chain of dry cleaning establishments in the U.S. Founded by some of the founders of the very successful Staples chain, the company raises a very large amount of capital without fully proving its business model, and... View Details
Keywords: Business Startups; Decision Choices and Conditions; Venture Capital; Financial Strategy; Investment Return; Growth and Development Strategy; Valuation; United States
Roberts, Michael J., William A. Sahlman, and Todd Krasnow. "Zoots - Financing Growth (A)." Harvard Business School Case 807-139, June 2007. (Revised March 2008.)
- December 2018 (Revised June 2021)
- Supplement
Bulb 2018: Hypergrowth
By: John R. Wells and Benjamin Weinstock
After a wild and volatile year, Bulb, a new entrant in the UK residential energy market, ended March 2018 with 329,171 properties, 1.2% of the total residential energy market). This was 150% ahead of a plan for 130,000 properties and almost ten times the size the... View Details
Keywords: Rapid Growth Stage; Green Energy; Start-up; Customer Acquisition; Customer Churn; Customer Engagement; Electricity; Resources; Growth Strategy; B-Corp; Entrepreneurial Finance; Entrepreneurial Journey; Entrepreneurial Financing; Renewable Energy; Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; Business Model; Working Capital; Customers; Growth Management; Finance; Decision Making; United Kingdom
Wells, John R., and Benjamin Weinstock. "Bulb 2018: Hypergrowth." Harvard Business School Supplement 719-442, December 2018. (Revised June 2021.)
- July 2010 (Revised October 2012)
- Case
Employment Vignettes
By: Lena G. Goldberg and Chad M. Carr
Six vignettes drawn from decided cases explore legal and business issues in hiring, firing, promoting, and demoting employees, with an emphasis on protected classes, pretext, and anti-discrimination laws in the setting of start-ups and privately held companies. View Details
Keywords: Business Startups; For-Profit Firms; Employees; Resignation and Termination; Selection and Staffing; Laws and Statutes; Lawsuits and Litigation
Goldberg, Lena G., and Chad M. Carr. "Employment Vignettes." Harvard Business School Case 311-021, July 2010. (Revised October 2012.)
- December 2003 (Revised September 2004)
- Case
Managing Segway's Early Development
By: Richard G. Hamermesh and David Kiron
Describes the early development of the Segway Human Transporter and focuses on the organizational issues that arise between the parent company and the new company that is being spun out to produce and market the Segway. Key issues are the distribution of bonuses and... View Details
Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Business Startups; Employee Stock Ownership Plan; Resource Allocation; Organizational Design; Technology Adoption
Hamermesh, Richard G., and David Kiron. "Managing Segway's Early Development." Harvard Business School Case 804-065, December 2003. (Revised September 2004.)
- February 2021 (Revised June 2021)
- Case
Bairong and the Promise of Big Data
By: Lauren Cohen, Xiaoyan Zhang and Spencer C.N. Hagist
Bairong CEO Felix Zhang, in launching his credit scoring start-up that incorporates 74,000 variables per individual, found strong initial success. However, the shifting regulatory environment, growing breadth of competitors, difficulties in retaining top talent, and... View Details
Keywords: Fintech; Big Data; Artificial Intelligence; Credit Scoring; Finance; Credit; Business Startups; AI and Machine Learning; Analytics and Data Science; China
Cohen, Lauren, Xiaoyan Zhang, and Spencer C.N. Hagist. "Bairong and the Promise of Big Data." Harvard Business School Case 221-068, February 2021. (Revised June 2021.)
- August 2018
- Case
Tapping Growth at Lord Hobo Brewing Company
By: Ethan Rouen and Susanna Gallani
Lord Hobo Brewing Company accounts for its inventory process as it prepares to create its first set of professional financial statements for investors. View Details
Keywords: Inventory; Start-ups; Craft Brewing; Investing; GAAP; Brand Management; Accounting; Working Capital; Entrepreneurship; Private Equity; Business Startups; Business and Shareholder Relations; Food and Beverage Industry; Boston; New England; United States
Rouen, Ethan, and Susanna Gallani. "Tapping Growth at Lord Hobo Brewing Company." Harvard Business School Case 119-028, August 2018.
- February 2006 (Revised December 2009)
- Case
Pixamo-Inc., AG, or OOO?
Andrew Prihodko is forming a new venture, Pixamo, the next generation of online photo management and sharing sites. Pixamo's alpha site has generated over 1,000 users and a lot of information about registration and usage patterns. Prihodko must address a number of... View Details
Keywords: Geographic Location; Globalized Firms and Management; Internet and the Web; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Web Services Industry; Delaware; Switzerland; Ukraine
Isenberg, Daniel J. "Pixamo-Inc., AG, or OOO?" Harvard Business School Case 806-123, February 2006. (Revised December 2009.)