Publications

September 2023 (Revised January 2025)
Case

To Found or to Cofound? That is the Question

By: Christina Wallace and Jo Tango

Entrepreneurs often struggle with the question of whether to found solo or alongside one or more cofounders. This case is comprised of three vignettes detailing common founding scenarios: the first-time technical founder; the serial commercial founder; and the MBA... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Decisions; Entrepreneurship; Partners and Partnerships

April 2019
Case

Boxed

By: Laura Huang, Andy Wu and Jiayi Bao

Boxed.com (“Boxed”) is an ambitious e-commerce retailer start-up, founded by visionary CEO Chieh Huang in 2013. From starting in Huang’s garage in 2013, to winning Emerging E-Retailer of the Year in 2016, to having 4 operational distribution centers in 2018, Boxed used... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurial Management; Business Startups; Leadership; Strategy; Success; E-commerce; Retail Industry

November 2011 (Revised February 2012)
Background Note

Location Choice for New Ventures: Choices within Cities

By: William R. Kerr and Alexis Brownell

Keywords: Business Startups; Urban Scope; Geographic Location

April 1984
Supplement

Johnson & Johnson (B): Hospital Services, James Burke, Video

By: Francis Aguilar

James Burke, chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, discusses the decision to establish a hospital services company. The problem is that this new unit, created to serve 14 Johnson & Johnson companies, runs counter to the corporate culture where autonomy and... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Decision Making; Organizational Culture; Problems and Challenges; Health Industry

15 Apr 2016
News

Uber for MBAs Is a Worrying Sign

Keywords: HourlyNerd; Management of Companies and Enterprises; Management

13 Dec 2021
News

Tom Eisenmann & The Other F Word (Failure)

October 1975 (Revised August 1986)
Case

Limited Editions, Inc.

Describes a new venture: production of figurines in limited quantities as works of art and investments. Company guarantees to repurchase at original price. View Details

Keywords: Revenue Recognition; Business Startups; Consumer Products Industry

April 2015 (Revised May 2018)
Case

NXTP Labs: An Innovative Accelerator Model

By: Josh Lerner, Maria Fernanda Miguel and Laura Urdapilleta

This case follows a unique accelerator fund in Latin America, facing challenges on how to keep growing, including development of venture capital fund and leveraging of entrepreneur ecosystem. View Details

Keywords: Latin America; Accelerator; Ecosystem; Entrepreneurship; Venture Capital; Business Startups; Financial Services Industry; Latin America

February 2014
Teaching Plan

Pixability: Bettina's Board Walk

By: Noam Wasserman and Yael Braid

[Teaching Plan for 814-021.] View Details

Keywords: Governing and Advisory Boards; Business Startups

March 2011
Background Note

Financing New Ventures

By: William R. Kerr and Ramana Nanda

Aid in understanding of financing entrepreneurship. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Entrepreneurship; Financing and Loans

March 2006
Teaching Note

Stan Lapidus: Profile of a Medical Entrepreneur (TN)

By: Robert F. Higgins, Richard G. Hamermesh and Erin Seefeld

Teaching Note to (805-087). View Details

Keywords: Personal Development and Career; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Biotechnology Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry

February 2000
Background Note

Angel Investing

By: Michael J. Roberts, Howard H. Stevenson and Kenneth B. Morse

Discusses the industry practices of angel investors, individuals who invest privately in new ventures. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Venture Capital; Practice

September 1998 (Revised November 1998)
Case

Walnut Venture Associates (D): RBS Deal Terms

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Business Plan; Research; Software; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Information Technology Industry

October 2022
Supplement

Beam Dental (A): Pitch Deck Supplement 2

By: Rembrand Koning and Alicia Dadlani

Early pitch deck (two of two). This case is a supplement to Beam Dental (A) 723-355. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Business Strategy; Entrepreneurship; United States; Kentucky; Ohio

Fast Answer

Green Business: beginner's resources and toolkit

Where can I find guides and tools for for first-time environmental startups? Resources on environmental/green business: ABI/Proquest: search for articles on topics related to green/eco/sustainable startups, and on green business or View Details

03 Oct 2014
News

Meet The Woman Who's Changing The Way You Spend Your Free Time

01 Jun 2012
News

Pitfalls, Trade-Offs, Dreaming Big

book, The Founder’s Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can Sink a Startup (Princeton University Press), draws on data gleaned from nearly 4,000 high-potential start-ups and 10,000 founders, while incorporating case... View Details

Keywords: Garry Emmons; Health, Social Assistance; Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services; Information; News, Library, Internet, and Other Services; Information

April 1998 (Revised November 1999)
Case

CitySoft, Inc.

By: Myra M. Hart, Marco Iansiti, Andrea H. Chermayeff and Diana S. Gardner

Two entrepreneurs are discussing how to scale-up their new company. They face a variety of issues, ranging from hiring and training to strategy and focus. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Business Strategy; Business Growth and Maturation; Selection and Staffing; Internet; Web Services Industry