What do growing early-stage digital start-ups look like? A mixed-methods approach

Digital entrepreneurship is one of the most important and impactful forms entrepreneurship. However, majority digital start-ups fail to scale, despite their potential achieve growth. Moreover, what constitutes growth significantly different for as compared with established firms: they have limited financial performance, cannot be accurately measured by metrics such customers, revenues, profits, turnover at early stages new venture creation process or before start-up has reached sustainability. Therefore, first objective this research contribute definition examining less tangible dimensions second identify characteristics early-stage experiencing Based on a mixed-methods approach, which combines an adapted Delphi study, questionnaire-based survey, comparative case our results suggest that growing exhibit set include: agile culture combining clan adhocracy; ability nurture absorptive, innovative, adaptive capabilities effectively; human capital adequate entrepreneurial skills, emotional attachment fitness start-up. • Definition start-ups. Understanding are Culture, Capabilities, Human profile start-ups’ Mixed-methods approach: survey two studies. Context: process.