The development of a start-up from idea to feasible business concept
Grinberg, Anna (2016)
Laurea-ammattikorkeakoulu
2016
Creative Commons Attribution 1.0 Finland
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2016121219886
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2016121219886
Tiivistelmä
This thesis report describes the development of the author’s start-up company, “a thousand words”. A comprehensive account is provided of this venture’s development from the initial rough idea to a feasible business concept that is ready to go to market.
It is the author’s ambition to provide realistic insights into the development process which may offer motivation and confidence to other start-up entrepreneurs. The academic goal is to delineate the role of the theoretical knowledge base in entrepreneurship and provide examples of the implementation of appropriate tools and methods in a real-life case scenario.
The research-oriented approach for this project is innovation. The author used a variety of methods to reach her research objectives. These ranged from traditional methods, such as documentary research, qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey to the rarer encountered diary method. There is no strict division between the theoretical and empirical sections; rather, these are intertwined within the respective chapter and topic.
Each chapter of the thesis report starts with a short description of its content. The respective chapter’s content is always structured in the following way. First, the theoretical background is highlighted, e.g. definitions are given, general information on the topic provided. Then the application of the theoretical findings and theories to the case start-up “a thousand words” is presented. Finally, the respective interim results and findings are summed up.
The results of this research and development work are as follows. The author identifies business planning approaches and tools suitable for a small start-up. She conducts market research for the case start-up, “a thousand words”, with both its customer groups. Furthermore, she designs and develops a Business Model Canvas and an elevator pitch presentation for the case start-up. There follow the marketing strategy and a minimum viable product (MVP) for ”a thousand words”. Finally, the author identifies the most essential skills for start-up entrepreneurs.
It is the author’s ambition to provide realistic insights into the development process which may offer motivation and confidence to other start-up entrepreneurs. The academic goal is to delineate the role of the theoretical knowledge base in entrepreneurship and provide examples of the implementation of appropriate tools and methods in a real-life case scenario.
The research-oriented approach for this project is innovation. The author used a variety of methods to reach her research objectives. These ranged from traditional methods, such as documentary research, qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey to the rarer encountered diary method. There is no strict division between the theoretical and empirical sections; rather, these are intertwined within the respective chapter and topic.
Each chapter of the thesis report starts with a short description of its content. The respective chapter’s content is always structured in the following way. First, the theoretical background is highlighted, e.g. definitions are given, general information on the topic provided. Then the application of the theoretical findings and theories to the case start-up “a thousand words” is presented. Finally, the respective interim results and findings are summed up.
The results of this research and development work are as follows. The author identifies business planning approaches and tools suitable for a small start-up. She conducts market research for the case start-up, “a thousand words”, with both its customer groups. Furthermore, she designs and develops a Business Model Canvas and an elevator pitch presentation for the case start-up. There follow the marketing strategy and a minimum viable product (MVP) for ”a thousand words”. Finally, the author identifies the most essential skills for start-up entrepreneurs.