Creating prerequisites for successful scaling of startup company

Abstract

Startup je poseban oblik mladog poduzeća koji najčešće djeluje u tehnološkim industrijama, obilježava ga velika razina inovativnosti i agilnosti u rastu. Ovaj oblik poduzeća se razvio pojavom tehnološke revolucije u području silicijske doline, a pojavom interneta je doživio veliki rast te je danas jako popularan način izgradnje disruptivne tvrtke. Kao odgovor na takozvanu dot-com krizu u svijetu startupa su se razvile razne metodologije poput Customer developmenta, Lean startupa i Lean Canvasa koje za cilj imaju umanjiti rizike pokretanja startupa uz istovremeno povećanje agilnosti. Ove su se metodologije pokazale jako efikasnima u pokretanju startupa pa je sada glavni problem u životnom ciklusu startupa njegovo uspješno skaliranje. Skaliranje je proces u kojem raste broj korisnika startupovog proizvoda ili usluge ali i čitava startup organizacija. On je također jako rizičan te većina startupa upravo u toj fazi dožive propast. Kako bi startupi uspjeli uspješno skalirati potrebno je ispuniti određene preduvjete. Startup ekosistem je osnovni preduvjet uspješnog rasta startupa te je on nužna potpora svakom startupu u vidu pristupa kapitalu, radnoj snazi, znanju i stabilnom tržištu. Internacionalizacija predstavlja cilj većine startupa ali sa sobom donosi i velike rizike te joj je stoga nužno pristupat metodično i uz veliku pripremu. Finalni preduvjet uspješnog skaliranja je definiranje poslovnog modela startupa te nužnih mjerila uspješnosti unutar tog modela. Startupi koji se nalaze unutar zdravog ekosistema, pažljivo pristupaju internacionalizaciji te se fokusiraju na najbitnija mjerila unutar odabranog poslovnog modela imaju veće šanse za uspješno skaliranje.A startup is a unique type of young company that usually operates within informational industries. They are often innovative and agile even when they grow. This type of company has developed during the technological revolution in the area of Silicon Valley and with the rise of the Internet, it grew in the most popular methodology in building a disruptive business. As an answer to a so-called dot-com bubble several methodologies like Customer development, Lean Startup, and lean canvas have been developed. These methodologies have a goal of making it easier to create startups while making them even more agile. Methodologies have shown great efficiency in startup creation so the current biggest problem in startup lifecycle is the process of scaling. Scaling is a process in which the number of users is being grown while simultaneously scaling the whole startup organization. It is also a very risky process and most of the startups fail in this phase. To scale successfully startups have to meet several prerequisites. A startup ecosystem is the main prerequisite in successful startup growth as it can provide the startup with the necessary capital, workforce and stable market. The second prerequisite is internationalization as it is a goal of the majority of startups but it also brings big risks so it requires a methodical and careful approach. Final prerequisite of successful scaling is defining the business model of startup together with the most important metrics for measuring performance. Startups that are located within a healthy ecosystem with a methodical approach to internationalization and focus on key metrics for its business model will have better chances of scaling successfully