Michael D. Moberly, Principal, Founder kpstrat and ‘Business Intangible Asset Blog – Business Intangible Asset Strategies and Risk Mitigator
I respectfully encourage founders, management teams, and prospective investors to reflect on, consider, and distinguish the following types – categories of startups, e.g.,
- the mission – circumstances of either may represent good-better-best relative to preparedness, experience, and aspirations for any startup.
Entrepreneurial aspirationalists’ may be (a.) influenced to follow – pursue particular-avenues and/or (b.) instinctively possess the good sense to recognize serendipitous opportunities (right time – right place) and (c.) ways – how either may – could materialize as a path to translate an idea, innovation, invention, and/or research to a viable ‘startup’.
Some entrepreneurial aspirationalists’ may proceed – advance to either found, lead, and/or manage a private – university-based research startup, and/or an early-stage business.
The leadership of every startup which I am familiar assert they hold particularly unique knowledge (intellectual capital), and knowhow (structural capital) to develop a process – procedure which can deliver a lucrative – beneficial outcome.
I contend an overlooked – less emphasized essential to startups’ many successes, lie with articulating – assuring a relevantly experienced, practically collaborative, guidable, and mission focused operating culture is present…for the duration.
A startups ‘operating culture’ plays significant roles in both (a.) attracting – securing investment and funding, and (b.) elevating the probability that ‘proof-of-concepts’ undergo sufficient testing – assessment and materialize.
Types – Categories of Startups…
- those startups which hold – wish to pursue potentially broad – lucrative ‘scalability and valuation’, whether either stem from a private and/or university-based R&D endeavor, which perhaps is engaged in testing – consumer trials, awaiting outcomes and/or regulatory approval, etc., all variously dependent on reasonably predictable infusions of capital.
- those startups which are developed – intended, by design, to become ‘attractively buyable’ at some point, e.g., purchased – bought-out by an established corporation, perhaps attracted by a particular technology or application a startup has developed, perfected, deemed scalable, and can be applied to enhance an existing product or service, or can be ‘differentiated and brought to market’ relatively quickly standing-alone.
- off-shoot startups, i.e., a particular-business unit and/or brand of a larger – parent company with promising – independently scalable projections which ‘branches off’ (separates) as an independent entity to open – enter a new or different market which may include mitigating – disrupting advantages of competitors.
- social startups, i.e., an entrepreneurial non-profit whose intent is to fulfill – serve a particular-social (perhaps unmet) need, mission, or goal better, differently, more broadly-effectively, and/or more efficiently.
I am not suggesting every startup will or should necessarily fit ‘neatly – irreversibly into one of the above types and categories.
I encourage startup founders, leadership, and prospective investors be receptive to startup variants, hybrids, and convergence, e.g., recognize – appreciate possible similarities (in type-category, etc.) relative to…
- aspiration, motivation, content, mission, challenges, management, operating culture, and projected outcome, and the,
- various layers of intellectual, structural, and relationship capital, i.e., ‘mission essential’ intangible assets which are necessary to progress + succeed.
I discourage silo-ing startups’ by only considering – applying the above types – categories.
Readers need not look far to recognize examples wherein ‘social media launch’ representations – portrayals of particular-startups variously shaped and destined its type – category assignment.
The ‘Business Intangible Asset Blog’ is experientially-researched, written, and produced by Michael D. Moberly, to provide perspectives, insights, and additional and sometimes alternative perspectives to readers, ala business leaders, management teams, boards, and investors, etc., to aid in identifying, distinguishing, assessing, valuing, safeguarding, and lucratively – competitively utilizing -applying their ‘mission essential’ intangible assets.
Readers are-encouraged to review and comment on this, and other posts wherein arrays of issues related to business things intangible are authentically and practically conveyed.
