Why Start-ups often fail

The outcome was uncertain: Would the Server to the onslaught of the users stand? Or the hopeful Start-up would collapse-up under the big rush? A victim of its own success, because it had revolutionized the search on the Internet, really? Now, Google survived, but difficulties such as these, of which the eighth employee of the company, the Swiss Urs Hölzle, recently reported, there are many Start-ups. And many do not survive.

But there are not always technical-organizational problems, the Start-ups to Fail. Much more important soft factors such as teamwork and self-confidence are. This was the interim result of a study of the Entrepreneurship Research Institute at the Technical University of Munich (TUM ERI). Germany is one of the world's leading countries when it comes to cutting-edge research. However, from the many good ideas generated at the research institutions, are ultimately too few companies. Only 5 per cent of the graduates on the grounds of, for example, in Estonia, there are 19 percent.

the Swiss Start-up scene that shows the Swiss Startup Radar of the faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Lausanne. Since the 90s, the number of Start-up start-UPS has risen sharply. From year to year based on the 300 technology-driven companies. But international comparison also shows that Swiss Start-ups grow less strongly than those in other countries. Especially in the first ten years after the establishment of the Start-ups are developing only slowly.

The right Team is the decisive factor

"the founder of high-tech Start-ups do often very hard to find the right team members," says Nicola Breugst. The Professor of Entrepreneurial Behavior at the TUM ERI and her Team are interested, in particular, what psychological factors are not responsible for the fact that College grads reasons, even a Start-up or Start-ups fail. What is the reason for this is that you trust in Silicon Valley is easy, while in Europe, many seek the security of a permanent position? to find

The right Team, according to the results of the study, the crucial factor, not outside influences such as, for example, that in Europe, less money for Start-ups is available. "If people want to go on such a trip, the conditions are of secondary importance," says Breugst. Crucial the Team was. Team should be as interdisciplinary. "But the study is divided into areas." Therefore, a lot of entrepreneurs are struggling to find team members from other departments.

rates for basic knowledge to start-UPS

Breugsts study at the Institute of the TU focuses on technology-based Start-ups. "Tech start-up," she says, "are often enthusiastic about their idea." But you should also ask yourself always: "What Problem it solves?" She advises, therefore, to a multi-stage approach. First of all, the awareness should be there that you could reason with his ideas of a company. There are many courses in which basic knowledge of start-UPS will be taught.

The second step is to dare the Venture of a start-up to enter. To do this, you must learn skills such as Management, but also an attitude to develop, which makes it possible for the uncertainty to endure, which brings a Foundation. After that you can do to find a team partner. Only then is the concrete idea to come. At the beginning a vague'm often the first time "because you could make something". A concrete idea, says Breugst, but had to be more than a figment of the imagination.

What makes the search for further members of the team so difficult, especially communication. "We have made video recordings of such Meetings," says Breugst, "in the beginning, if you talk about it, is everything nice." But when it comes to concrete ideas, to show that the potential founder talked often to each other. "You do not speak obviously the same language. Each other can't evaluate what you hear."

women in the minority at the Start-up start-UPS

But even if a Team had found together, there are many problems on the social level. A start-up, says Breugst, bring a lot of Stress, which leads to conflict and create friction points. Also interesting is this result: Many members of the founding team have the impression that you would have to pick up the chestnuts for the other out of the fire. To do this, team members were interviewed individually according to their percentage share of the work in the Team. "The total value was often over 100 percent."

women are already in the Start-up start-UPS in the minority. In the case of high-tech Start-ups, their share is even lower. "This is like a vicious circle," says the scientist, "it fits into the self-image of many women. Tech start-up, the men tinkering in garages." The vicious circle to break through, is to make women more visible. There are mentor programs. "But this, unfortunately, is very difficult."However, women may bring a different mindset in a Start-up.

"It does not fit into the self-image of many women. Tech start-up, the men tinkering in garages," says researcher Nicola Breugst. Photo:

The successful Start-up Inveox, which takes care of medical samples to protect against confusion, told the female co-founder very moving errors that are happening. Her husband and co-founder, speaks mainly about the technology behind it. Women in start-UPS also often have more to do with the company, something meaningful.

no Matter, which product to bring to the market: it is Important to the study results, also, to not engage in too much perfectionism. That's not the way the scientific approach is. But when it comes to test whether there is a market for a product, it is enough to build a somewhat functional prototype. This avoids to verkämpfen too long for a product without prospect of success.

The study, which is funded by the Joachim Herz Foundation, runs until 2021. More than a hundred corporate Teams to be accompanied and had to answer, among other things, a weekly online questionnaire. The findings of this should then be incorporated into programmes for Start-up funding, such as offered at the centre for Innovation and business creation at the Technical University of Munich, in short, entrepreneurship,.

Created: 26.11.2019, 12:31 PM