Project 1.2.1: HITO

Project Team

Prof. Bart Clarysse (project leader) and Cyriel Vereertbrugghen

Content

The HITO database, developed in STOOI, focuses on research-based startups (or innovative start-ups) in Flanders. Research-based start-ups are new business start-ups which develop and market new products or services based upon a proprietary technology or skill. In total, 205 Flemish RBSUs were identified through four different sources: 1) the list of spin-offs from universities and research organizations, 2) list of start-ups that received R&D subsidies from the IWT, 3) the portfolio of venture capital firms, and 4) the list of start-ups that are active in medium high tech and high tech sectors.

Employing a resource-based perspective, we collected different indicators for the financial, organizational, technological, social, human, and physical resources of the RBSUs at time of founding and today (i.e. moment of interview). Next, the HITO database includes information about the market and industry the RBSUs target. We measured the performance of the RBSU in terms of growth in sales, employment and important milestones.

In 2007 we started extending the HITO database
- with the capability perspective thereby adding a (more) dynamic component to complement the (more) static resource-based view. This will allow us to examine which capabilities (e.g. technological, marketing, investor-related) RBSUs develop and how they change over time.
- by mapping the networks the high-tech start-ups are active in. Previous research has indicated innovative start-ups often use the resources, skills, and reputation of their partners as a leverage to enhance their competitive position. This network and social capital aspect is currently lacking in the HITO database.

Methodology

The HITO database contains both primary and secondary data. The primary data source is a structured questionnaire with mainly closed questions, gathered during interviews with the founder/CEO of the company. The founders or CEOs were targeted because they possess the most comprehensive knowledge on the organisation’s history, the firm’s strategy, and its performance. In addition to the collection of primary data, the financial data (e.g. revenue) were double-checked with the yearly financial accounts of the companies. Additional information on each firm was collected via secondary data sources such as web sites, company brochures, newsletters and press releases. This same methodology will be used in 2008 and the next years to collect data on the capabilities and network of RBSUs.