Which Factors Determine the Success or Failure of Startup Companies?

Master's Thesis from the year 2017 in the subject Business economics - Company formation, Business Plans, grade: 2,0, Andrássy Gyula Deutschsprachige Universität Budapest, language: English, abstract: As more and more startup companies are founded every year worldwide, building up one's own business does not get easier. Since 9 out of 10 startups fail, future entrepreneurs are well advised to take a look at potential reasons for failure and success. Learning from others' mistakes and studying success stories can improve their own performance and help to avoid critical errors. The academic paper at hand will provide valuable insights for entrepreneurs. After delivering an overview of the most commonly used terms and definitions in the startup scene, chapter 6 will describe the components of a business idea and how experts can assess a company's value. Subsequently, the most important factors for a startup company's success, according to literature review, will be listed and illustrated. Various standpoints of academic research and studies will be discussed. Delineating both internal and external factors, this thesis not only delivers a synoptic view of potential challenges inside a startup as well as in its ecosystem, but also juxtaposes these influences in opposition. The second part of this paper analyzes a series of interviews with twelve startup founders from three different regions (the province of North-Rhine Westphalia in Germany, Budapest in Hungary...