Working abstract:
The number of startup founders and investors is rapidly increasing, leading to the creation of various hubs and events across Europe to support their collaboration. Building strong founder-investor relationships is challenging, akin to marriage or dating. This paper explores strategies for establishing these relationships from the start. It includes an analysis of the current entrepreneurial ecosystem and the perspectives, expectations, and experiences of founders and investors.
Technological advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact are also considered. The empirical research involved interviewing sixteen participants, revealing that human connection is prioritized over immediate business transactions. A framework was developed as an action plan for inexperienced founders and investors, consisting of three main phases and adaptable recommendations. The framework has been validated by founders, investors, and a startup community manager and is recommended for use before attending networking events. Further research will continue to provide deeper insights.
Working paper draft available upon request: tomsiu@faculty.ism.lt