This thesis aims to better understand the process of the funding of young innovative<p>ventures, and how a deeper understanding of this process can help public policy to better<p>stimulate entrepreneurial firms—especially in high-technology industries. I interpret<p>entrepreneurial finance broadly to mean financing issues facing young innovative<p>ventures. It includes three essays which deal with a set of economic, institutional, and<p>public policy issues to examine entrepreneurial finance. / Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Water has been classified as an increasingly stress resource, according to the last World Water Development Report. Concerns about clean drinking water and water sanitation are also focal points of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Moreover, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), as well as start-ups, are interested in water management innovation and reaching countries with difficult access. This project is motivated by a desire to identify and classify the challenges of reaching water-stressed regions or people living at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) that are facing water scarcity as well as the aim to recognize approaches of how partnerships - strategic alliances, joint ventures, co-opetition, and buyer-supplier relationship - address some of those challenges. The importance of partnerships, their specific motives, and the assets and activities interchanged in each experience, have been examined through different interviews. By focusing attention on the relation between challenges, partnerships, and business model levels, this paper suggests that partnerships are essential to reach emerging markets, but not all of them are valuable at the earlier stages of a start-up. In addition, according to the challenges that are expected to address, a particular type of partnership should be established, which implies different adaptations in the business model. Therefore, the contribution of this study is to provide orientation to small companies on how to use partnerships based on the challenges to overcome reaching regions with water scarcity. / Vatten har klassificerats som en resurs som allt mer drabbas av vattenstress enligt senaste rapporten från World Water Development. Bekymmer om rent dricksvatten och vattenrening hamnar i fokus i de Globala målen för hållbar utveckling (SDG). Dessutom fokuserar små till medelstora företag och startups är intresserade av innovation inom vatten management och att nå länder där tillgång till vatten är svår. Detta projekt motiveras av en vilja att identifiera och klassificera utmaningarna av att nå vattenstressade regioner och människorna som lever i botten av pyramiden (BOP) som drabbas av vattenbrist och att hitta de metoder som med samarbetspartners, strategiska samarbeten, samriskföretag och leverantörssamarbeten kan hjälpa med dessa utmaningar. Betydelsen av samarbeten, deras specifika mål och tillgångar och aktiviteter som spridits i form av utbyte för varje händelse har examinerats genom olika intervjuer. Genom att fokusera på sammanhanget mellan utmaningarna, samarbeten och olika nivåer av affärsmodeller föreslår denna studie att samarbeten är grundläggande för att kunna nå utvecklingsområden, men inte alla är viktiga i de tidigare skeden i en startup. Dessutom enligt de utmaningar som uppkommer, en speciell typ av samarbete ska etableras som innebär olika anpassningar av affärsmodellen. Därför bidrar denna studie till att ge små företag riktlinjer på hur man använder sammarbetspartnerskap baserat på utmaningarna för att nå de regioner som har vattenbrist.

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新創科技公司源源不斷的產生，是經濟發展的主要動力。美國1995年後崛起的公司，其中大部份為科技公司，所創造的股東價值是《財星》500大企業的二倍。台灣新竹科學園區，20年以來成立了300多家公司，創造出台灣GDP約10%的產值，新創科技公司之重要性可見一斑。 新創科技公司具有新創公司及科技公司兩者的特性，其營運不確定性高，創業者的創業精神及意志力是公司成敗關鍵，建立團隊、資金募集、及產品研發是創業者最主要的工作。 由於資本市場與產業市場快速的變化，新創科技公司在資金募集及研發管理上，面臨從所未有的變局。過去一年，在矽谷有上千家新創科技公司因資金募集不順或研發管理失利，而關門大吉。這是矽谷從所未有的現象。 究竟新創科技公司的資金募集及研發管理，有何關鍵要素以及資金募集及研發管理二者績效之關聯性如何，本研究以矽谷及台灣19家新創科技公司為研究對象，所包含產業有IC設計業，光電業，光通訊業，IC設備業，醫療設備業，及電子材料業等，獲得『影響新創科技公司資金募集及研發管理績效之關鍵要素』，以及二者之關聯性之結論如下： 一、資金募集 根據文獻研讀，影響新創科技公司資金募集績效的關鍵要素有：創業團隊能力因素，環境因素，及報酬與風險因素；而根據個案研究結果，創業者必須在不同發展階段，掌握不同的關鍵要素，分述如下： １　種子期 (1) 完善的營運計劃 (2) 募資時機的掌握 (3) 創業者所具備達成超高報酬率之條件 (4) 具號召力股東的參與 (5) 明確了解募資對象的決策特質，投資偏好、及投資策略 ２　創建期 除了種子期之關鍵要素之外，另產品要獲得關鍵客戶之認可，研發進度要等合原設定目標，關鍵股東或董事對募資的持續支持，亦均為關鍵要素。 ３　擴張期 公司商品化及量產能力，行銷、財務管理能力之優劣為此時期資金募集成敗之關鍵要素。 二、研發管理 根據文獻探討，影響新創科技公司研發管理績效的關鍵要素有：產品定位，外部資源運用及整合能力，內部資源管理及整合能力。另經個案研究發現，新創科技公司因研發資源有限，所以要研發什麼產品，不但要有方向感（即產品定位），同時尚要能因應技術及市場的變化，降低研發風險，所以要有產品組合之規劃。且創業者不但要具備良好技術背景，同時要藉創業精神及領導力，來吸引優秀人才加入『前途未卜』的新創科技公司。另外，新創公司之研發進度往往落後於設定目標，所以利害關係人（董事、股東、顧客、供應商、及員工）的耐心支持，亦是非常重要的。歸納個案研究發現下列五項影響研發管理績效關鍵要素： 1　明確的產品定位及產品組合 2　良好的研發專案管理能力 3　CEO或CTO應具良好的技術背景及領導力，以吸引優良技術人才加入 4　公司內外部研發資源良好之整合能力 5　利害關係人的支持 三、資金募集及研發管理二者績效之關聯性 依個案研究分析結果，對於二者之關聯性可獲得下述之結論： 1. 研發管理績效不佳者，資金募集通常難以成功，而研發管理具良好績效者，其資金募集較易成功。 2. 資金募集績效良好者，必須具備良好之研發管理，而資金募集績效不佳者，未必研發管理績效不佳。 / High-tech start-ups are the powerhouses of economic development. The total market value of high-tech start-ups that launched after 1995 is twice of that of Fortune 500 companies combined. The Hsinchu Science Park of Taiwan has incubated some 300 companies since her inception 20 years ago. To date these 300 companies generate in total a revenue of about 10% value of Taiwan’s GDP. High-tech start-ups have the attributes of start-ups and high-techs. As start-ups, they face so many uncertainties along the way. And as high-techs, they face dynamic market environments and short life cycle of products. Only through the founders’ entrepreneurship and strong motivation, can the high-tech start-ups survive and prosper. Team building, fund raising and R&D are the main jobs of every founder. Recently, because of the unpredictable change of capital markets and industry markets, the high-tech start-ups have experienced a great challenge in fund raising and R&D management. For the past year alone in Silicon Valley, there have been more than 1000 high-tech start-ups filed Chapter 11 or Chapter 7, out of the failure of funding or R&D. A cruel scene has never been seen for the past two decades. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this thesis intend to explore the key success factors (KSFs) of fund raising and R&D management for high-tech start-ups, and the relationship between the success of fund raising and R&D management. This study was conducted by using case study methodology covering 19 samples of high-tech start-ups. The accidental sampling was collected from 9 samples located in the Silicon Valley and 10 in Taiwan, with industries ranging from IC design, opto-electronics, opto-communications, IC equipment, health care equipment to electronics components. The data was obtained by interviewing the top management of these companies and venture capitalist to validate the information. CONCLUSION The result of this study found that the KSFs of fund raising are as follows, 1. According to the research papers and readings, three key factors determine the success of fund raising--- the core competence of the management team, the economic, industrial and social environment, and the investment return vs. risk. 2. This study shows that the KSFs are related to the maturity of high-tech start-ups’ development levels. They are not all the same. In embryo stage, the KSFs are the solid business plan, the right timing of fund raising, the team’s track record, and the knowledge to know the prospective investor’s decision criteria, investment preferences and investment strategy. In early stage, the KSFs should add two more points; one is that the products shall have design-wins from strategic customers with the achievement of milestone complying with schedule, the other is the continuing support from strategic investors. In expansionary stage, the KSFs are the products’ marketability and manufacturability. Also the marketing ability and financial ability are no less important. Moreover, the key factors affect the success of R&D management as follows, 1. In the research papers and readings, three determinants to the success of R&D management are the products’ positioning, the application and integration ability of external resources, as well as the management and integration ability of internal resources. 2. In the analysis of this study, the KSFs, emphasize more on the sides of strategic thinking and founders’ entrepreneurship as follows: a. The right product positioning and products portfolio; b. The good R&D project management skills; 　c. The founders’ good technical background and leadership to attract top-notched technical staff to join; d. The good integration ability of internal and external resources; e. The full support of shareholders. Above all, regarding the relationship between the success of fund raising and R&D management, the poor performance of R&D will, in general, leads to the failure of fund raising, whilst the good performance of R&D will help the success of fund raising. However, one with the success of fund raising, must couple with the good performance of R&D, and one with the failure of fund raising, not necessarily goes with poor performance of R&D.

During the last two decades, there have been a number of policy and legislative changes in respect of South Africa’s intellectual property (IP) and the national system of innovation (NSI). In 2012, a Ministerial Review of the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) landscape in South Africa made recommendations to improve the STI landscape and effectively the national system of innovation. The study provides a critical review of drafts of the national IP policy published in 2013 as well as the IP Framework released in 2016 for public comment. The review of the IP and the NSI are within the context of the National Development Plan (NDP), which outlines South Africa’s desired developmental goals. South Africa is part of the BRICS group of countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). The South African economy is characterised by a desire to move away from being dependent on resources and commodities, to becoming a more knowledge based and innovation driven economy. It is hoped that such a move would assist the country to address some of the social and economic development challenges facing South Africa, as captured in the NDP. South Africa has a functioning IP system, but its relationship with South Africa’s development trajectory is not established. More particularly, the extent to which the IP system relates to the innovation system and how these two systems must be aligned to enable South Africa to transition successfully from a country based on the production of primary resources and associated commodity-based industries to a viable knowledge-based economy is unclear. The Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) provides that IP must contribute to innovation and to transfer of technology and knowledge in a manner that is conducive to social and economic welfare. Certain provisions set out the foundations of intellectual property systems within the context of each member state. This study has thus explored the complex, complementary and sometimes contested relationships between IP and innovation, with particular emphasis on the potential of an intellectual property system to stimulate innovation and foster social and economic development. The study has also analysed the interconnectivity of IP and innovation with other WTO legal instruments, taking into account South Africa’s positioning within the globalised economy and in particular the BRICS group of countries. The research involved a critical review of South Africa’s IP and innovation policies, as well as relevant legislation, instruments, infrastructure, IP and innovation landscape, and relationship with international WTO legal instruments, in addition to its performance, given the developmental priorities and the globalised economy. The research documents patenting trends by South Africans using European Patent Office (EPO), Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), United States Patents and Trademarks Office (USPTO) databases over the period 1996-2015. A comparative analysis of patenting trends amongst BRICS group of countries has also been documented. The study also documents new findings, observations and insights regarding South Africa’s IP and innovation systems. Some of these, particularly in relation to higher education and research institutions, are directly attributable to the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and Development Act. More particularly, the public institutions are becoming relevant players in the NSI and are responsible for growth of certain technology clusters, in particular, biotechnology. At the same time, the study makes findings of a decline of private sector participation in patenting as well as R&D investment over the 20-year period. Recommendations are included regarding specific interventions to ensure coherence between the IP and innovation systems. Such coherence and alignment should strengthen the systems’ ability to stimulate innovation and foster inclusive development and competitiveness, which are relevant for addressing South Africa’s socio-economic development priorities. / Mercantile Law / LL. D.