• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.47-57
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to grasp the correlation between network and firm's performance by analyzing the perception and characteristics of network of business founder and investor from the perspective of the network. We selected a TIPS support program which is evaluated to be a best practice as a research target for empirical analysis. The empirical results using social network and statistical analysis, shows that the stronger the investor's network connectivity, the more likely it is that the investor's start - up succeeds in attracting subsequent investment. In addition, both the entrepreneurial team and the management think that the internal human network between the enterprise and the investor plays an important role in inducing investment or exploring the company, and recognizes that the value of the human network will have a significant influence on the enterprise value evaluation or investment decision.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.109-121
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• 2023

This paper examines whether angel investors affect startup's financial performance (profitability and growth ratios) in the Korean startup market over 10 years period from 2009 to 2018. In particular, we consider not only the behavior of angel investor such as the investment amount or the type of investments (stocks, bonds) but also the type of angle investor (individual or corporation). Our empirical results are as follows. First, we find that the startup's profitability ratios are higher after the investment of angel investors. However, the growth ratios show different results in assets and sales. Second, we identify that the investment amount of angel investors negatively affects on the startup's growth ratios. Lastly, we find that equity investment such as common stock or preferred stock and the individual angel investors such as personal investment association or professional angels show higher financial performance than bond investment or corporate angel investors. Overall, our findings imply that angel investors positively affect startup's financial performance. In particular, we infer that the superior financial performance is largely attributed to monitor startups by participating as shareholders or to select more carefully by the individual angel investors who may be exposed to more investment risk. In conclusion, our findings support that angel investors play a positive role in the Korean venture investment market.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.59-76
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• 2020

Though crowdfunding has emerged as a cost-effective means to market innovative products and a channel for financial resource acquisition, our understanding about what makes a successful crowdfunding is still limited. This study is motivated by the presence of the inconsistency that both entrepreneurs and investors pay more attention to capabilities required for developing prototype products rather than capabilities needed to deliver the promised products in crowdfunding. By drawing insights from studies about liability of newness and legitimacy in institutional theory, this study argues that startups can overcome the liability of newness, earn investor trust, and successfully complete crowdfunding campaigns by effectively presenting visible and invisible capabilities. This study presents a set of testable propositions predicting the likelihood of crowdfunding success and explains the theoretical and practical value of the proposed conceptualization of startup capabilities.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.165-182
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• 2019

An equity crowdfunding system of Korea has been introduced since January 25, 2016. The crowdfunding has contributed to remove the funding gap for startups in Korea. In the three years since the introduction of the system, the amount issued has been growing annually 31 percent. In 2018, the general investors who participated in equity crowdfunding, account for 93.8% of the total market size. General investors are a large part of equity crowdfunding. Investors, however, are facing the information asymmetry problems. General investors rely heavily on the investment prospectus provided by startups to obtain the information they need to determine their investment decisions. Under these circumstances, startups have the incentive to provide information that is advantageous to them, and investors are likely to be adversely affected by the investment prospectus. In this study, we collected the novel crowdfunding prospectus dataset: a total of 459 investment prospectus and conducted a morphological analysis. The analysis showed that the more positive the word, the higher the success rate of investors' subscriptions. We also compared projects that were heavily invested by general investors with projects that were heavily invested by professional investors. Then, we were able to examine that the success rates of project subscription, which were heavily invested by general investors, were higher than the projects of professional investor type. It can be interpreted as a general investor driven crowdfunding market. Based on these results, we propose three policies. First, the supervisor should be strengthened to provide more detailed information on investment risk factors in the prospectus. Second, the crowdfunding intermediary should monitor information provided by startups. Third, an investor should be asked to add a question to the investment compliance test that allows the investor to recognize the problem in the manual.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.27-35
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• 2016

Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning have boosted up launching more 'GRI(Government Research Institute) Spin-off High-tech startup' to accelerate the technology commercialization of GRI technologies via the alternative of high-tech startup since 2101. This paper is proposing to found the global platform of accommodating more successful high-tech startup with diagnosing the current policy platform of launching GRI high-tech startup. This paper deliver the outcomes of case study including FGI research over developing the ideas of the experts for the policy line-up of starting from GRI technologies-Hardware Manufacture-BtoB-Global. The research result suggests that the focus of policy should falls not on the quantitative goals, but on more disruptive successful case through utilizing uprising private equity investment in the early stage of business. One of the best policy brought by this research is 'Inbound Globalization Strategy of bringing global early stage investors in Korea for incubation and investment rather than sending out our startup to global without validation by global investor.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2021

Existing research on the investment relationship between venture capital and start-up companies has mainly focused on choosing a startup from the perspective of venture capital, an investor. However, as competition among venture capital has increased recently, excellent start-ups with proven technology are choosing venture capital in reversely. This study investigated key elements that affect the selection of the venture capital by a startup. To this end, we looked at which venture capital company was selected as the final investor for startups that have received investment proposals from multiple venture capitals at the same time. Six early start-ups(pre-series A/Series A) and five mid-term (Series B/C) start-ups were interviewed to focus on the influence of the three elements regarding venture capital - 1) venture capital reputation, 2) relationship between cofounders and investors, and 3) value adding service provided by venture capital - on choice. As a result of the research, the investment portfolio among the reputations of venture capital was a very important element in selecting venture capital. However, it has been shown that the age and asset under management of venture capital are not important. Relationships have emerged as a very important element. Finally, as for venture capital's value-adding services, start-ups in this study did not consider it important. In particular, consulting and monitoring by venture capital has been found to be a burdening attribute for startups. This study suggests implications that can increase the probability of successful investment by venture capital in the investment market where investment competition is fierce, and enhance mutual understanding between venture capital and startups.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2016

Technology based would-be entrepreneurs have constantly increased as coming with increasing demands for technology based startup. However, technology based startup need to go through throne field in the preparation and launching process. This paper help technology based would be entrepreneurs recognizing and pivoting all potential fatal flaws covering entrepreneurs to BM with strategies by providing self check-up lists. This paper have developed all check list based upon the previous literature reviews about technology commercialization with carrying Focused Group Interview with mentor and investor involved in the early stage of venture growth. In particular, this paper have applied these tools over 104 participants(would-be entrepreneur and entrepreneurs in the early startup) attending in Hanbat Startup Item Validation Program and Startup Leading University program. This paper developed the mega categories of list as follows: Entrepreneurship, technology and patent, target customer and market, product, BM and strategy. It also developed 17 different concept of components and 58 specific sub-lists under maga list. The research results of paper will provide solid foundation of communication with participants about checking up their state of preparation for startup as applying to mentoring for would-be entrepreneurs and to entrepreneurship education.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.119-130
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• 2019

Although a well-established line of research has addressed the funding decision, the activities of investee startups to receive funding have been overlooked because prior research has been conduced from investor's point of view. In addition, funding does not result from one off decisions but from decision process with many stages. Moreover, the emphasis placed on specific investment criteria varies by different stages during the process. Therefore, understanding the initial funding of startups requires to analyze the strategic behaviors of startups throughout the entire funding decision process from first meeting with investors to funding success. This study investigates the initial funding process of startups, and the analysis is based on a case study of LetinAR one of the successful startups founded by students in South Korea. This study investigates how early start-ups were able to receive funding from startup's point of view, and the analysis is based on a case study of LetinAR, an augmented reality(AR) startup using Pin mirror technology. By adding "legitimacy building" stage that had not been addressed previously, we divided funding process into four stages: 1) legitimacy building, 2) familiarization, 3) screening, and 4) bargaining phase. We did not only analyze major criteria, but also strategic activities of startup at each stage. This study makes a contribution by helping us understand complicated process of funding and the successful strategic behavior of investor backed startups.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.141-156
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• 2023

The advancement of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), along with the expansion of government and private investment in startup discovery and funding, has led to the emergence of startups seeking to generate outstanding results based on innovative ideas. As successful startups serve as role models, the number of aspiring entrepreneurs preparing to launch their own startups continues to increase. However, unlike entrepreneurs who challenge themselves with serial entrepreneurship after experiencing success, early-stage startups face various challenges such as team building, technology development, and fundraising. Accelerators play a dual role of mentor and investor by providing education, mentoring, consulting, network connection, and initial investment activities to help startups overcome various challenges they face and facilitate their growth. This study investigated whether there is a correlation between the characteristics of startups and their entrepreneurial performance, and analyzed whether accelerators mediate the relationship between startup characteristics and entrepreneurial performance. A total of 11 hypotheses were proposed, and a survey was conducted on 302 startup founders and employees located across the country, including the metropolitan area, for empirical research. SPSS 23.0 and Amos 23.0 were used for statistical analysis. Through this study, it was found that factors such as innovation, organizational culture, financial characteristics, and learning orientation among the characteristics of startups, rather than having a direct impact on entrepreneurial performance, are linked to entrepreneurial performance through the role of accelerators. By analyzing the impact factors of startup characteristics on entrepreneurial performance, this study presents research on the role of accelerators and provides institutional improvements. It is expected to contribute to the expansion of investment and differentiated acceleration programs, enabling startups to seize the market and grow stably in the market.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.135-148
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• 2020

Even after successful technology development, there are many cases where commercialization fails due to difficulties in financing in the early stages of commercialization. The purpose of this study is to give practical implications to technology-based founders. At the beginning of commercialization, 7 companies that succeeded in procuring different types of external funds were selected to conduct case analysis. The results are as follow. First, it was confirmed that the excellence of technology is the most important. Second, it was confirmed that they were majors in the relevant technology field or have worked in related fields, and concluded that greater synergy effect can be created by adding the founder's business will and active attitude. Third, even if the company's internal capabilities were insufficient, it was possible to succeed in financing by identifying and utilizing external financial information. Fourth, it is necessary to utilize a linked financial system that receives both loans and investments. Fifth, systematic IR (Investor Relation) should be continued.