Check out the official announcement here:
Background Startups have become a key driver of innovation in today's economy due to their strong capability to disrupt markets with new ideas and technologies that can change the existing status quo. With their agility, flexibility, and ability to respond quickly to changes in the market, startups are able to implement innovations faster than established larger companies. The high investment volume and value of startups depict an all-time high and have attracted public attention. In 2021, the hype around startups peaked, especially in the field of technology startups, even resulting in IPOs of some well-known companies such as Coinbase, Robinhood and Doordash – all reaching high valuations (> $25bn) and exceeding investors' expectations. However, in 2022 the hype has leveled off due to several economic and geopolitical factors. Due to a slowdown of start up funding and the acquisition of tech startups, many companies were forced to rethink their business models.
Research field Going forward the symbiotic relationship between tech startups and investors will be more important than ever as startups require capital to achieve market penetration while investors are looking for high growth potential as lucrative investments. But how do investors select a promising tech venture and vice versa? How are these criteria affected by economic and market changes? What were factors in the past that made a tech startup a high-value target for investors and what factors will be relevant in the future? How can tech startups position themselves to attract the right investors going forward?
Way of working We are looking for a team of 3-4 students who are willing to research and deep dive on the topic outlined above. A Deloitte team will guide and support you throughout the 4-5 months in delivering your graded project study and final presentation.
If you are interested, please contact Dr. Marcus Pankow (mpankow@deloitte.de) and Karina Schwarz (kaschwarz@deloitte.de) until 28 April 2023. Please submit your CV, grade report and also briefly outline your motivation and tentative research idea (research question and hypotheses) as a team. First Kick-off meeting is planned for 15 May 2023. We're looking forward to hearing more about you!