The Lean Startup Approach: an analysis of the approach

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on the analysis of the Lean Startup Approach, developed by Eric Ries in 2011, that has become popular among startups and incubators. Based on the Customer Development approach of Steve Blank, the Lean Startup Approach advocates itself as a practical tool that helps startups to find their business model, through customer understanding, continuous testing in a circular loop aimed at obtaining validated learning. The dissertation analyses the theoretical background of the approach, focusing on its limits and potentiality In addition, previous entrepreneurial theories have been explored, offering a deeper overview of the entrepreneurial theroetical background to better understand the origin and the applicability of the Lean Startup Approach. In particular, a chapter is dedicated to the theories that analyse whether opportunities are already existing in the market or created by entrepreneurs. In this scope, the search opportunity theory, the discovery opportunity approach, and finally, the creation opportunity theory have all been explored. Relating to this last theory, the Effectuation model by Sarasvathy and the entrepreneurial bricolage model by Baker and Nelson have been further observed in detail. Finally, in the last part, an empirical study is presented that aims at exploring the adoption and the practical use of the Lean Startup Approach among existing startups and accelertors. The results are useful to clarify potentialities and limitations of the approach observed in a real environment and are useful to offer a better and more practical understanding of this tool.