Enacting business model change in digital startups: An exploratory multiple-case study

Research on Business Model (BM) is extensive and well-grounded in entrepreneurship, strategy and innovation fields. However, gaps remain. A current debate urging for contributions, both in research and practice, is on the role of experimental approaches in BM change. Specifically, research is needed on whether and how approaches - such as lean startup, agile or design thinking - may support BM change and validation process. We address this gap in this study, by means of multiple case study approach - as suitable approach for relative un-known phenomena. Our findings suggest that, initially, startups apply experimental approaches in an unstructured and unconscious way. Their maturation, though, brings them to evolve, at first, towards the rigorous application of such approaches and, consequently, to progressively tailor them to their needs. Our work reinforces the existing contributions linking BM change with the experimental approaches, contributing to the academic body of work regarding experimentation in entrepreneurship and strategic management.