PurposeAs part of the entrepreneurial journey, high-tech entrepreneurs are faced with the need to develop a competitive value proposition and leverage emerging technology to strengthen the value proposition. Entrepreneurial pivoting can be adopted to address this requirement since it enables the startup to validate and refine the company’s strategy and business model. Therefore, this research study provides an empirical investigation of the pivoting concept explained in the context of the lean startup approach (LSA) and technology entrepreneurship to improve the understanding of the entrepreneurial journey for high-tech entrepreneurs.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research method was conducted by interviewing 30 high-tech entrepreneurs across the United Kingdom to validate the theories behind the LSA and identify new insights on entrepreneurial pivoting.FindingsThe research study has validated the existing types of pivots and identified two new pivots (giving 16 in total). The study has validated the existing 11 factors that trigger a tech startup to change its direction and identified three new factors (giving 14 in total). The research study also determined that there can be a domino effect in pivoting and the value proposition can be created and sustained through pivoting.Originality/valueThis study provides empirical evidence on pivots and the factors associated with pivots. Furthermore, it helps in understanding the influence of the phases of technology entrepreneurship on pivoting. The study also discusses the challenges faced by tech startups while pursuing pivots, the domino effects in pivoting and has found evidence that pivoting eventually leads to achieving the desired results.

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通过创业转型对科技创业之旅的定性研究

目的作为创业之旅的一部分，高科技企业家面临着开发具有竞争力的价值主张并利用新兴技术来加强价值主张的需求。可以采用创业导向来满足这一要求，因为它使初创公司能够验证和完善公司的战略和商业模式。因此，本研究对在精益创业方法 (LSA) 和技术创业背景下解释的枢轴概念进行了实证研究，以提高对高科技企业家创业之旅的理解。设计/方法/方法通过采访英国各地的 30 位高科技企业家进行了一种定性研究方法，以验证 LSA 背后的理论，并确定有关企业家枢轴的新见解。研究结果验证了现有的枢轴类型，并确定了两种新的枢轴（总共提供 16 个）。该研究验证了触发科技初创公司改变方向的现有 11 个因素，并确定了三个新因素（总共 14 个）。该研究还确定，枢轴可能会产生多米诺骨牌效应，并且可以通过枢轴创建和维持价值主张。原创性/价值本研究提供了关于枢轴和与枢轴相关的因素的经验证据。此外，它有助于理解技术创业阶段对转型的影响。该研究还讨论了科技初创公司在追求转型时面临的挑战、转型中的多米诺骨牌效应，并发现证据表明转型最终会导致实现预期结果。