Innovation, akin to crafting a novel recipe, involves identifying problems, experimenting, testing, and sharing solutions. This study delves into "reuse innovations," which emphasize prolonging product usage before disposal. A prime exemplar is Home Carbonation Kits (HCKs), which can replace over 3000 single-use water bottles. Despite the significance of reuse innovations, there's a noticeable gap in academic literature addressing their adaptation phase, which lies between market introduction and mass-market acceptance. This phase is fraught with challenges, often causing many companies to falter. This research aims to discern how circular companies can navigate these challenges by targeting specific niches. Utilizing the Technological Innovation Framework (TIS), tailored for reuse innovations, the study analyzes the HCK technology within the European soft drinks system. The research journey encompasses a semi-systematic literature review, framework adaptation, an explorative case study on HCK, and an assessment of niche strategies. Key findings reveal dominant niche strategies like "Stand-alone," "Adaptor," and "Educate." These strategies address pivotal barriers related to logistics, market knowledge, and consumer education. Additionally, "Supply Chain Redesign" emerges as a novel strategy, emphasizing efficient, cost-effective, and goal-aligned supply chain structures. In conclusion, this research offers invaluable insights into the intricate world of reuse innovations, providing a roadmap for future endeavors in the realm of circular economy.

Addressing climate change is a challenge that governments, society, and companies have to face. For companies this becomes a major challenge as they are required to innovate in order to become more sustainable whilst still remain competitive. However, carrying out technological innovation may be useless if it cannot be diffused in the market. Due to this, ventures must go further and modify their current business models to change the way they are doing business and thus generate sustainable value and remain competitive. Within this context, a research gap that relates sustainability, business model innovation, and technology can be identified. To address this gap, an empirical exploratory case study is used as approach. The case study analysed is the Fermentation Acceleration by Separation Technology (FAST), a breakthrough technology in the biotechnology industry that is able to produce chemicals by means of a more cost-effective fermentation process. The technology was developed by DAB, a Dutch biotechnology spin-off from TU Delft. The main research question that was proposed to address the research gap was: “How can the FAST technology be a driver for sustainable business model innovation of biobased chemical companies?”. To answer the question, two business models were generated using the triple layered business model canvas for assessing and visualising, under a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) perspective, to what extent and in which elements of a business model the FAST technology drives sustainability. The models assessment considered DAB as a producer and a licensor for 2-phenylethanol (2PE) production by means of FAST, respectively. The main finding of this thesis project is that it has proven that FAST drives sustainable business model innovation within the biobased chemical industry. This is as sustainable business model innovation is found in both value proposition and value creation & delivery of the two sustainable business models generated by complementing FAST with the use of organic raw materials and solvents, and renewable energies as power source. More specifically, FAST sustainable innovativeness can be seen in the elements of value proposition, key resources, key partners, and customer segments of these novel sustainable business models. FAST drives sustainable business model innovation within these four elements by being a breakthrough innovation (key resources) that includes a sustainable and efficient production of biochemicals within its value proposition. Moreover, innovation is also driven within key partnerships as FAST requires strain designers to adopt a different approach when engineering new microorganisms. Here, the technology has an effect outside its business model, modifying the value chain. Furthermore, FAST can reach new customer segments and be competitive with current production processes of chemicals as it was shown for the case of 2PE. This sustainable innovativeness differs from the practices other companies within the industry have implemented which are focused on changing the fossil origin of raw materials but do not consider the creation of new value propositions/business models to balance the financial, environmental, and social aspects of sustainability. Regarding the theoretical contribution, this thesis presents a comprehensive analysis of the two business models outlined from the biotechnology sector and shows how they are able to capture the value of a novel sustainable innovation. By doing this, the research gap among business model innovation, sustainability, and technology is reduced. The generation of the sustainable business models was performed by: carrying out a literature review, a questionnaire on sustainability indicators, the Delphi method to obtain a consensus, and simulations of processes for 2PE production. The contribution for practitioners is an example on how they can design business models for a novel technology using a tool that offers a comprehensive analysis of its effects on sustainability. Moreover, the integrated LCA allows practitioners to have a quantitative analysis for measuring the impact of their technology, processes and activities. Furthermore, it may be also useful for redesigning current business models by assessing which components may be modified or kept to achieve sustainability. 

The study embarks on a comprehensive investigation into the domain of circular innovation within Dutch high-tech firms, probing the dynamics of drivers, barriers, and the strategic impact of niche strategies. The research methodology builds upon the adaptable foundation of the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework, adapting it to the unique contours of circular innovation. This framework guides the research objectives, which encompass discerning the propulsive forces driving circular innovation, unraveling the contextual intricacies, and critically evaluating the applicability of the adapted TIS framework. Guided by this framework, the research addresses three pivotal sub-questions that delve into the nuances of drivers, barriers and the strategic potency of niche strategies within the circular innovation landscape. The methodology seamlessly interweaves an expansive literature review with in-depth case studies of four distinct Dutch circular high-tech firms. Through rigorous qualitative analysis, recurrent drivers emerge, including the catalytic influence of emerging regulations, collaborative partnerships, strategic product design and value proposition, and intrinsic motivation. On the flip side, barriers encompass the complexities of production systems, complementary products and services, network formation and coordination, and the intricate maze of customer engagement challenges. Embedded within the empirical insights are four distinct niche strategies, meticulously tailored to specific contexts: the Redesign Niche Strategy, the Decentralization Niche Strategy, the Turnkey Product-Service System (PSS) Niche Strategy, and the Compliance-Driven Stepping-Stone Niche Strategy. These strategies come to light as potent tools in surmounting the entrenched barriers, underscoring the significance of strategic alignment with regulatory shifts, the formation of collaborative networks, and the innovation-driven approach to product design in propelling circular innovation. The strategic adaptation of the TIS framework to circular innovation not only enriches analytical depth but also highlights its pragmatic relevance. Consultations with experts from HollandCircularHotspot - a platform driving the advancement of the circular economy by facilitating collaboration, knowledge sharing, and representing Dutch circular companies on an international stage, serve to validate the framework's utility, affirming its efficacy in dissecting the ever-evolving landscape of circular innovation. Acknowledging its limitations, such as the limited scope of case studies and the geographical focus on Dutch high-tech companies, the study sets the stage for future research endeavors. In summation, this thesis offers a substantial contribution to comprehending the dynamics of circular innovation within Dutch high-tech enterprises. It underscores the pivotal role of specific strategies and reaffirms the pertinence of the adapted TIS framework. With its blend of empirical insights and theoretical foundations, the study illuminates potential pathways for circumventing barriers to circular innovation, paving the way for transformative change within the high-tech circular landscape.

The term "digital transformation" (DT) has gained popularity, sparking interest across many academic fields and inspiring new lines of inquiry(Hausberg et al., 2019). With the adoption of new technologies helping deliver secure high-quality patient care and drive greater business efficiency, healthcare sector has gained significant benefits from digital transformation. Digital technologies, driven by the exponential rise in computing power, have successfully altered the majority of economic sectors, from finance to entertainment, with one notable exception: healthcare. The increasing advancements in medical equipment and imaging technology serve as evident illustrations of how high-tech medicine is in many aspects. Nevertheless, healthtech companies are still on a learning curve on how to transform their companies digitally, despite billions of dollars being invested in digital health solutions by both startup and established technology companies(Walsh & Rumsfeld, 2017). This study advances the body of knowledge in the field of digital transformation by identifying the barriers to and enablers of business transformation as well as the role of IT technology as an enabler of business transformation. By creating a theoretical framework for barriers and enablers of business transformation with IT technology as an enabler, it empirically studies Philips to undertake a case study and offers a basis for theory building. On the subject of business transformation, a literature review utilizing the five-step grounded theory methodology was carried out. According to the literature study, this research highlights four primary barriers facing business transformation: organizational, knowledge, financial, and technical. Strategy, people, process, data, and technology are the different categories for business transformation enablers. The theoretical framework for this study is developed using the results of this literature review. A case study is performed on the digital transformation journey of Philips by identifying the IT technologies of the acquired firms that are part of Philip’s healthcare transformation portfolio. This research captures the goal of business transformation while identifying the barriers and enablers of business transformation at Philips by conducting inductive qualitative research by interviewing. Analysis of data is carried out by following the steps stated by Miles & Huberman (1994) and using content analysis to analyze the interview data. The results of this study show that At Philips, the organizational barrier has emerged as the most pervasive barrier to business transformation. This study demonstrates that Philips' organizational structure, or the way they are set up, is a significant impediment to business transformation. The matrix organizational structure of Philips makes organizational change challenging. According to researchers, business transformation begins with establishing a strategy and achieving the organization's aim. According to the research, this strategy is misleading, and that any business transformation strategy should be developed by first comprehending customer demands before being in line with the intended outcome of the business transformation. According to this study, people with proper experience and knowledge in the field of business transformation are the key enabler of business transformation. This study supports the resource-based hypothesis, which contends that an organization has a great chance to outperform its rivals when it possesses strategic resources that can provide it an advantage in the market and could even help it generate sizable profits. This research examines three important IT technologies provided by the acquired companies of Philips, namely Tomtec, RDT, and Capsule technologies as resources that can enable business transformation. According to this study, Philips' business transformation was made possible by the IT technologies' significant contributions to the company's sales and revenues following the acquisition of these companies. By integrating these IT resources into other products in their portfolio to facilitate business transformation, Philips can further develop these technologies and achieve their objective of becoming a fully solutions-based firm. However, the findings of this study also suggest that IT technologies have not yet reached their peak value since Philips lacks the competencies and innovation culture to fully utilize these technologies and add value as a result of preexisting limitations.

Research on the effect and influence of external factors on the sustainable business model elements of technology-based start-ups in the Netherlands operating in the PV sector. This resulted in research findings demonstrating that external factors exert a substantial influence on the business model dynamics of Dutch technology-based PV start-ups. Understanding and adapting to these external influences is essential for the sustained success of these start-ups, emphasizing the need for strategic responsiveness and alignment with the evolving external environment. It also shows that the findings of this thesis are not limited to Dutch technology-based PV start-ups but can also be applicable to start-ups in the renewable energy sector, or even start-ups in general.

In today’s fast growing and competitive environment, keeping up with changing trends has become a necessity for firms to beat the competition. A relatively new form of innovation with a growing community of people have stated that Business Model Innovation is essentially the key to successful organizations nowadays. Several companies are failing to achieve this in practice particularly in the implementation of new Business Models. This graduation research is carried out to tackle the problems in apprehending the key drivers, key barriers and key enablers along with process of a successful Business Model Innovation within Philips. The main research question is: “How can insights about various drivers, barriers and enablers help in the process of a successful Business Model Innovation transforming business within companies?”To achieve the objectives, the research was segregated into three main stages namely Literature Study, Phase 1, Phase 2.In Literature Study, the basic understanding of Business Model Innovation concepts was made aware. After having a clear comprehension, the literature study forayed into desk research where Secondary Articles like Harvard Business Review in addition to documents from within the companies were reviewed. A list of Drivers, Barriers and Enablers were identified from literature review alone along with several inputs for framework. Thus, Literature Study facilitated the development of questions for conducting interviews in Phase 1 of the research.In Phase 1, semi-structured interviews were conducted to support the findings from a practical perspective. The target group included practitioners from different functional background dealing with Business Model Innovation of some sort and were considered as subject matter experts. A total of 11 participants were interviewed. The recommendations provided by the interviewees along with an in-depth literature helped to identify a total of 16 Drivers, 32 Barriers and 22 Enablers.Following the analysis, the research proceeded with Phase 2. Here a survey was devised. This was done to rank the various Drivers, Barriers and Enablers. A total of 32 participants answered the questionnaire and the top three of each of Drivers, Barriers and Enablers were listedFurther to this, the findings added to the integrative framework. This framework was based on 4I process framework by Frankenberger, Weiblen, Csik, & Gassmann (2013). Inputs from interviews, survey and in-depth analysis went on to adding components to the framework. The proposed framework contributes in two ways: First, it lists a comprehensive list of key drivers, key barriers and key enablers which come up during the process of Business Model Innovation. Secondly, a process model of Business Model Innovation with key tasks have been outlined. As literature suggests so far there has been no process model developed for Business Model Innovation. This integrative framework incorporates the quite dispersed literature and helps to organize existing contributions and in identify any “blind spots” of Business Model research.Among the many other Recommendations, an important one is that the scope of the research in developing the conceptual framework is at a holistic level, since the key focus of the research was to identify key drivers, key barriers and key enablers that incorporates various perspectives. When Business Model Innovation is being undertaken at a rapid pace within the company it would be interesting to analyze in-depth on the individual elements of the framework. It would also be interesting to develop metrics around the drivers, barriers and enablers which could be adopted within projects of any nature.

The case of the development of rural renewable energy projects is the subject of much debate due to the complexity of these markets and the difficulty of establishing businesses using a coherent business logic. This is helped by the use of frameworks such as the Business Model, but doesn’t account for the changes in these markets as well as the changes in the firms themselves. This work looks at developing the research into these changes, so called Business Model dynamics, and look specifically at the case of Indonesia. In doing so, it looks at covering two main gaps in the current research: Firstly, the gap in the literature on Business Model dynamics specifically for the case of rural renewable energy; and secondly, the gap in the literature on how renewable energy companies adapt to the rural market in Indonesia. To do so, a literature study provides the backbone of the research in terms of the Business Model’s history, its components, and the dynamics associated with it. It then goes further into defining what these dynamics consist of for the case of renewable energy in particular. This is followed by the development of a conceptual model, representing changes to the Business Model over time in a graphical representation. A case study is then performed on Indonesian companies, whereby the literature study is used as a basis for the interview questions and the conceptual model is then used on the results of this case study. Finally, the conceptual model is improved based on its application in the case studies to arrive at a final framework. The conclusions that can be drawn from this work is that there are various levels of Business Model dynamics and that these can be determined for various different types of markets. In this instance the levels of dynamics that were determined for the case of Indonesia include the list of internal and external components of the Business Model for rural renewable energy projects, their influencing factors that cause them to change, the interrelationships between the Business Model components and finally the overall change to the Business Model over time.

An entrepreneurial ecosystem has become a paradigm between policy makers, regional developers as well as profit seeking organizations to spur start-up establishment and growth rates. Numerous studies have focused on conceptualization of an entrepreneurial ecosystem and the potential benefits that may be accrued regionally by effectively developing a bedrock for start-ups. This study is one of the first to compare two technically oriented regions, to find insights into intricate relationship between entrepreneurial supportive ecosystem and start-up growth from firm-level point of view. The data for this study was collected in Delft, The Netherlands, and Vilnius, Lithuania, to see the effect of these entrepreneurial supportive ecosystems when contextual factors are taken into consideration.A literature review was conducted to understand the macro-level perspective of an entrepreneurial ecosystem and the firm-level critical junctures during the development process of these high-tech start-ups. An entrepreneurial ecosystem model highlighting the most important support factors, and a simplified start-up life cycle model are presented. A conjoint model including contextual regional differences is designed as the foundation for the study - to understand to what extent an entrepreneurial ecosystem supports firm-level business activities.The data for this study was collected through a digitally distributed survey, desk research and several expert interviews. The qualitative information was used to highlight main business activities at each start-up life cycle stage. The quantitative information, regarding start-up perceptions at these stages, was analysed using an independent samples T-test, correlation matrix and mean ranking.It was found that start-ups in Vilnius mostly occupy IT Service, Fintech and Hardware industries, while Delft start-ups operate in deep-tech/high-tech, hardware and Med-Tech industries. These differences in combination with contextual interpretations explain some of the differences occurring in entrepreneurial ecosystem support evaluations. The results show that the entrepreneurial ecosystem is most supportive in the early stages of start-up growth with diminishing effects on later stages. Raising financing capital has been found to be highly supported by entrepreneurial ecosystems in both regions, even though start-ups did not perceive this activity as very important in neither of growth stages. Research and Development support in both regions was perceived as average from founders in both regions. Considering that Delft bolsters a high-quality university which should induce R&D activities, the support is cancelled out by the differences in occupied industries and their respective competitiveness. This means that more R&D support is needed for start-ups in Delft. Moreover, legal support has been found to be higher in Delft and attributed to a more robust regulatory system in The Netherlands. Lastly, it was found that considering important business activities at growth stages, start-ups mostly rely on internal capabilities to grow in later stages. This thesis report contributes to paving way for the conjunction of entrepreneurial ecosystem and start-up life cycle academic research field using a firm-level and holistic approaches. The study and its results should provide insights for entrepreneurial ecosystem facilitators, such as incubators or accelerators, and start-up founders alike. Entrepreneurial ecosystem support strength changes from early to latter stages shows facilitators the need to closely study start-up requirements to navigate stage-contingent critical junctures in order to provide effective support. 

The recent years have witnessed university business incubators being major contributors to regional development by supporting and nurturing academic spin-offs, and fostering innovation. However, with the academic spin-offs scaling up, they decide to exit the incubator and sometimes even migrate to another city or region. This study recognizes the migration pattern of academic spin-offs from Delft and Wageningen and identifies not only the regional factors influencing the location choice of academic spin-offs but also incubator related factors. The study is exploratory and follows a mixed approach with both qualitative and quantitative analysis done through the study of secondary data from 2012, desk research, literature review, semi-structured interviews, semi-structured questionnaires and comparative case studies. To begin with, a desk research was conducted tracing academic spin-offs in the incubators of both the university cities- Yes!Delft from Delft and StartHub from Wageningen. The academic spin-offs were tracked for their current location, technology, industry, ownership type, founding year and age to recognize any pattern. Through the semi-structured interviews with the experts from each of the two incubators, the types of support, activities and policies were investigated. The interviews confirmed the findings from desk research in the areas they prefer or most dominant technology in the incubators. While Yes!Delft is dominated by complex tech and MedTech academic spin-offs, for StartHub (StartLife) is dominated by food and agritech. Through the literature study, a conceptual framework was devised with the factors recognized from existing literature influencing the stay and exit of startups from the incubator and region. Apart from confirming the factors from the conceptual framework, a new set of factors were added from the interviews, questionnaire and the case studies. The study concludes with individual frameworks for Delft and Wageningen and an overall framework with a combined list of reasons. Quantitative analysis was conducted briefly through mean comparison of support factors and appreciated based on Likert scale for the data from 2012 and 2020 of Delft and Wageningen. The regional support still remains the most appreciated category of support influencing the location choice of academic spin-offs. While most startups that exit Yes!Delft still remain located in either Delft or the neighboring cities the startups that exit from StartHub have moved to bigger cities such as Amsterdam, Utrecht and Rotterdam. The migration pattern can be explained through the findings of the study. The research shows that as and when startups scale up they seek not just better accommodation and infrastructural facilities but also the need for developing work culture, market agglomeration and closer distance to clients, suppliers and other resources apart from university reputation, easy access and availability, affordability of resources and social ties. In spite of academic spin-offs exiting the incubators, Regional development can be improved by influencing them to stay located in the region. The support can be offered not just by the infrastructural support by incubators but also through the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem as a whole by nurturing them with resources and social ties.

Technology-based startups entail creating and developing sustainable value by capitalizing and commercializing new technologies, which accelerates the growth of the startups and promotes economic sustainability. Unlike new technology developed in commercial firms, technology-based startups go through a process of transformation from a non-commercial to a commercial environment. In this process, they may lack knowledge, network, or resources and face different critical junctures. In recent years, emerging startups have been confronted with difficult changes in their business environments. The life spans of the business models are drastically shortened by technological advancements and shifting patterns of client demand. Companies must continuously examine their established routines and procedures if they want to survive and grow in such unsettling environments. Therefore, in order to succeed, the technology-based startup may require market testing and business model adaptation. By combining insights from the literature, this paper presents a comprehensive framework that conceptualizes business model dynamics. The framework includes different origins of business model change and different types of business model change as well as the growth stages and junctures. Following the conceptual framework's construction, the effectiveness of the framework is evaluated using explorative case studies of six Dutch technology-based startups. The results indicate that all startups changed their business model often in the credibility juncture. In the early stages of development, the changes are often forced and caused by external factors, and when the startup matures, it has more freedom to make strategic decisions, particularly in credibility and sustainability junctures. Startups with lower market, managerial and entrepreneurial knowledge changed their business model frequently in a response to challenges, like resource constraints, while startups that were able to acquire knowledge were able to grow faster, access resources, and seize opportunities effectively. Finally, first movers to a specific market confronted technological challenges and changed their business model more often than other startups.

The fashion industry's shift to a circular economy (CE) is vital to reducing its environmental impact. Currently responsible for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than aviation and shipping combined, the fashion industry's emissions are projected to rise by 2.7% annually without increased decarbonisation efforts. Circular-born start-ups (CBSs) are crucial in this transition by introducing circular innovations (CIs) that close, slow, or narrow resource loops. However, CBSs face challenges in market entry, and research on this topic is limited. This study, using a multiple-case study design within the French fashion industry, explores how CBSs introduce their CIs. Data was collected from nine French CBSs through semi-structured interviews and primary sources, complemented by two expert interviews. The study found that CBSs use circular strategies and approaches like recycling and repair to position their CIs, communicating value propositions through tangible and intangible benefits. Collaborations with brands, suppliers, and research centers are essential for market entry, knowledge development, and resource mobilization. CBSs face challenges such as regulatory compliance and market perceptions, which they address through continuous R&D and pilot projects. The study identifies six inducement mechanisms (e.g., regulatory support) and six blocking mechanisms (e.g., data gaps) influencing CI introduction. The research provides insights into the CE in the fashion industry, contextualizing CIs and offering empirical insights into CBS operations and interactions. It contributes to the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) literature and has practical implications for enhancing CBS collaborations and supporting innovation in the industry.

The global transportation sector's heavy reliance on fossil fuels poses significant environmental challenges. In response, many countries, including Indonesia, are exploring sustainable alternatives like electric vehicles (EVs). With abundant nickel reserves, Indonesia aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the adoption of EVs, particularly electric motorcycles, under initiatives such as the Battery-Based Electric Vehicle Acceleration Program. Despite ambitious targets of 2.5 million electric motorcycles by 2025 and 13 million by 2030, the current population stands at 99,594 units, highlighting significant adoption challenges. This thesis explores the development and implementation of the e-motorcycle battery swap business in Indonesia, employing Circular Technological Innovation System (TIS) Framework and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to identify and prioritize barriers. The study identifies 33 barriers and proposes a four-level hierarchical strategy to address these issues. Key strategies include engaging businesses during political transitions, forming a unified consortium of battery manufacturers and e-motorcycle providers, and advocating for regulatory changes. The findings, validated by experts, emphasize the importance of addressing lower-level barriers to create a conducive environment for the widespread adoption of battery swap systems. The study provides a comprehensive framework to facilitate the growth of the e-motorcycle battery swap industry in Indonesia, contributing to the country’s sustainable transportation goals.

The 21st century has seen a significant rise in clean technologies driven by urgent environmental challenges alongside transformative digital innovations shaping global interactions. Despite these significant events, cleantech startups face substantial challenges and missed opportunities in effectively integrating digital technologies into their sustainable business strategies. To fully harness the potential of digital innovations, addressing the trade-offs and synergies cleantech startups encountered between digital and sustainable strategic practices is crucial, as is understanding the underlying causes of their strategic choices. Despite the rising interest of academia in sustainable and digital entrepreneurship, academic research fails to identify these trade-offs and synergies within cleantech startups. As a result, the main objective of this research is to explore and identify trade-offs and synergies that arise when entrepreneurs follow a sustainable and digital strategy simultaneously within cleantech startups and how they are influenced by their stakeholders, resources, and external environment. By examining the influences of resources, stakeholders, and external pressures, the research seeks to understand entrepreneurs' strategic decision-making process and the implementation of digital technologies within a complex environment. The main research question is defined as follows: “How do Dutch cleantech startups navigate the synergies and trade-offs between digital and sustainable practices, and what are the underlying dynamics shaping these interactions?” A systematic literature review mapped the existing academic perspectives on the strategic practices of Dutch cleantech startups, revealing the research gaps. The study employs the resource-based view theory and is complemented by the institutional theory as the foundation of the research. The research uses the concepts of digital and sustainability strategic orientation to explain how their practices are influenced and define the resources and external incentives as moderators. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine Dutch cleantech startups in various industries, such as agriculture, shipping and renewable energies. A qualitative content analysis was conducted to explore the trade-offs and ynergies, resources and incentives, followed by a stakeholders analysis, interview comparison and relational analysis to research the underlying dynamics. The findings show that the startups navigate complex trade-offs between sustainable and digital practices, balancing investment in digital tools for profitability and scalability with commitments to sustainable R&D. Pressures from financial investors prioritise digital scaling and profitability over sustainable impact. Startups prioritise external sustainability impacts over internal sustainable practices and technical talent acquisition over workforce equality. Synergies emerge from leveraging technologies like AI, machine learning, dashboards, and blockchain to enhance product quality, validation, credibility, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance, supported by collaborations with universities and incubators. Stricter sustainable regulations secure funding and stimulate market demand, facilitating the integration of digital and sustainable strategies. Moderating dynamics are financial resources, influencing the balance between profit-driven practices and sustainable investments. Technical team knowledge enhances digital capabilities, and social networks with incubators and R&D institutions foster collaboration synergies despite challenges in data exchange due to limited digital infrastructure. Normative pressures from customers' expectations and coercive pressures from investors and regulators further shape strategic priorities, emphasising compliance with technical standards. Further research is recommended to evaluate the impact of various digital technologies in enhancing synergies and trade-offs. Furthermore, the direct relationship between resources and external incentives warrants further exploration to understand their influence on strategic practices. Additionally, addressing investor influence, including distinctions between impact investors and traditional venture capitalists, could be helpful. Broader studies with diverse samples from different regions and countries and longitudinal studies are recommended to explore the long-term effects of digital and sustainable orientations and practices.

The 21st century has seen a significant rise in clean technologies driven by urgent environmental challenges alongside transformative digital innovations shaping global interactions. Despite these significant events, cleantech startups face substantial challenges and missed opportunities in effectively integrating digital technologies into their sustainable business strategies. To fully harness the potential of digital innovations, addressing the trade-offs and synergies cleantech startups encountered between digital and sustainable strategic practices is crucial, as is understanding the underlying causes of their strategic choices. Despite the rising interest of academia in sustainable and digital entrepreneurship, academic research fails to identify these trade-offs and synergies within cleantech startups. As a result, the main objective of this research is to explore and identify trade-offs and synergies that arise when entrepreneurs follow a sustainable and digital strategy simultaneously within cleantech startups and how they are influenced by their stakeholders, resources, and external environment. By examining the influences of resources, stakeholders, and external pressures, the research seeks to understand entrepreneurs' strategic decision-making process and the implementation of digital technologies within a complex environment. The main research question is defined as follows: “How do Dutch cleantech startups navigate the synergies and trade-offs between digital and sustainable practices, and what are the underlying dynamics shaping these interactions?” A systematic literature review mapped the existing academic perspectives on the strategic practices of Dutch cleantech startups, revealing the research gaps. The study employs the resource-based view theory and is complemented by the institutional theory as the foundation of the research. The research uses the concepts of digital and sustainability strategic orientation to explain how their practices are influenced and define the resources and external incentives as moderators. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine Dutch cleantech startups in various industries, such as agriculture, shipping and renewable energies. A qualitative content analysis was conducted to explore the trade-offs and ynergies, resources and incentives, followed by a stakeholders analysis, interview comparison and relational analysis to research the underlying dynamics. The findings show that the startups navigate complex trade-offs between sustainable and digital practices, balancing investment in digital tools for profitability and scalability with commitments to sustainable R&D. Pressures from financial investors prioritise digital scaling and profitability over sustainable impact. Startups prioritise external sustainability impacts over internal sustainable practices and technical talent acquisition over workforce equality. Synergies emerge from leveraging technologies like AI, machine learning, dashboards, and blockchain to enhance product quality, validation, credibility, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance, supported by collaborations with universities and incubators. Stricter sustainable regulations secure funding and stimulate market demand, facilitating the integration of digital and sustainable strategies. Moderating dynamics are financial resources, influencing the balance between profit-driven practices and sustainable investments. Technical team knowledge enhances digital capabilities, and social networks with incubators and R&D institutions foster collaboration synergies despite challenges in data exchange due to limited digital infrastructure. Normative pressures from customers' expectations and coercive pressures from investors and regulators further shape strategic priorities, emphasising compliance with technical standards. Further research is recommended to evaluate the impact of various digital technologies in enhancing synergies and trade-offs. Furthermore, the direct relationship between resources and external incentives warrants further exploration to understand their influence on strategic practices. Additionally, addressing investor influence, including distinctions between impact investors and traditional venture capitalists, could be helpful. Broader studies with diverse samples from different regions and countries and longitudinal studies are recommended to explore the long-term effects of digital and sustainable orientations and practices.

The research aimed to validate the methodology used for the previously conducted work on the Dutch PV startup sector by applying it to Indian PV startups and providing insights into how external factors influence their Business Model Dynamics (BMD). It revealed some similarities and differences between the Dutch and Indian technology-based PV startups, offering valuable information for investors, industry players, entrepreneurs and policymakers to formulate effective policies and support sustainable PV industry growth. The comparative analysis identified different external triggers and their consequences across various periods and growth stages in developing technology-based PV startups in the two regions. The results concluded with a focus on political and economic factors being the most impacting external agents for the growth of a startup.

The research aimed to validate the methodology used for the previously conducted work on the Dutch PV startup sector by applying it to Indian PV startups and providing insights into how external factors influence their Business Model Dynamics (BMD). It revealed some similarities and differences between the Dutch and Indian technology-based PV startups, offering valuable information for investors, industry players, entrepreneurs and policymakers to formulate effective policies and support sustainable PV industry growth. The comparative analysis identified different external triggers and their consequences across various periods and growth stages in developing technology-based PV startups in the two regions. The results concluded with a focus on political and economic factors being the most impacting external agents for the growth of a startup.

This master's thesis examines the effects of business model innovation and competitive strategies on the success of high-tech startups in the Netherlands. Understanding how high-tech startups can improve their performance and compete successfully is of utmost relevance given the increasing importance of technology entrepreneurship and the emergence of high-tech startups. High-tech businesses frequently fail within the first 18 months despite their promise; thus, it is necessary to identify techniques that encourage their expansion and success. Considering its significance in Europe and its ability to promote international entrepreneurship, this study concentrates on the Dutch high-tech startup ecosystem. By examining the interaction between business models, competitive strategies, and startup performance, the study seeks to fill a gap in the body of existing literature. The central research question, "What is the influence of competitive strategies and business model innovation on the performance of high-tech start-ups in the Netherlands?" serves as the focus of this study. The study employs a quantitative research approach to gather insights from high-tech businesses established between 2017 and 2020. Data is meticulously collected from high-tech startups in the Netherlands, utilizing a meticulously crafted survey questionnaire. This comprehensive analysis aims to unravel the intricate dynamics between business model innovation and competitive strategies, shedding light on pivotal performance variables such as number of employees and revenue, pivotal indicators of startup growth. Through rigorous statistical analysis performed on a sample of 49 high-tech startups, the study unveils a noteworthy positive correlation between the interaction of business model novelty and cost-leadership strategy with enhanced startup performance, particularly in terms of full-time employees. However, other direct and interactional relationships failed to yield significance concerning the performance variables. Consequently, the study delves into discerning the prevalent business models and preferred competitive strategies within the Dutch high-tech startup ecosystem. Further, despite the significant insights garnered, this research acknowledges certain limitations, including sample size constraints, sampling methodology, and primarily the questions in the survey questionnaire design, which may have influenced the outcomes of the research study. The results of this study have ramifications for practitioners as well as scholars. By providing insights into the intricate interactions between business models, competitive strategies, and startup performance, it adds to the body of academic literature on strategic management and entrepreneurship. The research also provides important insights from high-tech startups on their decision-making to enhance their performance with developing market trends. The research helps business owners make informed decisions that promote growth, profitability, and market competitiveness by identifying effective combinations of business models and strategies. Delving into these dynamics, this research not only enriches the academic understanding of entrepreneurship but also provides valuable insights with practical implications. Through its rigorous analysis and findings, this thesis aims to equip high-tech startups with the knowledge and strategies needed to succeed in today's dynamic world. In conclusion, this master's thesis provides a thorough examination of the complex linkages between business model innovation, competitive strategies, and the performance outcomes of Dutch high-tech startups.

Nature-based solutions are solutions that (partly) consist of, or contribute to, living nature, which can provide economical, social and environmental benefits. Especially in the building sector they can have huge benefits over conventional (grey) solution as this sector uses a lot of resources and energy. The benefits that nature-based solutions can offer range from air purification to carbon sequestration to insulation. Even though nature-based solutions are known to have these benefits, large scale diffusion of nature-based solutions has not yet happened. The EU states that in “order for NbS to be implemented effective new business and partnership models should be created”. To foster the creation of these business models an appropriate business model framework is necessary. However, this framework was not yet existing. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to create a novel sustainable business model framework for nature-based solutions in the Dutch building sector. The novel framework was created through performing first literature research followed by a creation phase. This led to a preliminary framework which was then improved with the use of a focus group consisting of 7 experts from the Dutch building sector, who are currently working with, or involved with, nature-based solutions. With valuable insights and tips from the focus group the framework was then improved. This led to a framework consisting of a business model canvas supported by a few sections providing extra information. These extra sections help the user to fill in the business model canvas. On top of the improvements the focus group meeting also gave insights in how, and by who, the framework should be used. It became clear that the framework should primarily be used for creating an overview of an organisation, rather than for ideation. The framework should be used by organisations working with nature-based solutions and especially organisations who care about their impact and their ‘raison d’être’. The framework is a big improvement compared to the alternatives mainly because it is compact, but also comprehensive. It offers the user a way to perform a thoroughly impact assessment and the canvas includes many aspects/elements which are of high importance for implementing nature-based solutions.

As of 2021, China's newly installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity has topped the world for nine consecutive years. Considering that the general life of crystalline silicon PV modules is 25 years, in the near future, China will face a wave of decommissioning of waste PV modules. Therefore, it is crucial to develop and improve China's PV module recycling industry in advance. Based on TIS framework, this thesis analyzes how to make module recycling spread in China from the perspective of PV module recycling enterprises. The main content of the research is divided into two parts: the first part collects literature, reports and news related to PV module recycling technologies, and puts different technologies into the established evaluation system for evaluation, so as to obtain the best performing technologies. In the second part, information related to China's PV module recycling technology and industry is collected through desk research and interviews, and the status of each building block and influencing conditions in TIS framework is analyzed. On this basis, the barriers to the large-scale diffusion of PV module recycling in China are found, and the corresponding strategies that need to be adopted by all parties are also developed. The research results of this thesis show that the mechanical delamination of PV modules and the hydrometallurgical technology for valuable metal recovery are the most promising combination of PV module recycling technologies. At present, there are four main barriers to the large-scale diffusion of PV module recycling in China. First, the level of recycling technologies used by enterprises are uneven, and there is a lack of core technologies for large-scale treatment and disposal of pollutants generated by recycling. Second, it is not clear what to do with the valuable materials obtained after recycling. Third, China's PV module recycling market is very chaotic, lack of fair competition. Fourth, there are still gaps in key policies and standards, including subsidies and policies to regulate market order, as well as standards to judge whether PV modules are abandoned. Removing these barriers will require different types of actors in the industry. PV module recycling enterprises need to continuously explore and improve the module recycling technologies and supporting technologies. At the same time, they need to determine what to do with the recovered valuable materials. In addition, the Chinese government needs to formulate a subsidy policy for research and development and investment related to PV module recycling. Also, policy gaps to regulate market order should be quickly filled. The National Standardization Administration needs to issue the standard for judging the waste of PV modules as soon as possible.