Framing startups survival research at the crossroad of entrepreneurship, strategy and business model: a literature review and a research agenda

Abstract

Startup survival depends on entrepreneurs’ ability to create value by identifying and exploiting new opportunities while developing a viable business model. This article contributes to a body of fragmented research spanning three key domains—entrepreneurship, strategy, and business models—focusing on how startups leverage strategy and business models to be competitive. To this end, we conduct a systematic literature review on the identification and exploitation of opportunities by startups, as well as on the definition of their strategy and business model to survive in competitive markets. Our study provides an overview of the literature on the subject, identifying the main strands and their main findings, and promising avenues for future research to enhance both academic understanding and entrepreneurial practice.