O processo de comercialização de inovações : o caso de pequenas empresas de base tecnológica graduadas em uma incubadora brasileira

Abstract

The general objective of this study is to analyze the trajectory of the graduated Small Technology-Based Firms (STBFs) in relation to the commercialization and the difficulties faced by these enterprises to insert their innovations in the market. The central questions of the research were: What are the main difficulties faced by LDPEs in offering their new products and services to the market? What are the reasons for these difficulties? What is the role of the incubator in supporting the commercialization of innovations throughout the incubation period? A multiple case study method was used to analyze 10 small technology-based firms graduated from a Brazilian incubator. The results show that small technology-based firms face difficulties when commercializing their innovations for two reasons. (1) sales efforts and contacts with customers were made late, and (2) they did not develop and build commercialization expertise, specifically identifying a niche of the market and considering the initial and potential customers to be able to develop a viable business model, using their networks of contacts effectively.