Opportunity recognition and product innovation in entrepreneurial hi-tech start-ups: a new perspective and supporting case study

This paper seeks to synthesise the available literature into a more complete and integrative model of opportunity recognition in high-tech start-ups. We propose opportunity recognition to be a complex, interactive process involving three main components, the founding entrepreneur, the knowledge and experience of the firm and technology. A case study is used to demonstrate the nature of the component interactions. It is argued that more widespread use of the qualitative research can reveal new insights into the complex and interactive process of opportunity recognition in the high-tech start-up.