If you create a Startup, we have to make a BUSINESS PLAN, this is a good way to see the short-, medium, and log-term objectives.
As a working tool is a fantastic way to set the most optimistic and conservative scenarios. And it serves very well to complement it with the BUSINESS MODEL. In this way, we can have the clear objectives in the BUSINESS PLAN and we will achieve “to pivot” without theorizing deeply about our product or service, thanks to the BUSINESS MODEL.
This is, we have clear objectives and we develop empirically with the feedback of the customers our product or service.
What we should be clear is that the two tools used together, complement each other well. But, clearly, the second option (BUSINESS MODEL) relies entirely on key partners. The business plan helps us to identify the competitors. While, the business model helps us to develop and to become in our COOPETITORS.
Figure 11: Coopetitors. Creative Commons Image.
IF I ROW ALONE, I ARRIVE FAR. IF I ROW WITH SOMEONE, I ARRIVE BEFORE.
The latter concept is about which we want discuss in this chapter. We define it. Coopetitiveness is the opportunistic collaboration between different economic actors who are also competitors. The term coopetition is a mixture or a merger between two words, competition and cooperation; it is a word fusion, or a generated neologism which is generated joining the start of a word to the other word.
Coopetitiveness is about collaboration, cooperation between two or more Startups or business in this case. Therefore, it is linked to how we treat our influence circle and we generate network. Let us explain that the influence circle. With an anthropocentric or neo-Renaissance thought we can consider the center of our influence circle, actor and to make decision or victim and we get carried away by circumstances. Contemplate the following scheme:
Figure 12: Influence circle. Adaptation of Stephen Covey. Own Source.
Someone might think: this is impossible, It cannot do it, the crisis, the lack of jobs, I have not this resource, etc. If someone is not a victim, and he takes a control of his own situation, he will begin to move his influence circle. I have not this resource, but I know who has it. I call him, we achieve convergence points to stablish a negotiation, I help you and you help me.
In this way, we begin to weave the company network which will make that you with your partners establish a cooperation to develop key activities which give a hoped added value, or more. For this, we show the seven steps which will get you to your goal:
The first thing that we have to make is go outside. There are places that generate ecosystem for entrepreneurs. These are: industrial districts, associations, conferences, science and technology parks, incubators, business accelerators, coworking spaces. Al these areas have something in common: generate “networking”, to develop places where you share where you talk about ideas and to develop common projects. Within these spaces exist cooperations. They are consequence derived from the territorial proximity and social connection between the different participants of these places. Another way to call it is “transfer of knowledge” (know-how).
Let us explain some examples listed above:
| Crowdfunding | Through a platform, the entrepreneur, on a determinate time, achieves that a collective of people provide him funding. This people is joined in exchange for a shareholder of the Project. The rise of this method has led to intermediary platforms are increasingly specialized or sectored. |
| Playfunding | Entrepreneurs achieve funding for his Project from displaying advertisements, which inserted the companies that sponsor them. Through a web platform, entrepreneurs up their projects awaiting another Company to sponsor them. This company insert his advertising spot on his website and, depending on the number of displays, paid to the sponsoring company. In this way, everyone wins; some receive money and other disclose his product, business, idea, etc. |
| Crowdlending (p2b lending) | Using specialized webs in this type of Crowdgunding, companies offer a return or interest rate, higher potential investors, thus companies financed without resorting to traditional financial institutions. |
| Crowdsourcing | Through a Marketplace, the companies open a callo n a specific task. A number of people specializad in this task are offered to do it and after a fex days, we can be chosen for such a task and gradually go get funding for our Company. |
In this sense, the existence of social environments in which trust relationships are created and they give to possibility to realize collaborative activities between different actors. Helping to improve productivity and innovation inside these places.
These spaces allow face big projects, impossible to do by individual company. In turn, these spaces make easy to access to several services and supports which positively affects their competitiveness. Then, these places are powerful channels of communication to transmit the sector needs. Also, they present a strong orientation to the emergence of new business projects, since the existence of networking allows the mobilization of the holder of business skills.