HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeEntrepreneurshipback to Research & KnowledgeKandou Bus, From start-up to IPO? (B): The Scale-Upback to Entrepreneurship

Case Study

Kandou Bus, From start-up to IPO? (B): The Scale-Up

By Jim Pulcrano, Adel Choi, Alexandra Pimshteyn, Darrel Ronald and Dipendra Jain

11 pages

July 2023

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-7-2467

Dr Amin Shokrollahi, a mathematician who loves research, becomes an entrepreneur by accident. He discovers a software solution to decelerate Moore’s Law, and his friend, entrepreneur Steve Papa, pushes him to create a company and bring the solution to market. For five years they “wander in the woods” building the team, raising money, developing the technology, fruitlessly talking with potential customers and working with some of the world’s most important technology companies… but without commercial success.

Learning Objective

Scaling likely requires a new business model.
Transitioning from R&D to commercial operations is usually hard.
Next steps? Expansion via additional fundraising, public listing or acquisition by a major player?

Keywords

Business to Business, Disruption, Economics, Semiconductor, Electronics, Moore's Law, Start-up, Initial Public Offering

Settings

Kandou Bus, Materials, Semiconductors, Information Technology, Computer Services, Manufacturing, Electric and Electronic Equipment
2010-2022

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

Related material

Teaching note

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

This case study is part of a series

Keep reading

Article

Why leadership development means losing the comfort zone

RSM’s Hannes Leroy and colleagues share the research – and the tools – behind choosing the right leadership development program for you; one that m...

Leadership

By Hannes Leroy, Moran Anisman-Razin, Pisitta Vongswasdi and Johannes Claeys

in I by IMD

Article

Five lessons business could learn from the Olympics

Discover how Paris overcame uncertainty to successfully host the 2024 Olympics, demonstrating crisis management, leadership and excellent commercia...

Crisis Management Global Business Leadership Strategy

By Carlos Cordon and Sameh Abadir

in I by IMD

Video

Founderful: ‘Ideas are a commodity. Execution is everything.’

In episode six of Tech for Good, Edouard Treccani, principal at Founderful, a Swiss pre-seed Venture Capital fund founded in 2019, discusses its mi...

How CEO’s drive saved car giant Ford from the scrapyard

Companies desperately in need of a turnaround in fortunes should take inspiration from the 2008 rescue mission by the then-new Ford boss Alan Mulal...

Agility Business Transformation Change Management Competitiveness Decision Making Future Readiness Leadership Organizational Culture Performance Management Strategy

By Howard H. Yu

in I by IMD

Article

Jack and changing for good

Discover how Jack, a senior executive, transforms his leadership style through coaching, overcoming challenges to find a sustainable balance for su...

Change Management Coaching Leadership

By Luca Allaria

in I by IMD

Article

«Founder mode»: che cos’è, perché può spaccare la Silicon Valley (e segnare la fine dell’era del management)

September 2024 marks a turning point in the world of corporate management. Paul Graham, a prominent figure in Silicon Valley and founder of Y Combi...

Family Business Leadership Innovation Disruption

By Alfredo De Massis and Paolo Lacchè

in Corriere della Sera

30 September 2024

Article

7 leadership tips to make work work for humans

On any given day, more than 20% of Americans come to work with a diagnosed mental illness. Here are seven things leaders can do to combat an epidem...

Workplace Well-being Leadership

By Morra Aarons-Mele, Rita McGrath, Andrew Barnes and Poornima Luthra

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

27 September 2024

Article

The fractional gains of senior leaders: Fact or fallacy?

Employing part-time seniors can help your organization in significant ways – but do you know the dos and don’ts of engaging in such arrangements? I...

The great diversification: Why pension funds are moving beyond stocks and bonds

In an effort to increase returns and control risk, pension funds are moving away from conventional equities and bonds into alternative investments ...

Economics Finance Growth Venture Capital

By Anca Mataoanu

in I by IMD

Article

Potential or performance? We should value and reward both

Organizations place too much emphasis on ‘high potential’ leadership talent at the expense of people who can deliver value in other ways.

Leadership Performance Management Talent Management Team Dynamics

By Peter Attfield

in I by IMD

Five lessons business could learn from the Olympics

By Carlos Cordon and Sameh Abadir
in I by IMD

Summary

Discover how Paris overcame uncertainty to successfully host the 2024 Olympics, demonstrating crisis management, leadership and excellent commercia...

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Crisis Management

Global Business

Leadership

Strategy

Browse all topics

Jack and changing for good

By Luca Allaria
in I by IMD

Summary

Discover how Jack, a senior executive, transforms his leadership style through coaching, overcoming challenges to find a sustainable balance for su...

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Change Management

Coaching

Leadership

Browse all topics

«Founder mode»: che cos’è, perché può spaccare la Silicon Valley (e segnare la fine dell’era del management)

By Alfredo De Massis and Paolo Lacchè
in Corriere della Sera 30 September 2024

Summary

September 2024 marks a turning point in the world of corporate management. Paul Graham, a prominent figure in Silicon Valley and founder of Y Combi...

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Family Business

Leadership

Innovation

Disruption

Browse all topics

7 leadership tips to make work work for humans

By Morra Aarons-Mele Rita McGrath Andrew Barnes and Poornima Luthra
in I by IMD Brain Circuits 27 September 2024

Summary

On any given day, more than 20% of Americans come to work with a diagnosed mental illness. Here are seven things leaders can do to combat an epidem...

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Workplace Well-being

Leadership

Browse all topics

The great diversification: Why pension funds are moving beyond stocks and bonds

By Anca Mataoanu
in I by IMD

Summary

In an effort to increase returns and control risk, pension funds are moving away from conventional equities and bonds into alternative investments ...

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Economics

Finance

Growth

Venture Capital

Browse all topics

Potential or performance? We should value and reward both

By Peter Attfield
in I by IMD

Summary

Organizations place too much emphasis on ‘high potential’ leadership talent at the expense of people who can deliver value in other ways.