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How Do Start‐up Acquisitions Affect the Direction of Innovation?

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  • Esmée S. R. Dijk
  • José L. Moraga‐González
  • Evgenia Motchenkova

Abstract

A start‐up engages in an investment portfolio problem by choosing how much to invest in a “non‐rival” project and a “rival” project that threatens an incumbent. Anticipating its acquisition, the start‐up distorts its investment portfolio in order to raise acquisition rents. This may improve or worsen the direction of innovation and consumer surplus. The bigger the difference in social surplus appropriability across the two projects, the more likely it is that the direction of innovation improves and consumers benefit from an acquisition. These results also hold if the acquirer takes over the research facilities of the start‐up.

Suggested Citation

  • Esmée S. R. Dijk & José L. Moraga‐González & Evgenia Motchenkova, 2024. "How Do Start‐up Acquisitions Affect the Direction of Innovation?," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(1), pages 118-156, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jindec:v:72:y:2024:i:1:p:118-156
    DOI: 10.1111/joie.12349
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices

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