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The role of industry variety in the creation of innovative start-ups in Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Roberto Antonietti

    (University of Padova)

  • Francesca Gambarotto

    (University of Padova)

Abstract

This paper aims to ascertain whether related and unrelated industry variety affects the creation of innovative as opposed to other start-ups in Italian local labor market areas. The analysis combines elements from the knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship, the recombinant growth approach, and evolutionary economic geography. Using data on Italian innovative start-ups created between 2012 and 2015, and on firms newly registered with the Italian Chambers of Commerce, and applying appropriate count data models, our estimates show that innovative start-ups are more frequently created in areas where unrelated variety is higher. This is because innovative start-ups find more opportunities to recombine different pieces of knowledge or maximize their portfolio of demand opportunities, in such a setting, whereas a higher related variety stimulates the creation of other types of new start-up, for which it is easier to combine similar, complementary knowledge sources. We also find that half of the effect of related and unrelated variety comes from the localization of (innovative) start-ups in large urban areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Roberto Antonietti & Francesca Gambarotto, 2020. "The role of industry variety in the creation of innovative start-ups in Italy," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 561-573, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:54:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s11187-018-0034-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-018-0034-4
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    New start-ups; Innovative start-ups; Related variety; Unrelated variety;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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