Från idé till expansion, organisering och styrning i digitala start-ups

Sammanfattning

Digital startups operate in an environment characterized by rapid technological development, highuncertainty and high demands for rapid growth. At the same time, there is limited knowledge abouthow these organizations actually organize their operations when they grow. The purpose of this studyis to investigate how digital startups organize their operations during rapid growth in order to achievescalability and long-term sustainability, with a particular focus on how organization, structure andleadership are adapted in a dynamic and digital context.The study is conducted with a qualitative and abductive research approach and is based onsemi-structured interviews with people in decision-making roles within fast-growing digitalcompanies. The analysis is based on theories of digital transformation, organizational change andtheories such as Lean Startup and Effectuation.The results show that digital startups are characterized by continuous organizational change where theneed for flexibility, innovation and speed is gradually supplemented with increased structure, controland formalization in line with growth. Scalability is enabled through digitalization, automation andorganizational choices, while leadership changes from informal and relationship-based to morestrategic and clear. The study also shows that long-term sustainability requires a balance betweengrowth, quality and organizational resilience. Digital startups thus emerge as organizations in constantevolution, where the ability to manage organizational tension is central to continued success.