Startup entrepreneurship: when the beginning isn’t half the battle

From Garage Dreams to Business Realities

Those involved in the world of startup entrepreneurship regularly encounter the “garage minds,” following the legendary example of Apple’s rise to global dominance, which literally started as an idea in the garage of one of the two Steves, Jobs and Wozniak. 

The Critical Role of Resilience, Resources, and Regulation

First, the temperament and resilience of the creators must allow them to face all the difficulties, setbacks, and temptations that come with the journey from startup to real business. Personality clashes, excessive ambition, or conversely, subdued or introverted behavior can easily derail the team’s progress.

Second, the availability of necessary private resources — not only the obvious ones like funding, but often including additional expertise and access to relevant markets — must be secured at crucial stages of the startup’s development to ensure it gains the necessary "escape velocity" to move from one phase to the next.

A great idea is just the beginning — it’s the resilience to face challenges, the resources to fuel growth, and the right environment that turn it into a true success story. 

Third, the state must provide a regulatory framework that doesn’t discourage or slow down new business development but encourages and accelerates it. This framework should go beyond mere announcements or isolated interventions, encompassing a comprehensive plan that coordinates the contributions of all relevant stakeholders. These include education, research, licensing, taxation, financial incentives, resources, and specific issues related to national strategies for targeted growth sectors.

The ways one can contribute to these factors are many and varied, depending on their role and the specific dimension where the greatest needs arise, in relation to the level of influence they can wield.

One thing is certain: Greece has entered a new and important chapter of its development, and properly supported startup entrepreneurship can not only produce a few "success stories" as it has so far but also serve as a lever for the country’s broader economic — and not just economic — growth.