Author Profile
Sarasvathy, Saras D.
Doing Without the Middleman: A Primer on Funding for Entrepreneurs
Sarasvathy, Saras D. Zuffoletti, Jim
ENT-0235 | Published January 07, 2025 | 8 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
It’s widely believed that entrepreneurs need formal funding to start a venture, but that’s not always the case. In fact, the majority of companies that go public don’t raise any venture capital at all... Read More
The Art of the Effectual Ask
Sarasvathy, Saras D. Whiffen, Sara
ENT-0225 | Published September 11, 2020 | 11 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
Entrepreneurs strive to solve problems and create value through partnerships. Studying how they do that led to the hypothesis that "asking" played a critical role in the success of an entrepreneur. Th... Read More
Ownership, Control, and the Role of Equity in New Ventures
ENT-0226 | Published September 02, 2020 | 8 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
This technical note discusses how a high-potential start-up entrepreneur should use equity in building and growing a new venture. One of the most crucial things for entrepreneurs to understand is equi... Read More
Ought to "Can": Questions for an Entrepreneurial Future
Sarasvathy, Saras D. Venkataraman, S.
ENT-0132 | Published August 28, 2009 | 11 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
This technical note explores the broadening role of entrepreneurship as both an economic and societal force. Students learn that as a distinct problem-solving method, entrepreneurship is teachable and... Read More
Cold Opportunity (C): The Absolut ICEBARS Story
Sarasvathy, Saras D. Read, Stuart Aronsson, Magnus
ENT-0121 | Published July 30, 2009 | 4 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Suitable for MBA and executive learners, this case series presents an engaging narrative that prompts students to discuss entrepreneurial thinking. An entrepreneur who loves his native Swedish Lapland... Read More
Cold Opportunity (A): The Nils Bergqvist Story
Sarasvathy, Saras D. Aronsson, Magnus
ENT-0119 | Published July 30, 2009 | 3 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Suitable for MBA and executive learners, this case series presents a narrative that prompts students to discuss entrepreneurial thinking. An entrepreneur who loves his native Swedish Lapland uses his ... Read More
Cold Opportunity (B): The ICEHOTEL Story
Sarasvathy, Saras D. Read, Stuart Aronsson, Magnus
ENT-0120 | Published July 30, 2009 | 2 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Suitable for MBA and executive learners, this case series presents an engaging narrative that prompts students to discuss entrepreneurial thinking. An entrepreneur who loves his native Swedish Lapland... Read More
Taking the Plunge: New Luxury Ventures
ENT-0070 | Published May 14, 2009 | 11 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Students at all levels explore the psychology of entrepreneurship and new product branding and marketing as a young IBM executive decides whether to become an entrepreneur. He must evaluate his busine... Read More
Boards for a New Venture: Putting Together Boards and Working with Them
ENT-0071 | Published May 14, 2009 | 6 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
This note teaches students at all levels how to establish a board for a new venture, explaining why it is necessary, how to attract the right members, how to compensate them, how to distinguish adviso... Read More
The Entrepreneurial Method: How Expert Entrepreneurs Create New Markets
ENT-0073 | Published December 17, 2006 | 8 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
This note reflects a new focus on "effectuation," the logic behind entrepreneurial expertise, which consists of tacit as well as learnable and teachable aspects of experience that are related to high ... Read More
New Venture Performance
ENT-0074 | Published December 17, 2006 | 9 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
This note examines the pros and cons of two ways to build new ventures. The former is called causal or predictive, because it depends on accurate predictions and clear goals. The latter is effectual o... Read More
Felipe Vergara and Lumni: Launching an Innovation in a Developing Economy
Venkataraman, S. Sarasvathy, Saras D. Parmar, Bidhan Glinska, Gosia
ENT-0083 | Published September 07, 2006 | 14 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
The case chronicles the development of Lumni, Inc., an international start-up offering innovative mechanisms for financing higher education. It focuses on: the details of decision making required to t... Read More
Legal Issues for New Ventures: Choice of Lawyer and Choice of Entity
Sarasvathy, Saras D. Ishrat Ali, M. White, Richard
ENT-0072 | Published August 01, 2006 | 7 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
This note discusses the legal issues entrepreneurs must consider as they form their company as a legal entity. In question-and-answer format, the note concisely defines the types of entity available a... Read More
The Affordable Loss Principle
ENT-0075 | Published March 25, 2006 | 7 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
Ideal for a study of entrepreneurship as a phenomenon, this note explores the difference between causal models and effectuation. Whereas causal models focus on maximizing returns by selecting optimal ... Read More
The Bird-in-Hand Principle: Who I Am, What I Know, and Whom I Know
ENT-0090 | Published January 18, 2006 | 8 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
This technical note explores a framework by which entrepreneurs can evaluate their ideas before going forward based on who they are, what they know, and whom they know. Drawing on frameworks presented... Read More
What Makes Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurial?
ENT-0065 | Published September 13, 2005 | 9 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case is designed to train students to recognize the characteristics of entrepreneurial thinking. The author studied the problem-solving process of 30 entrepreneurs from a variety of industries wh... Read More