New Research Explores How Startups Frame Sustainability in Investor Pitches
A new study by MMTC affiliate Ulla A. Saari, MMTC Director Leona Achtenhagen, and co-authors Annabeth Aagaard and Saku J. Mäkinen, published in Business Strategy and the Environment, investigates how entrepreneurs present sustainability in their business pitches to investors.
Analyzing startup pitches from Slush, a major global startup event, the study applies the Need–Approach–Benefit–Competition (NABC) model and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to examine different framing strategies. The findings reveal how entrepreneurs use cognitive, strategic, technological, and institutional frames to position their sustainability efforts at micro, meso, and macro levels. The study also distinguishes framing patterns between successful startups and those that did not survive beyond the event.
This research provides valuable insights for entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers seeking to understand how sustainability narratives influence business success.
