Empreendimentos sustentáveis: estudo multicasos de ecoinovações em startups cearenses

Abstract

Sustainability is a topic that has gained greater relevance and visibility due to the environmental issues the planet has faced. Given this, organizations have sought actions that generate less impact on nature. In this context, eco-innovation is inserted, which can be understood as a strategy focused on the production of goods and services with a sustainable perspective. In this research, eco-innovation is studied in the context of Ceará’s startups, seen as companies that stand out for their innovative character and potential to contribute to solving sustainability issues. The general objective of the research is to investigate how eco-innovations are characterized in startups in Ceará. This is a qualitative research, carried out using a multiple case study strategy, with two B2B (Business to busines) companies from the “green startups” category as units of analysis. In the first company, the former CEO, current mentor, was interviewed, and in the second company, one of the founders, who currently holds a management position, was interviewed. As for data analysis, content analysis was used, with the support of the ATLAS.ti software. In this way, it was possible to identify, regarding the typologies of eco-innovations, the presence of technology as a primary factor in startups' services, in addition to the governance dimension with more emphasis on the first company and, products and services in the second, where companies had the needed moment of organizational changes such as formalization in the market to achieve their objectives, in addition to seeking innovation in their products and services, in order to offer sustainable services for organizations. As for eco-innovative agents, it was possible to conclude that the companies are of the strategic eco-innovators type, as they seek revenue through sustainable services sold to other enterprises. In relation to the determinants of eco-innovation, the main identified in the two startups were the factors driven by technology, which guarantee a quality service through technology and given the intention of internationalization in the market, especially in relation to the second startup, it was also possible to identify market-driven factors. Finally, in relation to barriers, what became most evident were the issues regarding the difficulties in raising resources from public authorities, mainly in relation to the lack of knowledge about startups on the part of the people involved and the resistance of entrepreneurs, mainly from the Northeast region, regarding innovation and eco-innovation and lack of pressure from investors and legislation itself. Furthermore, technology and professionals costs are expensive and complex, especially

for the new companies in the market. Given this, the relevance of this research lies mainly in identifying how these companies are in the Ceará market and what has been an obstacle to the development of sustainable services in startups, as they are essential services, increasingly necessary in companies. However, in the state of Ceará, sustainable eco-innovation is still something that needs to advance, both in relation to the offer of this service in the startup sector and in relation to demand from other companies.