Navigating Market Constraints: Sustainable Startups Driving Transformative Change Through Venture Creation

Abstract

This paper contributes to venture-creation research by examining how sustainable startups can overcome market constraints to drive transformative change through their business development. Conceptually, we address this question by identifying venture-creation narratives in the learning and experimental phases of sustainable startups that contribute to the creation of social, economic, and environmental value. Empirically, we conducted a qualitative case study of sustainable circular economy (CE) startups in Finland. Our findings reveal three overarching categories of entrepreneurial narratives through which CE startups drive transformative change through venture creation. Moreover, two main implications are discussed: a deeper understanding of the integrative approach to venture and business opportunity creation in sustainability transition and a comprehensive view of initiating a sustainable entrepreneurial journey that seeks to transform a linear market.