Identification, analysis and treatment of risks in the introduction of new technologies by start-ups

Purpose Innovation, digital solutions and scalability are some of the integral distinctive elements of start-ups. Due to these factors, the management of risks for businesses of this nature demands a specific approach. The purpose of this paper is to propose the identification, analysis and treatment of risks in the introduction of new technologies by Catarse, the biggest site for crowdfunding in Latin America, founded with the vision of net present value adjusted to the risk of developing a new product (NPVR) and enterprise risks in the environment of value, aiming to provide the guidelines for the improvement of this process. Design/methodology/approach The empirical research realized in this study is of a qualitative nature and was conducted using the case study method, which had its data collected through interviews with key managers and documents provided by the organizations. Data analysis was based on Miles et al.’s (2014) model, whereby data were condensed and visualized, and conclusions were developed and checked. Findings Among the main results, there is the proposition of a deductive-inductive analysis of risks in start-ups by means of calculation of the net present value adjusted to the risk of developing a new product (NPVR), analysis of the decisions made by the entrepreneur and the processes of business communication and development of the product. Practical implications The authors propose the identification of important factors for the management of uncertainties and risks in start-ups. Social implications The authors present an important case study in Latin America, Catarse, which helps entrepreneurs to develop their start-ups. Originality/value As the main contribution, this paper proposes the identification of elements for the management of uncertainties and risks in start-ups, which brings elements to provide the calculation of the net present value adjusted to the risk of developing a new product (NPVR), process or service, as well as the contribution of the level of risk management maturity of the studied company.