Ten simple rules for building a successful science start-up

A limitation of our proposed rules is that since we aimed to capture the core principles that would apply to a broad range of company settings, they do not include several specific and fundamental issues that arise, e.g., for biotech versus e-commerce start-ups. [...]the rules are more conceptual and abstract but central for innovation-driven start-ups. [...]there will be no end product if you have no invention but commercialization. [...]to bring your idea to the market, you need a highly effective team to develop your innovation into a product wanted by your customers. Due to the initial budget constraints—a reality for pretty much all start-ups—tasks cannot be delegated but must be taken on by the founders. [...]the founding team must represent a diversified set of qualifications, not limited to scientific know-how, but also business know-how, sales spirit, manager qualities, and industry knowledge. Should the founding team consist of only 2 founders, a 50/50 shareholding might represent a danger for the company. [...]we advise defining clear rules on decision finding or avoiding the 50/50 shareholding situation.