The M&A Exit Outcome of High-Tech Startups

Carmen Cotei () and Joseph Farhat
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Carmen Cotei: University of Hartford, USA
Joseph Farhat: Central Connecticut State University, USA

Multinational Finance Journal, 2020, vol. 24, issue 3-4, 183-209

Abstract: In this paper we analyze which factors explain the M&A exit outcome of high-technology startups using the confidential version of the Kauffman Firm Survey data. Our findings reveal that innovation activity is the most important factor in explaining the M&A exit outcome which indicates that acquirers value the growth potential signaled through intellectual property rights, research and development activity and therefore, businesses with high quality innovations are the most attractive targets for acquisitions. We also show that new, high-tech ventures owned by highly educated entrepreneurs are more likely to exit via M&A. These owners have better access to financial and social capital, which positively impacts the entrepreneur’s ability to create a business that is harvestable and increases the chance that the business will, indeed, be harvested.

Keywords: mergers and acquisitions; entrepreneurial exit; innovation; technology-based startups (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C1 D21 L11 L25 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:mfj:journl:v:24:y:2020:i:3-4:p:183-209

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