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The Impact Tech Startup: Initial Findings on a New, SDG-Focused Organizational Category

Author

Listed:
  • Benjamin Gidron

    (Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
    Research Authority, The College of Management Academic Studies, Rishon LeZion 7570724, Israel)

  • Kfir Bar

    (School of Computer Science, The College of Management Academic Studies, Rishon LeZion 7570724, Israel
    These authors contributed equally to the paper and they are listed alphabetically.)

  • Maya Finger Keren

    (Faculty of Business, The College of Management Academic Studies, Rishon LeZion 7570724, Israel
    These authors contributed equally to the paper and they are listed alphabetically.)

  • Dalit Gafni

    (School of Economics, The College of Management Academic Studies, Rishon LeZion 7570724, Israel
    These authors contributed equally to the paper and they are listed alphabetically.)

  • Yaari Hodara

    (Harrison School of Business, Reichman University, Herzliya 4635901, Israel
    These authors contributed equally to the paper and they are listed alphabetically.)

  • Irina Krasnopolskaya

    (The Institute for Law and Philanthropy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6139001, Israel
    College of Management Academic Studies (COLMAN), Rishon LeZion 7570724, Israel
    These authors contributed equally to the paper and they are listed alphabetically.)

  • Alon Mannor

    (Efi Arazi School of Computer Science, Reichman University, Herzliya 4635901, Israel
    These authors contributed equally to the paper and they are listed alphabetically.)

Abstract

This study sheds light on the prevalence, focus, and key structural dimensions of the Impact Tech Startup—a new organizational category of enterprise whose technologically innovative products or services are aimed at creating social or environmental impact. After tracing the Impact Tech Startup’s conceptual roots and the features it shares with startups and social enterprises, we examine the context of Israel as a particularly supportive environment for startup entrepreneurship. We then present the initial findings from our empirical study conducted in Israel, in which we examined 1657 startups, developed a machine learning algorithm to identify which of these can be classified as an Impact Tech Startup, and clustered the results within the framework of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Our findings indicate that approximately one third of Israel’s startups can be classified as an Impact Tech Startup. Of these, almost a third are producing products or services relevant to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Furthermore, we find that the technologies deployed by ITSs can help optimize decisions by professionals and, in doing so, substantially contribute to tackling social and environmental challenges. This study aimed to give the Impact Tech Startup an initial “face” and to invite further, more detailed studies in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin Gidron & Kfir Bar & Maya Finger Keren & Dalit Gafni & Yaari Hodara & Irina Krasnopolskaya & Alon Mannor, 2023. "The Impact Tech Startup: Initial Findings on a New, SDG-Focused Organizational Category," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-26, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:16:p:12419-:d:1217961
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