Copreneurial Women in startups: Growth-oriented or lifestyle? An aid for technology industry investors

Purpose – Latin American investors are commonly suspicious of investing in copreneurial ventures (a male and female couple) integrated in working teams and show even higher levels of uncertainty when startups are led by a female founder. This paper addresses issues related to women as leaders in copreneurial tech ventures and analyzes whether these ventures are growth-oriented or conform to limited partnerships that merely meet women’s needs for a standard of living. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative, inductive and constructive approach was needed for addressing the research question. Three copreneurial women and two divorced copreneurs were interviewed. A grounded theory approach was followed to analyze data, which identified emerging themes. Findings – Copreneurial teams in technology have similar and complementary high levels of education and skill development. After enough time working together, each partner is well aware of mutual skills and each other’s strengths, allowing them to identify their roles. Both divide work and family, and have developed a level of mutual trust that is essential to moving forward. They commonly show a workaholic tendency with a high rational underpinning. All of these factors strengthen collaboration, and in many instances this business liaison can remain intact despite a breakdown in a sentimental relationship. Additional findings show that their growth-orientation take multiple structures. Practical implications – This study conveys information that can help investors make decisions that support these copreneurial teams. Originality/value – Although representing an increasingly common type of startup team, copreneurs in technology have not yet been addressed as a specific sample in family business research.