Business relationship development and marketing for startups : A case study at the industrial startup Nytt Tech

Abstract: This research is a qualitative case study at the industrial business-to-business startup Nytt Tech aiming to understand how startups work with networkbased relationship marketing in the early phase and how they gain access to the business network and benefit from creating relationships. The following research question is presented: How can a business-to-business startup gain access to and benefit from the business network to create relationships? The study is limited to Nytt Tech and the circumstances that prevail for them. As a basis, unstructured and semi-structured interviews have been held with the employees and key customers to understand how success has arisen so far and then examine how it can be further developed. The data has been processed and analyzed using the ARA-model as the theoretical framework. The study finds multiple drivers which will help Nytt Tech for continued growth. In terms of Actors, the close collaboration with their customers contributes to both knowledge and feedback. Simultaneously, it generates revenue and spreads the word, which can cause more paying customers. In terms of Resources, the close collaboration between university and industry is an essential resource in several areas; recruitment of talented and ambitious students, product development deeply rooted in research, and direct opportunity to apply the theory in practice. Finally, in terms of Activities, direct contact reduces the risk of creating a distance between the company's offer and the customer's actual needs, leading to increased success. To conclude, companies can gain access to and benefit from the business network by activating direct and indirect business relationships and working closely together over time. A startup company may not have established business relationships, but its people do. Each person has a network that is combined uniquely. Therefore, recommendations are given that the case company should continue to work closely and use their own and partners' business networks to access new potential customers.