Abstract
Zivver B.V. (hereafter Zivver), a tech company headquartered in the Netherlands, offers
safe digital communications through a software as a service (SaaS) model. Led by Rick
Goud, a tech-savvy and creative mind, and Wouter Klinkhamer, a methodical and
business thinker, Zivver has grown rapidly since its inception in 2015. By 2022, it has
over 4.6 million users and a revenue of around U$10 million, holding a strong position
in its home Dutch market and an initial successful internationalization into the UK.
Zivver has the vision to help companies in their digital transformation journey, and sets
an ambitious goal for itself: to be the trusted communications provider for more than
1 billion users by 2030. However, Zivver’s accelerated growth has brough about
considerable challenges for its leaders: they must align both entrepreneurial and
analytical leadership styles coexisting in the organization, organize the firm to grow at
different paces in two countries at the same time, and differentiate and position the
company to conquer international markets within and beyond Europe. How can
Zivver effectively transition from a Dutch firm into a global impactful player?
Citation Note
Based on field research; 18 pages
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Objective
1. Understand the dynamics of scaling up and professionalizing a start-up tech firm.
2. Identify the challenges of rapid growth and scaling up a tech firm regarding leadership, organizational structure, strategy, and processes.
3. Analyze the key areas of improvement through the different scaling waves of a tech company.
4. Explore leadership and strategic recommendations for an effective internationalization of a tech company.
