Unicorn Startups' Investment Duration, Government Policy, Foreign Investors, and Exit Valuation

유니콘 기업들의 투자 유치 지속 기간, 정부 정책, 해외 투자자가 Exit 가치평가에 미치는 영향에 대한 연구

  • Received : 2020.03.19
  • Accepted : 2020.08.04
  • Published : 2020.10.31

Abstract

Increasing the number of unicorn startups has recently received much attention. In this study, we attempt to investigate that startups achieving an extremely high valuation could postpone their exit to raise more investment and receive more benefits. This study tested the hypotheses using data from Crunchbase, World Bank, Global Competitiveness Report, and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Using 140 unicorn startups that have already exited through an initial public offering (IPO) or mergers and acquisitions (M&A), we find out that unicorn startups tend to acquire higher valuation as their investment duration increases. Furthermore, we also examined the moderating effects of governmental policy and institutional distance from foreign investors in order to consider the institutional aspects of startups. The results of the moderating variables show significant supports. We expect to provide a better understanding with respect to making an exit decision of unicorn startups. Furthermore, managers and investors need to acknowledge the institutional factors of startups when they decide to fund.

유니콘 스타트업의 출현과 그 수의 증가는 최근 많은 주목을 받고 있는 분야이다. 본 연구에서는 유니콘과 같이 빠른 성장을 보이는 스타트업들이 더 높은 기업가치와과 명성을 얻기 위해 exit 시기를 지연시키는 현상에 주목하였다. 유니콘 기업들이 투자 기간이 길어질수록 더 높은 기업가치를 획득하는 경향성을 보이는 지를 알아보기 위해 기업 공개 (IPO)나 인수/합병 (M&A)를 통해 이미 Exit한 140개의 유니콘 기업 자료를 기반으로 본 연구를 진행하였다. 더 나아가 단순히 기업 수준에서 자원 획득을 위한 영향을 검증하는 것을 넘어서 제도의 영향성을 알아보기 위해 스타트업을 육성하는 국가 정책의 정도와 해외 투자자의 조절 효과를 추가로 알아보았다. 다시말해, 본 연구에서는 유니콘 기업들은 투자를 받은 기간과 exit 시점의 기업가치 산정 사이에 양의 상관관계가 있다는 것을 가설을 기반으로 하여, 국가 제도적 변수들의 조절 효과를 살펴보았다. 하나의 자료 수집 원천에서 오는 편향을 제거하기 위해, Crunchbase, World Bank, Global Competitiveness Report, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 등 다양한 출처를 통해 획득한 데이터를 이용하였으며, 결과는 가설을 부분적으로 지지하는 방향으로 도출되었고 조절효과의 영향 또한 유의미한 것으로 나타났다. 유니콘 스타트업에 대한 연구가 부족한 상황에서 본 연구는 그들의 증가에 관심을 가지고 향후 연구에 도움이 될 수 있는 새로운 주제와 방향을 제시했다는 데 의의를 가지고 있다.

Keywords

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