| Summary: | Abstract New knowledge on early stages of growth in technology-intensive companies is needed to strengthen business environments and to develop business support services. This study aims to describe the growth of technology-intensive companies in two Finnish cities: Jyväskylä in Central Finland and Oulu in Northern Finland. The research questions were as follows: RQ1: What kind of growth stages of technology-intensive companies are identified in Finnish business contexts (Jyväskylä and Oulu)? RQ2: What are the context-specific characteristics of growth in technology-intensive companies in the selected contexts? and RQ3: What differences and similarities of context-specific characteristics are identified in growth stories of technology-intensive companies in the selected contexts? The research design is a retrospective multi-case study with a critical incident technique. In semi-structured interviews, representatives of ten technology companies described incidents that have influenced the business growth and estimated growth stages of the company. A framework for the early stages of growth in technology companies was used as a reference framework. The critical incidents identified in the growth stories were compared to the framework’s pre-assumptions using a qualitative analysis. The business growth stories and their comparisons to the framework are described in the report. Contrary to the pre-assumptions, some of the case companies had existing contact nets and the first customers already in the conception and development phase. Many case companies had strategic management and a management group since the establishment. In the commercialization, the major contradictions are related to product-orientation of the framework. In many technology companies the business is more based on selling expertise than products as such. The pre-assumed personnel problems do not necessarily take place in the expansion phase. The identified characteristics of growth are classified into two main categories: characteristics of 1) ...
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