THE FUTURE OF SUPERAPPS (C): CAN WE LIVE WITH OUR INVESTORS? A MINI-CASE ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN PRACTICE

The SuperApps series of cases presents student-entrepreneurs with some of the difficult non-operating problems they are sure to confront in their startups. This fictional case features Clara Ladoucette, a recently graduated startup CEO who is struggling to raise her next round of capital. The case is built around a relatively simple storyline and case facts but includes quandaries around ownership, control, and the fraught transition from bootstrap to business. It makes students think about just how hard this process is, and anticipate questions they must answer to attract big money into their small startup. It is a “Mini Case” in three parts, with all of the essential facts and financial information to judge the characters and company but without gratuitous detail. Though short, it captures many of the most difficult questions confronting early-stage entrepreneurs. SuperApps was written for graduate and undergraduate business school students who are exploring their own entrepreneural ideas or simulating the startup experience. It is an appropriate addition to courses in entrepreneurship, business law, startup legal documents, and early-stage corporate finance. With student assignments beforehand, the three segments of the case can be taught in two ninety-minute classes.