I am excited to share that joins the crew of network partners at Pivotal AG
Janine is a postdoc at University of St.Gallen, with a specific focus on pivots in her daily practice and research programs.
Three questions for Janine:
1. How come you became attracted by the topics of pivots?
Janine: I am fascinated by the critical role of pivots in startup success. Pivoting is widely practiced by startups but still underexplored in academia. My research on U.S. startup fraud cases, such as Theranos, and the strategic leadership of startups reveals that failing to pivot at the optimal time has not only contributed to the downfall of major ventures, but it created also challenges for the ecosystem players. To truly foster startup success, we must bridge the gap between theory and practice, providing founders, venture boards and investors with the insights needed to make strategic shifts effectively and sustainably.
2. You are going to build up a “Pivot Lab” in the next few months and years at University of St. Gallen: What are you going to focus on in that lab?
Janine: The objective of establishing the “Pivot Lab” at the University of St. Gallen is to establish a foundation for comprehensive research into the pivot process, encompassing its initiation, implementation, and outcomes. We will, for example, define what a pivot truly entails and examine the impact of various stakeholders on a startup’s decision to pivot. Our research aims to build a holistic understanding of pivots, equipping the individuals responsible for ventures (e.g., founders, venture board members, investors, business partners) with the strategic insights to navigate shifts towards a pivot.
3. Earlier in your career, you were on a track to become a professional skier, but then you had to pivot personally: What did you learn in this phase?
Janine: This personal pivot taught me invaluable lessons about resilience, adaptability, and embracing change by helping me to understand the importance of redefining goals and adjusting strategies in the face of unexpected challenges. I learned that when one is open enough to embrace change and adapt, there is always a positive path forward. Additionally, this mindset has also profoundly shaped my interest in researching startup pivots, thus enabling a completely new development path, also personally.
Welcome aboard Janine, there is plenty of stuff to find out and transfer to practice with regards to pivots in tech companies!