Structuring for sustainability: overcoming challenges affecting the design and implementation of sustainable business models in start-ups

Environmental concerns underscore the urgency for businesses to adopt sustainable practices. As the focus on sustainability grows within the corporate world, a new generation of start-ups are emerging, dedicated to bringing sustainable solutions to the market. Innovative Sustainable Business Models (SBMs) are engaging in relevant challenges both during the design and the implementation of their new businesses. Despite previous research efforts, the implementation of SBMs remains an underexplored area in the academic literature. This study seeks to address this research gap by examining the challenges encountered by seven start-ups during the design and implementation of their SBMs, as well as the solutions they have adopted to overcome these challenges. Based on the insights gained from interviews and archival documents, we aimed at guiding emerging entrepreneurs through the potential challenges their sustainable start-ups may face during the design and implementation of their SBMs.