Researchers supported by Stanford University are trying to model successful startups in the web space. Their report is here. Findings show four types of web startups, each of which develop in a different manner that is documented based on interviews with over 600 startups. Will probably incorporate the study in the curriculum for my masters level course in entrepreneurship this fall.
A sample finding with respect to capital raising and mentors is shown below. Mentors have an appreciable effect on capital raising if they participate or advise on funding.
Another interesting graphic (below) shows how the type of revenue changes as the company passes through the first four phases of development.
The report is chuck full of other interesting findings and should be a must read for any aspiring entrepreneur interested in the web space.
I found the report on Steve Blank's blog, which is an excellent source of info on entrepreneurship, the "lean startup" methodology and the Stanford entrepreneurship community. Steve's post also provides a more detailed summary of the report.
