Do profitable start-up firms grow faster? Evidence from Colombia

Abstract

This study explores the impact of profitability on the growth of start-up firms. Using data on start-up firms in Colombia, we examine the relationship between firm growth and profitability. We provide evidence that start-up firms with higher profitability increase their total assets. However, we find little evidence that profitability positively affects sales growth for start-up firms. In contrast, the results provide support for the notion that profitability is derived from sales growth. Furthermore, we find that firm growth depends heavily on firm age during the start-up stage.

Keywords

• Growth
• Profitability
• Start-up.