Blackhawke-Building Legitimacy

Building Legitimacy through Social Capital

A necessary process for startup survival and success

A startup’s success depends on its ability to gain and build legitimacy. However, legitimacy is not discussed as much as other factors, such as product-market fit, timing, funding, the team, or the vision. When a startup first begins, they are almost always illegitimate in the eyes of investors or customers, creating a liability for the founders.