Startup Trust Model: The Role of Trust in Successful Software Startup

The increasing desire by many for a better world and easier living conditions have contributed to various efforts to the frontiers of innovation in information technology (IT). The ensuing phenomena is the launch of many software startups to give meaning to such innovations in IT. Interestingly, the rate at which many of such startups fail is usually higher than expected. A collaborative effort by actors in IT innovation ecosystem has been posited to lead to a successful startup. However, there is the need for a trust model to ensure that the collaborative effort become meaningful. Through the lens of Morgan and Hunt's commitment trust theory, this study examines the antecedents of trust among actors in successful software startup. The paper proposes "Startup Trust Model" and contributes to understanding of formation and maintenance of trust in software startups and makes a case for the study of trust in software startup.