Culture as an engine for start-up networks in a cultural and creative product-based small service

This research aims to explore the role of culture as a driver for starting up a cultural and creative product-based small service, particularly in discussing the embroidery shoe business in Taiwan. The antecedent studies have heavily explored the driver of innovation in different product-based business. However, the exploration about using culture as a driver for innovation and start-up network building remains undeveloped, and there is still little examination on the development pattern of culture and creative start-up and what role the culture really plays at early stage. As a result, this study conducts a qualitative approach using participant observational studies and self-immerse approach through a single case study of embroidery shoe business. The findings reveal that the role of culture in start-up process will follow three phases including “culture as content”, “culture to be preserved”, and “culture to be regenerated”. Meanwhile, instead of business partners in a network, there are also cultural partners in the start-up networks of cultural and creative business, thereby creating a cultural network for cultural events, workshop, exhibition, educational activity, and sales channel. Finally, the results also show that the role of incubator in the start-up network should more emphasize the service at demand side for cultural preservation and regeneration, instead of the conventional incubation service at supply side.