Founders' hybrid social identities and radical innovation in new technology-based ventures

This study investigates how hybrid configurations of entrepreneurial social identity influence radical innovation in new technology-based ventures. Building on the widely used typology by Fauchart and Gruber (2011), which distinguishes among Darwinian, Communitarian, and Missionary identity orientations, we conceptualize founder identity as a multi-dimensional construct, with orientations varying in strength rather than existing as discrete types. Drawing on a survey of 368 early-stage technology firms, we examine how different combinations of these orientations shape radical innovation. Our findings show that hybrid configurations involving two strongly expressed orientations, particularly those combining a Missionary identity with either a Darwinian or Communitarian one, are associated with higher levels of radical innovation. By contrast, configurations where all three orientations are simultaneously strong are less conducive to innovation. These results contribute to entrepreneurial identity research by demonstrating the importance of identity configuration and focused hybridity, and by linking identity patterns to a core organizational-level outcome.