TY - JOUR T1 - Using Social Media to Accelerate the Internationalization of Startups from Inception JF - Technology Innovation Management Review Y1 - 2012 A1 - Tony Maltby KW - born global KW - entrepreneurship KW - globalization KW - internationalization KW - rapid internationalization KW - social media KW - startups KW - tacit knowledge KW - technology startup AB - A set of principles, processes, and tools that entrepreneurs can use to rapidly internationalize their technology startups from inception does not exist. This article discusses entrepreneurs’ use of online social media networks to rapidly internationalize their startups from inception. The article was inspired by how the founders of Dewak S.A. rapidly internationalized their technology startup. Dewak was founded by five unemployed Colombians in June 2008. Two years later, foreign sales comprised 95% of the firm’s revenue and provided the founders with full-time employment. Dewak’s only channel to market was via online social media networks. Recognizing that entrepreneurs can use social media to amplify their tacit knowledge and convert it into sellable products and services contributes to the development of a learning-based view of rapid internationalization from inception. The article provides entrepreneurs seeking to launch and grow global businesses with four recommendations that may save them time and money and increase the size of their addressable markets. PB - Talent First Network CY - Ottawa VL - 2 UR - http://timreview.ca/article/616 IS - 10 U1 - Carleton University Tony Maltby is a Master's student in the Technology Innovation Management program at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, where he is developing his latest entrepreneurial venture. His research interests relate to the application of gamified platforms, social media, and open source concepts to support the global business ecosystem. He is an experienced communicator with a multi-disciplinary perspective. He received his BA in Anthropology from Carleton University in 2002 where he studied the formation and interaction of online communities. From 2006 to 2011, Tony lived in China studying the certification process of the Chinese university education system. Having been the founder of several technology companies and an entrepreneur since very early in his career, Tony now has more than 25 years of entrepreneurial experience. ER -