Scientific paper ID 2719 : 2025/3

The report focuses on the essence of the “scaleup” business model, in the context of the New European Innovation Agenda. The concept of a “startup” company is used as a starting point, since the scaleup concept is not yet well known in Bulgaria. The main interrelationships and differences between ”startup” companies, ”scale-up” companies, as well as ”unicorns” companies in the context of the Bulgarian business environment are outlined.

Next, arguments and examples are presented on a global scale for building a startup-type business model and subsequently Scale-up, in the transport sector (in particular, in the courier services and parcel delivery market), where high competition gives a strong impetus to the implementation of innovations (artificial intelligence, robots, drones, eVTOL, etc.), providing opportunities for increasingly high-quality satisfaction of customer needs, with the potential for a significant environmental effect.

Various examples are given that in the dynamic and competitive environment of the courier services market, digital technologies and innovations are establishing themselves as the main driver for growth and sustainable development of companies – from startups to scale-up enterprises and even reaching the status of unicorns. The connections and differences between these business models are outlined, emphasizing the essence of the “scale-up” concept and its role in increasing the competitiveness of the European economy.

Japanese courier services are mentioned as one of the best and most advanced business practices on a global scale. Suitable examples with innovative ideas for application in Europe are given.