PhD Research Proposal Presentation: Dongwook Chun
Digital Disruptive Technologies and Entrepreneurial Innovation
Friday, October 10, 2025, at 12:00pm
Dongwook Chun, a doctoral student at 黑料社 in the area of Information Systems will be presenting his research proposal entitled:
(The presentation will be conducted in person)
Student Committee Co-chairs: Professor Taha Havakhor and Professor Animesh Animesh
ABSTRACT
This dissertation examines how emerging digital technologies, specifically blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI), are reshaping entrepreneurial innovation, funding models, and team structures. Through three essays, it investigates how startups adapt to and leverage these disruptive shifts.
The first essay focuses on blockchain-based financing, analyzing token offerings as an alternative to traditional venture capital (VC). It finds that token-backed startups exhibit lower levels of innovative activity compared to their VC-backed counterparts. This decline is attributed to misaligned incentive structures between token and equity financing, as well as differences in investor profiles (e.g., customers vs. professional investors). The study also identifies mitigating conditions, such as founder experience and token retention design, that may help sustain innovation in token-backed ventures.
The second essay explores the human capital implications of AI-driven entrepreneurship, particularly how integrating AI functionalities into products affects startup team size. It shows that domains with higher AI functionality have required larger teams due to demanding deep, specialized knowledge. However, this relationship weakens significantly after the public release of Generative AI, which may reduce dependence on specialized expertise. The essay further examines changes in knowledge structures shift, domain-level heterogeneity, and implications for product novelty and quality.
The third essay investigates AI鈥檚 dual role in enabling both technological and commercial innovation. It theorizes that AI facilitates the internal development of novel technologies while also supporting rapid, market-oriented adaptation. The essay outlines conditions under which startups are more likely to pursue each path and explores strategic implications for differentiation and long-term growth.
Taken together, these essays offer insights into how blockchain and AI reshape the ways startups fund innovation, build teams, and define strategic directions. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of entrepreneurial dynamics in the era of digital disruption by highlighting both structural transformations and strategic responses.
