Abstract Taking digital start-up enterprises as the research object, based on the knowledge-based view, this study examines the performance impact mechanism of two forms of open innovation, namely technology purchase and R&D collaboration. Empirical evidence shows that, technology purchase has an inverted U-shaped relationship with digital start-up performance, but R&D collaboration has a U-shaped relationship with firm performance. Moreover, higher technological capability makes the inverted U-shaped relationship between technology purchase and firm performance flatter, while higher technological openness makes this curvilinear relationship steeper.
