Startups are trials by fire. As noted by Small Business Trends, when asked about the best way to learn more about entrepreneurship, more than half of business owners said, "Start a company."

But that's easier said than done. Along with finding a market niche, raising funds and making industry connections, startups face the hard truth of failure: While 80% of small businesses make it through their first year, just 56% survive past the five-year mark.

Part of the problem? According to Forbes, startup founders typically need two to three times longer than they predict to validate and scale up their business model, and 42% of innovations fail due to overly long development times.

New technologies can help streamline key processes, boost performance and deliver on startup potential. Here are six ways to mobilize IT and maximize productivity.