Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze how the integration between knowledge management and dynamic capabilities in contexts that demand organizational agility contributes to the management by objectives. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the proposed objective, the present paper adopts the single case study in the startup Effecti. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were carried out, analyzed a posteriori through the technique of content analysis. From the loads of evidence observed, a model was presented that consists of different management theories and that guides the management by objectives process of a startup. Findings The proposed model proves to be able to describe the modus operandi of a startup and enables it to develop the cycles of testing, measurement and seizure of knowledge, largely stimulated and inherent to the creation process of new businesses in dynamic and uncertain contexts. Practical implications It is expected that the research results presented in details can illustrate concrete examples of application of the main concepts: agile organization, dynamic capabilities, knowledge management, performance assessment, enterprise risk management and management by objectives. Originality/value The originality of this study is focused on the integration of conceptual triad and its application in the case study of a startup: agile organization, dynamic capabilities and knowledge management.