Accelerators

Infrastructure is commonly conceptualized as a set of facilities that play a critical role in facilitating activities by individuals and organizations. Conventionally, infrastructure is tightly linked to publicly funded projects that facilitate access to key resources and enable diverse activities. Within entrepreneurial clusters research, infrastructure includes universities, research institutions and telecommunication technologies that facilitate entrepreneurial activities. These capital-intensive investments seek to facilitate start-ups emergence by aiding access to markets and development of ideas. Accelerators facilitate the same activities and have only recently been conceptualized as start-up infrastructure. This study builds upon this research stream by elaborating on how accelerators can play this meaningful role at the cluster level. Specifically, and by relying on the analysis of empirical evidence from three distinct studies, we uncover how accelerators provide tangible and intangible dimensions of start-up infrastructure to form a positively reinforcing cycle of entrepreneurial activities. Additionally, our findings allow us to push further the idea that start-up infrastructure development can be an endogenous process involving multiple actors within the cluster. Our empirical findings and the theoretical insights derived from them have meaningful implications for the aforementioned literature, as well as start-up practitioners and policymakers linked to the funding of entrepreneurial clusters.

Public policy can shift the economic composition and outputs of a region or ecosystem. Many policy makers promote entrepreneurship under the assumption of a link between new ventures and economic growth and job creation. Such promotion makes to two important assumptions. First, that there is such a link despite it being hotly debated in literature. Second, that policy is informed by this debate. This project explores the (dis)connection between municipal entrepreneurship policy and the academic literature, using the City of Sydney’s recent Tech Startups Action Plan as a case study.

This infographic visualises the entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports student startups at UNSW Sydney, including courses, co-working spaces, incubators, accelerators and spin-offs. CC-BY-SA https://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.24475.77604

This chapter describes the evolution of the entrepreneurial ecosystem at UNSW, from the Center of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, to the Michael Crouch Innovation Centre, to the UNSW StartRail. Full book available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-451855707

A visualisation of the support for startups at UNSW, including coursework education, co-curricular experience and commercial execution

Public policy can shift the economic composition of a region. Many policy makers promote entrepreneurship under the assumption that there is a link between new ventures and economic growth and job creation. While this link is hotly debated in scientific literature, this literature and evidence base does not necessarily inform public policy. This project explores the (dis)connection between municipal innovation policy and the academic literature, using the City of Sydney’s recent Tech Startups Action Plan as a case study.

To realise the dream of an African Renaissance and a better life for all South Africans, the entrepreneurial energies of all people, including children, should be harnessed to contribute towards economic development, job creation and the alleviation of poverty. Worldwide, various bodies and governments have recognised the importance of entrepreneu rship in job creation an d as a prerequ isite for sustainable econom ic developm ent. Entrepreneurship development concerns the development of people's potential as a country's most valuable resource. According to a model for entrepreneurship education the challenge is to put more emphasis on creating awareness of the self-employment option and generating interest and desire for engaging in entrepreneurship. M ore opportunities and support should also be provided for people to learn about the entrepreneurial process. The m ajority of people who w ill start businesses in future are currently in the educational system. Inte gra ting entrepren eurial learnership programmes into the educational system in high schools can be critical in developing the skills necessary to start and run successful businesses. The aim of the research was to determine the role and perce ptions of busine ss people regarding entrepreneurial learnership programmes in secondary schools. A literature study, complemented by an empirical survey among business people affiliated with the Cham bers of Business, was used as the method of research. Conclusions from the study included that respondents strongly agreed that learnership and involvement of business people with schools are essential. It can therefore be recommended that attention be given to an entrepreneurial youth learnership programm e for secondary schools. Introduction One of the deepest aspirations of any civilised society is the harmonious integration of young people into the mainstream of business and society as a whole. Young peoples' aspirations, energy, enthusiasm, skills and knowledge are part of South Africa's greatest national asset. Young people are a major factor in determining the future, especially the entrepreneurial future, because they represent a force required to steer and manage the rapid changes and they represent the future capacity for economic growth and development. There are serious and major issues affecting young men and women in South Africa today, like education, unemployment, health, crime and violence, as well as the poor living conditions of many of the youth (North West Youth Commission, 1999:22). The underlying problem to many of these issues seems to be a lack of financial re-sources, which can be addressed by ensuring more regular incomes, among others through entrepreneurial businesses. The challenge facing education and business in South Africa is to introduce more practical orientation and greater vocational relevance to entrepreneurial learning. In doing so, practical experience by means of an entrepreneurial learnership programme, which is one of the key elements in the development of entrepreneurial people, will enhance the entrepreneurship development process. Youth entrepreneurial learnership programme A youth learnership programme can be defined as a multi-year programme that combines school-and work-based learning in a specific occupational area and is designed to lead directly to either a related post secondary programme, entry-level job, or registered learnership programme (US Department of Education, 1997:74). Accordingly, a youth entrepreneurial learnership programme can be defined as a part-time multi-year programme that combines school-and work-based learning in Economic and Management Sciences as learning area in Curriculum 2005, which can also be extended to a tertiary entrepreneurial learnership programme.

The recent emergence of business accelerators around the world has positioned them as a key player in many regional innovation ecosystems. However, significant confusion exists among academics, industry practitioners and policy-makers about what these organizations are. The confusion stems from their association with incubators and from a lack of differentiation among accelerators. As a result of such lack of clear conceptualization academic and other stakeholders risk drawing false conclusions regarding how these organizations fit into different aspects of the regional innovation ecosystem. In this study we use archival and interview data from the Australian context to differentiate accelerators. While we find accelerators that fit the emerging definition of the concept, we also find several that stretch the definition and meaning of ‘accelerator.’

Purpose The purpose of this study is to addresses the role accelerators as an authentic learning based entrepreneurial training programs. Accelerators facilitate the development and assessment of entrepreneurial competencies in nascent entrepreneurs through the process of creating a start-up venture. Design/methodology/approach Survey data from applicants and participants of four start-accelerators is used to explore the linkages between accelerators and the elements of authentic learning. Authentic learning processes are then mapped onto the start-up processes that occurs within the accelerators. Findings Accelerators take in nascent entrepreneurs and work to create start-ups. This activity develops both the participants’ entrepreneurial competencies and facilitates authentic self-reflection. Research limitations/implications This study explores how accelerators can be useful as authentic learning platforms for the development of entrepreneurial competencies. Limitations include perceptual measures, and the inability to conduct paired sampling. Practical implications Entrepreneurship training is studied through the lens of authentic learning activities that occur within an accelerator. Participants develop and assess their mastery of and interest in entrepreneurship through tasks, exposure to experts and mentors, peer-learning, and assessments such as pitching to investors at Demo-Day. Originality/value This paper reports on the authentic learning processes and its usefulness in competency development and self-appraisal by accelerators participants. The opportunity for competency development and self-appraisal by nascent entrepreneurs before escalating their commitment to a start-up may be an accelerator’s raison d'être.

This study presents our preliminary analysis of the emergence of seed accelerators in Australia. We review the history of this organizational form in context of over 40 years of policy debate about venture capital and innovation. We also provide a critical review of whether accelerators are an evolutionary extension of business incubators, or a new form of organization, more in line with angel investing. (www.acereconference.com)

The recent emergence of business accelerators around the world has positioned them as a key player in many regional innovation ecosystems. However, significant confusion exists among academics, industry practitioners and policy-makers about what these organizations are. The confusion stems from their association with incubators and from a lack of differentiation among accelerators. As a result of such lack of clear conceptualization academic and other stakeholders risk drawing false conclusions regarding how these organizations fit into different aspects of the regional innovation ecosystem. In this study we use archival and interview data from the Australian context to differentiate accelerators. While we find accelerators that fit the emerging definition of the concept, we also find several that stretch the definition and meaning of ‘accelerator’.

The scope of this project was to assess the value-add of Australian incubators and accelerators to the high-growth innovative startups they support, as well as to the local, regional and national innovation ecosystems. This scope includes exploring their impact on the development of entrepreneurial networks, improving the performance of the supported startups, and providing generally positive economic and social outcomes. While the focus was nominally on incubators and accelerators, other support organisations for startups were considered, including co-working spaces, angel groups, mentoring programs and training services. Confidential report. Made public by DIIS early 2016 http://www.industry.gov.au/industry/OtherReportsandStudies/Pages/default.aspx Also available via UNSW at http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/unsworks_38003