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How and why accelerators enhance female entrepreneurship
Abstract
This study was driven by an initial finding that female founders' participation rate in Israeli accelerators is significantly higher (15.3 %) than their participation rate in the.
Israeli startup sector (7.4 %). Linking accelerators' design to the known barriers to female entrepreneurship, we examined how accelerators may enhance female entrepreneurship by addressing their specific needs. Based on a dataset (N = 779) of structured interviews with startup founders who participated in accelerator programs in Israel during 2011–2019, we present evidence that female founders seek and gain more entrepreneurial knowledge, network building, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy during their participation in accelerators than do male founders. Female founders also seek to increase their legitimacy more than do their male counterparts but did not report making more progress in this aspect. Finally, both the goal of and progress in obtaining access to capital and improving fundraising skills received lower ratings from female founders than from male founders. We further ask whether accelerators are more helpful for women because they are better adapted to the female gender or because they are generally better adapted to founders with those background conditions that often characterize women. We found that the startup's stage of development and the founder's prior entrepreneurial experience mediated most gender differences, supporting the latter possibility. We discuss the implications of our findings for accelerators and other support programs as a means of increasing women's participation rates in innovative entrepreneurship.
... Neumeyer 2020). In particular, Avnimelech and Rechter (2023) maintain that accelerators can facilitate women entrepreneurship through the development of human capital, network building, and self-efficacy, while not necessarily helping women entrepreneurs to secure legitimacy and access to financial capital. In their research, the adaptability of accelerator services to bridge the gaps in entrepreneurial skill and market demands is shown to be a significant advantage for women founders who may lack certain skills compared to their male counterparts. ...
... In their research, the adaptability of accelerator services to bridge the gaps in entrepreneurial skill and market demands is shown to be a significant advantage for women founders who may lack certain skills compared to their male counterparts. It is also worth noting that Avnimelech and Rechter (2023) emphasize the importance of education and expertise on entrepreneurial success, pointing out that a lack of entrepreneurial knowledge may hinder women founders' ability to succeed. While this study argues that accelerators support women entrepreneurship by providing essential resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities, it overlooks the accelerators' willingness and efforts to address gender-related structural barriers (Chen 2020) that women entrepreneurs face within the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. ...
... While previous literature suggests that accelerators can support women entrepreneurship at the individual level by enhancing entrepreneurial self-efficacy, networking, and skills (Dams et al. 2022;X. Neumeyer 2022;Avnimelech and Rechter 2023), our study argues that accelerators are not yet ready to drive meaningful change in the entrepreneurial landscape. Specifically, they fail to address, let alone mediate, the persistent and systemic structural disparities and inequalities that women entrepreneurs continue to face. ...
While existing research shows that accelerators play an important role in closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship, our study aims to critically assess the role of accelerators in relation to gender‐related structural inequalities, rather than individual‐level barriers, that women entrepreneurs face in the neoliberal entrepreneurial ecosystem. Drawing on Butler's (1990) work on gender performativity in which performativity is understood as citational practices, we examine the everyday discourses of six highly regarded Swedish accelerators on the entrepreneurial projects they support and the entrepreneurs they work with. Our Critical Discourse Analysis indicates that even in countries where gender equality policies are promoted, such as Sweden, accelerators' communicative acts “cite” and “reiterate” the gender and cultural norms of the Swedish entrepreneurial system, which is characterized by long‐standing disparities in gender‐based sectoral segregation and rooted in a strong individualistic culture under the influence of neoliberal policies and practices. In doing so, we question the readiness of accelerators to facilitate women entrepreneurship and suggest that they should instead work with key stakeholders, including feminist activists and policymakers, to confront and mediate systemic and structural gender inequalities.
... A typical feature of accelerators is that they admit a cohort of startups per intake; for example, about a dozen startups per cohort (Hallen et al., 2020;Yu, 2020). The participants usually receive office space (Clarysse et al., 2015;Clarysse & Yusubova, 2014;Drori & Wright, 2018;Gonz alez-Uribe & Leatherbee, 2018;Thompson, 2005), help with product development (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Cohen, Bingham, & Hallen, 2019;Crişan et al., 2021), financial and legal support (Clarysse et al., 2015;Crişan et al., 2021;Glinik, 2019;Thompson, 2005;Uhm et al., 2018;Yang et al., 2018); HR/recruitment support (Banc & Messeghem, 2020;Lall et al., 2013), help with technical issues (Radojevich-Kelley & Hoffman, 2012), and networking opportunities (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Cohen, Bingham, & Hallen, 2019; Gonz alez-Uribe & Leatherbee, 2018;Kohler, 2016;Wright et al., 2017). Many accelerators focus on the personal development of the founders, equipping them with entrepreneurial skills, knowledge, self-efficacy, and legitimacy (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Bischoff et al., 2020). ...
... A typical feature of accelerators is that they admit a cohort of startups per intake; for example, about a dozen startups per cohort (Hallen et al., 2020;Yu, 2020). The participants usually receive office space (Clarysse et al., 2015;Clarysse & Yusubova, 2014;Drori & Wright, 2018;Gonz alez-Uribe & Leatherbee, 2018;Thompson, 2005), help with product development (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Cohen, Bingham, & Hallen, 2019;Crişan et al., 2021), financial and legal support (Clarysse et al., 2015;Crişan et al., 2021;Glinik, 2019;Thompson, 2005;Uhm et al., 2018;Yang et al., 2018); HR/recruitment support (Banc & Messeghem, 2020;Lall et al., 2013), help with technical issues (Radojevich-Kelley & Hoffman, 2012), and networking opportunities (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Cohen, Bingham, & Hallen, 2019; Gonz alez-Uribe & Leatherbee, 2018;Kohler, 2016;Wright et al., 2017). Many accelerators focus on the personal development of the founders, equipping them with entrepreneurial skills, knowledge, self-efficacy, and legitimacy (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Bischoff et al., 2020). ...
... The participants usually receive office space (Clarysse et al., 2015;Clarysse & Yusubova, 2014;Drori & Wright, 2018;Gonz alez-Uribe & Leatherbee, 2018;Thompson, 2005), help with product development (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Cohen, Bingham, & Hallen, 2019;Crişan et al., 2021), financial and legal support (Clarysse et al., 2015;Crişan et al., 2021;Glinik, 2019;Thompson, 2005;Uhm et al., 2018;Yang et al., 2018); HR/recruitment support (Banc & Messeghem, 2020;Lall et al., 2013), help with technical issues (Radojevich-Kelley & Hoffman, 2012), and networking opportunities (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Cohen, Bingham, & Hallen, 2019; Gonz alez-Uribe & Leatherbee, 2018;Kohler, 2016;Wright et al., 2017). Many accelerators focus on the personal development of the founders, equipping them with entrepreneurial skills, knowledge, self-efficacy, and legitimacy (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Bischoff et al., 2020). Another feature of the accelerator experience is fundraising support. ...
Research Summary
The literature on startup accelerators uncovers multiple factors associated with accelerators’ advantages. Yet, we have a limited understanding of the relative magnitude of these factors. We ask: Are accelerators akin to breweries, where quality is mainly a function of the institution of origin (i.e., brewery for beer, accelerator for startups); or are they similar to wineries, where quality varies across cohorts (i.e., for a given winery, some vintages are of higher quality)? We explore this question using data from 1,350 tech‐startups graduating from dozens of accelerators in a global technology hub. A Bayesian hierarchical variance decomposition approach is introduced to account for the highly‐skewed zero‐inflated distribution in startups’ performance. We find that a notable fraction of startup performance is due to vintage; within‐accelerator, cross‐cohort variation.
Managerial Summary
Startup accelerators (i.e., short‐term programs designed to help startups grow) are highly popular, with dozens of accelerators operating around the globe. Our focus is on accelerator programs aimed at catapulting technology ventures towards high growth. We ask: Are accelerators akin to breweries, where quality is mainly a function of the institution of origin (i.e., brewery for beer, accelerator for startups); or are they similar to wineries, where quality also varies across cohorts (i.e., for a given winery, some vintages are of higher quality)? A Bayesian hierarchical variance decomposition approach isused to study data from a global technology hub, detailing the performance of hundreds of startups that graduated across multiple accelerators. We find that a significant portion of startup success is linked to cohort‐specific factors within accelerators, highlighting the role of timing and dynamics of each accelerator cohort.
... Accelerators offer structured educational programs, extensive business networks, fundraising opportunities, credibility, and intensive mentoring services (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Cohen & Hochberg, 2014;Cohen et al., 2019;Pauwels et al., 2016;Yu, 2020). Among these support elements, mentoring is particularly significant (Cohen & Hochberg, 2014;Cohen et al., 2019;Hallen et al., 2020;Pauwels et al., 2016;Radojevich-Kelley & Hoffman, 2012;Yu, 2020), distinguishing accelerators from incubators through its intensity and depth (Bliemel et al., 2021;Goswami et al., 2018;Hathaway, 2016;Madaleno et al., 2018). ...
... In this regard, our study further contributes to the emerging literature on accelerator evaluation. In contrast to conventional assessments that often focus on future business outcomes such as exit events, closures, or fundraising achievements, our study focuses on the progress participants undergo within the accelerator program itself (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023). Consequently, we are less concerned with the varying quality of startups, as both high-and low-quality startups have significant potential for advancement, regardless of their initial quality. ...
... These programs usually admit 1-2 cohorts annually, each comprising 5-20 startups (e.g., Cohen, 2013;Cohen & Hochberg, 2014;Hochberg, 2016). They offer a structured developmental process that includes an educational component, access to extensive business networks, fundraising training, and mentoring services (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Cohen & Hochberg, 2014;Cohen et al., 2019;Crișan et al., 2021;Hallen et al., 2020;Hochberg, 2016). Accelerators also serve as signaling entities, boosting the reputation and legitimacy of the founders and their startups (Beyhan et al., 2022;Cohen & Hochberg, 2014). ...
Over the past fifteen years, the startup accelerator sector has emerged as a vital component in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, offering structured support to novice entrepreneurs. This study explores the impact of mentorship within accelerators, shedding light on the critical role mentors play in the success of early-stage entrepreneurs. Utilizing comprehensive data from 779 graduates of Israeli accelerators, we investigate six dimensions where accelerators enhance entrepreneurial success: entrepreneurial human capital, network expansion, fundraising skills, legitimacy, psychological development, and operational progress of the venture. We hypothesize that mentorship amplifies accelerators’ impact across these dimensions. Our findings confirm that founders who engage with personal mentors during accelerators, rather than solely relying on ad-hoc experts, and those with more intensive mentorship experience significantly greater progress across all six dimensions. These findings hold when accounting for background variables. These insights enrich the study of accelerators, emphasizing the value of personal mentorship in enhancing the positive effects of accelerators
... The literature on women's entrepreneurship focuses on the individual characteristics of women entrepreneurs and their businesses, what might motivate them to set up a business, and business strategies related to financing and networking (Oukaci et al., 2019;Bensoula et al., 2021;Avnimelech, 2023). ...
... According to Paterno, Gabrielli and D'Addato (2008) and Avnimelech (2023), the traditional division of family roles explains the low activity rate of women, who give priority to family life. Naciri ...
... Women in cooperatives suffer from a triple oppression. They are women, they are poor and they live in rural areas (Avnimelech, 2023;Oukaci et al., 2019). ...
Women who do not have a salaried employment contract have the opportunity to work on a self-employed basis to generate an income. Under self-employed status, these women take on, alone or perhaps in partnership, all the financial, administrative and social risks involved in developing their activities. In this approach, we will focus on the reality of these women who are self-employed. The aim of this research is to understand the entrepreneurial process of women, by distinguishing three different realities: women entrepreneurs, women in the professions and women involved in cooperatives. This shows how complex and diverse the notion of female entrepreneurship is. Through this research, we defend the idea that we need to approach the situation of these women entrepreneurs from a systemic angle, since their daily lives are the result of an interaction between their professional lives and their family lives. Their choices are guided by their positions in society and by the infrastructure that society makes available to them. Finally, understanding these women entrepreneurs, and what motivates and guides their choice, cannot be done without a diversion through the reality of the labour market, and without cross-referencing other variables such as level of qualification, age or origin. Thus, we will mobilize their individual and family variables, the specific features linked to the characteristics of their companies and the sector of activity, and the socio-economic, cultural, political and legal characteristics of Tunisia.
... With regard to the data sources of the quantitative papers, we discovered that five studies [25,[28][29][30][31] created datasets based on country-level sources, for example the World Bank Development Index, the World Bank Doing Business Index, and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). Moreover, we identified datasets generated from structured interviews [32] and questionnaire resp. survey results [33][34][35][36][37]. ...
... A major topic focus that arises exclusively at the overlap of the EE and FE research fields is the effectiveness of support programs, on which five articles concentrate. Two of these are concerned with the participation of female entrepreneurs in accelerator programs and how such support can be advanced [32,53]. Further two papers analyse how women-only support organizations / networks help building gender capital and thus can foster female entrepreneurship [23,54]. ...
... Welsh et al. [50] claim that this would allow improving the measurement of elements in the ecosystem that are subject to change, such as changing climate or new political initiatives. Likewise, Avnimelech and Rechter [32] call for longitudinal studies in the context of the women-specific support accelerators provide. The authors put forward there is a need to extend output measures to the final success of female entrepreneurs -not limiting studies to the participation rates in accelerator programs or the development of skills. ...
... The global economy increasingly recognizes the transformative contributions of female entrepreneurship in driving innovation, economic growth, and promoting societal well-being (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Hughes et al., 2012;Machado et al., 2023). Despite policy efforts to promote gender equality in entrepreneurship, women continue to face societal, institutional, and operational barriers (Ahl, 2006;Marlow & Patton, 2005). ...
... Female entrepreneurship is undeniably a vital component of global markets and is increasing in importance, yet the unique experiences of female business owners remain understudied in the context of diversification strategies (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Hughes et al., 2012;Machado et al., 2023). According to the RBV, firms gain competitive advantages by developing and leveraging firm-specific resource and capability bundles (Barney, 1991). ...
This study examines the strategic responses of Chinese female business owners to perceived operational barriers, integrating insights from the Resource-Based View, Signaling Theory, Institutional Theory, and Social Role Theory. Data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (conducted in China in 2012; the sample comprises 2,700 firms from diverse China’s industries) was analyzed with advanced path modeling techniques. All statistical analyses were conducted using R (version 4.0.2) and SPSS 29. The R packages lavaan and semTools were utilized for implementing Structural Equation Model (SEM) techniques. How female ownership influences diversification strategies was investigated with the mediation effect of business environment barriers and the moderation effect of international certifications. It is revealed that female entrepreneurs are more likely to pursue international diversification due to heightened perceptions of business environment barriers. Perceived regulatory barriers are positively related to product
... Other factors that reduce the fear of failure among women is through local support from mentors, parents, and local networks (Cacciotti et al., 2016). Networking programs and start-up incubators and accelerators can help reduce the barriers for women's entrepreneurship by mentorship, personal support, and giving them equal legitimacy with men (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023). Women-centered education programs, addressing various sociocultural factors and creation of support policy, can also reduce overall fear of failure (Noguera et al., 2013). ...
... Several also mentioned incubators and accelerators, such as Respondent A, who said, "After my first venture I had almost thought of quitting entrepreneurship but with [the] help of some support through an incubator I changed my mind to work on my second venture." This is consistent with the literature that through networking and the creation of accelerators and incubators fear of failure can be reduced by increasing confidence (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023). ...
... Another factor that is responsible for helping to reduce the fear of failure among women is through local support from mentors, parents, and local networks (Caccio , 2016). Networking programmes and startup incubators and accelerators can help to deal with barriers of women entrepreneurship by mentorship, personal support, and giving them equal legi macy as men (Avnimelech and Rechter, 2023). Women-centred educa on programs, addressing various socio-cultural factors and crea on of support policy can reduce overall fear of failure (Noguera et al, 2013). ...
... Several also men oned incubators and accelerators such as Respondent A who said "A er my first venture I had almost thought of qui ng entrepreneurship but with help of some support through an incubator I changed my mind to work on my second venture." This is consistent with the literature that through networking and the crea on of accelerators and incubators fear of failure can be reduced by increasing confidence (Avnimelech and Rechter, 2023). ...
Women's entrepreneurship is a key issue in boosting economies of countries worldwide, and whilst there is no objective reason why women's ventures should perform less well than men's there are considerable barriers that many entrepreneurs and researchers have reported. A qualitative study interviewing local women entrepreneurs in the UK was performed to understand current views of nascent entrepreneurs and the barriers they face. We have found both internal and external contributory factors which we have classified into five main areas. Whilst it was generally seen as negative, fear of failure did encourage the women entrepreneurs to work harder and be more determined to succeed.
... Some studies are also exploring the efficiency of accelerators (Canovas-Saiz et al., 2021;Moritz et al., 2022;Venâncio and Jorge, 2022;Woolley and MacGregor, 2022), while other theories or approaches appear as open innovation (Del Sarto et al., 2022;Kohler, 2016;Prexl et al., 2019;Pustovrh et al., 2020), entrepreneurship (Cuvero et al., 2019;González-Uribe and Reyes, 2021;Qin et al., 2019), absorptive capacity, community capital framework (Bliemel et al., 2019), bounded rationality (Cohen et al., 2019a), inter-organisational learning (Hallen et al., 2020), corporate accelerators (Riikkinen and Pihlajamaa, 2022;Urbaniec and Żur, 2021); signalling theory (Yang et al., 2020). More recently, studies have also turned to social impact accelerators and social innovation intermediaries (Ho and Yoon, 2022;Kher et al., 2022) and female entrepreneurship and their specific needs (Avnimelech and Rechter, 2023). ...
... We also identified what we called vertical themes, which, despite not being the central theme of some articles, appeared in the cross-sectional analysis, including 'characteristics and dimensions of accelerators' (Chan et al., 2020;Crișan et al., 2021;Kohler, 2016;Prexl et al., 2019;Shankar and Shepherd, 2019), 'relationship with the triple helix' (Bliemel et al., 2019;Gardner and Webster, 2017); 'factors for selection of startups' (Yin and Luo, 2018); 'accelerators focused on regional problems' (Gabrielsson et al., 2018); and 'acceleration strategies and acceleration programs performance' (Chan et al., 2020;Cohen, et al., 2019a;Qin et al., 2019). More recently, studies have also turned to social impact accelerators and social innovation intermediaries (Ho and Yoon, 2022;Kher et al., 2022) and female entrepreneurship and their specific needs (Avnimelech and Rechter, 2023). ...
Accelerators can go beyond the direct impact on the startups’ performance. They constitute a recent field of research that grew significantly in 2016. We conducted a systematic literature review with bibliometric and content analysis to understand how it developed. We propose some questions: Does an ecosystem need an accelerator, and if so, need a specific kind of accelerator? We also explore the prospects and opportunities for research related to ecosystems and acceleration. We identified that ecosystems need acceleration programs aligned with the actors involved and propose some paths to avoid pitfalls. We present six research streams to explore in this field: more variety of methods, comparison between models and practices, evaluation of different programs and impact on the ecosystems, more diversity of contexts, focus on specific sectors, and the role of innovation intermediaries in ecosystems. Finally, we added the networking component to the acceleration definition.
... Considering its value, Government of Pakistan has been taking various policy and practical initiatives, like approval of National SME Policy Action Plan 2020 and Kamyab Jawan Program, to promote entrepreneurship in the country (GoP, 2021, p.3). Despite the policy focus on strengthening of entrepreneurial base in the country, women participation in the entrepreneurship is quite low (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023). Women represent about 48% of the population in the country, but due to unequal treatment and lack of empowerment, they are unable to participate in economic activities (GoP, 2021, p.246). ...
... Likewise, Li et al. (2023) also noted that presence of women in top management of businesses could improve CSR performance of firms. Recently, Avnimelech and Rechter (2023) found that women entrepreneurs tend to excel at gaining entrepreneurial knowledge, seeking self-efficacy, and building networks during their participation in entrepreneurship acceleration programs; whereas compared to men, they had lower scores on improvement of fund-raising skills and securing access to capital. ...
In recent years, focus on women entrepreneurship has increased and women are encouraged to perform an active economic role in the modern societies. However, it has been argued that women owned and operated entrepreneurial ventures exhibit poor performance, raising questions on the entrepreneurial potential of the women. Another line of argument highlight that women are different than men, leading them to have different entrepreneurial aspirations. Considering this theoretical premise, this study adopts a social role perspective to explain differences of entrepreneurial performance of women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. By employing a qualitative research design and collecting data from 19 male and female entrepreneurs in Pakistan, this study finds indications that social roles influence the performance orientation of male and female entrepreneurs. It was also found that male entrepreneurs have a more material and financial approach to relate to their entrepreneurial performance as they stressed more on profitability, cash flows, and material growth. On the other hand, female entrepreneurs exhibit a more peoples-oriented approach. They seemed to focus more on their stakeholders like customers, family, employees, and society at large. The study concludes that both male and female entrepreneurs have different performance orientations, and a unidimensional performance comparison of entrepreneurial performance of male and female is futile. Therefore, future practice and research on women entrepreneurship should consider a feminist perspective of entrepreneurial performance, where women entrepreneurs might be interested in self-fulfillment and empowerment and not in material growth or financial outcomes. The scope of this study is delimited to educated women entrepreneurs, living in metropolitan areas of Pakistan.
... Moreover, financial capital enhances trust, creates favorable financing conditions, and attracts investors through developed capital markets (Bosse and Taylor, 2012). High-quality financial services and supportive financial environments are crucial, especially for female entrepreneurs, in reducing liquidity challenges and encouraging entrepreneurial participation (Huang et al., 2022b;Avnimelech and Rechter, 2023). ...
This study explores the relationship between the digital entrepreneurial ecosystem and female entrepreneurial activity in 45 countries using Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). It highlights the importance of female entrepreneurship for economic and social development and examines how Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystem elements collectively impact female entrepreneurial activity. Methodologically, it combines Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) and fsQCA, using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2022 and the 2018 Global Digital Economy Development Index Report. The research identifies key Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystem configurations that foster high levels of female entrepreneurial activity, characterized by varying societal norms and support systems. This approach challenges traditional linear models by highlighting a spectrum of conditions influencing female entrepreneurial activity. The study integrates Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystem into female entrepreneurship analysis, providing insights for policymakers and stakeholders. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how digital transformation influences the landscape of female entrepreneurship, emphasizing the role of digital ecosystems in promoting inclusive entrepreneurship.
... While having a "proof-of-concept" of a functioning venture might suggest that female entrepreneurs managed to overcome these masculine stereotypes and are able to cope with well-known barriers, such as societal prejudices and stereotypes, the reality might differ. Given the vast amount of governmental investments in entrepreneurship in general and the creation of new businesses by females until the foundation phase (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023;Elam & Terjesen, 2010;Hill et al., 2024), there is a need to investigate what barriers women face at each step of the foundation process after months or years of successful inception to encourage high-growth activities (Elam et al., 2022;Zătreanu, 2023). In addition, understanding these processes is crucial, as they can provide valuable insights into the long-term success and challenges women face in maintaining or transitioning out of their businesses. ...
Female entrepreneurs encounter several barriers before starting a business. The prevalent association of entrepreneurship with masculine stereotypes in many countries is a contributing factor as to why fewer women pursue entrepreneurial ventures. Yet our understanding of whether these barriers vanish once females have founded a new business remains limited. To shed more light on women’s experiences, we conducted 32 semi-structured interviews to investigate German female entrepreneurs’ perceptions of challenges post-foundation. Our findings show that female entrepreneurs are still affected by stereotypes of their private and professional surroundings after their business has launched. The main reasons for exiting their businesses are experienced role conflicts that may result in mental health issues. Based on these findings, we developed a framework illustrating how women navigate through the entrepreneurial lifecycle, encountering increased role incongruity as they become more deeply immersed in the entrepreneurial environment. Understanding the factors through which women decide about their future paths is important for researchers and practitioners to support female entrepreneurs after new business startup. We conclude that sustained private and professional as well as instrumental and non-instrumental support during the early stages after starting a new venture may help sustain the share of female entrepreneurs and reduce the share of females resigning and going into other labor.
... Esto incluye el desarrollo de aplicaciones, plataformas en línea y soluciones digitales en diversos campos, como la salud, ciencia de datos, agricultura y educación (Raman et al., 2022). Lo anterior advierte un empoderamiento femenino creciente en sectores que se consideraban exclusivos para hombres, como lo muestran los hallazgos de fuentes regionales e internacionales (Avnimelech y Rechter, 2023;Ge et al., 2022;Osei y Zhuang, 2020). ...
This research shows the results of a study that aimed to explore entrepreneurial behaviors, creativity, and innovation in Latin American women. The study was developed with a mixed approach that was primarily qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive in scope, based on scoping review designs, where relevant articles in the Scopus database of peer-reviewed journals were reviewed. Among the results analyzed, it was found that the most outstanding entrepreneurial behaviors are resilience, the construction of support networks, the development of leadership, and the environmental and social projection of companies. On the other hand, it was evident that there are still cultural paradigms that contribute to gender-based exclusion, the presence of poor support and accompaniment programs, as well as difficulties in accessing financing for entrepreneurial projects. The study facilitated the identification of critical factors to consider in future research and for strengthening public policies and governance
... For women founders, obtaining the necessary VC funding for the growth of a startup is more critical compared to men. This disparity is attributed to cultural and institutional factors (Avnimelech and Rechter, 2023;Snellman and Solal, 2023;Welsh et al., 2023;Orser et al., 2020;Malecki, 2018). Gender inequality is linked to cultural stereotypes, resulting in fewer female leaders and STEM career decisions (leadership and talent aspects). ...
Environmental sustainability has become one of the key issues for the future development of the European Union (EU). Estonia's startup entrepreneurship contributes prominently to innovative ideas in energy technology and information and communication technology (ICT) applications, essential for sustainability. Research and education are prerequisites for innovation in both fields. The gap in educational levels between Estonian women and men, favoring women, is among the largest in the EU. However, the proportion of women in entrepreneurship is significantly lower, even though the share of women in ICT personnel is among the highest in Europe. This study sought to determine women's contribution to sustainability (technology) startups in the context of these contrasting gaps. The article's dataset was based on sources such as the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Ministry of Education and Science, Business Register, and Startup Ecosystem. It qualitatively analyzed the sustainability orientation of ventures and the gender structure of founders across nearly 1300 startups and clarified the share of selected startups' fundraising within the entire ecosystem. Through a simple regression analysis, we uncovered some short-term trends. Our findings indicate that 92% of the accumulated €4.46 billion in startup funding is foreign capital, and 171 sustainability startups account for nearly 63% of the ecosystem's total fundraising. Among the founders of top-invested startups, only 6% are women, whereas women constitute 23% of the founders of sustainability startups. Despite this, sustainability startups with female participation have secured only 2.2% of the total investments in the sustainability group, highlighting a drastic gender disproportion. However, the fundraising trend for women's sustainability startups founded in the last five years is more positive, reaching 24% of this group's investments. Although their overall share remains significantly lower compared with the entire startup ecosystem, this emerging trend is a promising sign of the breakthrough for female entrepreneurs in a traditionally male-dominated sector. The article's conclusion summarizes the study's results and suggests future gender-based research and development opportunities.
... Through mentoring, knowledge transfer and learning occur between individuals with higher (mentors) and lower (mentees) degrees of entrepreneurial human capital on both the content and process of entrepreneurship (Assenova, 2020;Mansoori et al., 2019;Sullivan et al., 2021). Content and process learning are functional roles of mentoring, but mentoring also serves a socio-psychological role where the mentor provides emotional support and helps embed an entrepreneur into the entrepreneurial field and local ecosystem (Avnimelech and Rechter, 2023;Eesley and Wang, 2017;Kram, 1983;St-Jean and Audet, 2012;Wang and Shibayama, 2022). ...
This paper asks how start-ups' participation in a mentoring program relates to finance and survival outcomes and how these outcomes differ for mentored firms compared to non-mentored and incubated firms in the same region. Drawing on the entrepreneurial support organization, mentoring, and innovation literatures, I posit that mentored firms will perform better than non-mentored firms, and that the specific micro-mechanisms of mentoring will lead to varied finance and survival outcomes for mentored as compared to incubated start-ups. Exploiting detailed data on the universe of entrepreneurial life sciences firms in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina over a 25-year time period and matching methods, results indicate that mentored firms perform better in terms of finance than non-mentored firms. Exploratory empirical extensions reveal mentored firms receive greater private and federal public funding than incubated firms, but not local public funding. Neither mentoring nor incubation services relate to survival outcomes. The paper concludes with practical implications for entrepreneurial support organization managers and economic development.
... Examining a single BAP in one spatial location clearly reduces the wider generalisability of the findings. Given the strong bias towards male founders, there is clearly a need to help uncover the experiences of female entrepreneurs, particularly as female founders appear to gain more entrepreneurial skills than their male counterparts via their participation in accelerators (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023). The same holds for ethnic minority entrepreneurs who are also underrepresented on such programmes (Clayton, 2023). ...
Plain English Summary
Want to accelerate business growth? What every aspiring firm, accelerator and policymaker needs to know about the psychological rollercoaster experienced by high growth founders is that growth is far from a smooth ride. High growth firms (HGFs) are businesses that achieve high levels of growth and sustain this over a prolonged period. Governments are keen to support HGFs because they make a bigger contribution to the economy than other types of firms. Accelerators are one method by which public sector agencies seek to support HGFs. Founders on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (BWAGP) reported that whist the support they received had a positive impact on their speed and scale of growth, periods of high growth caused organisational instability and were personally challenging, with many reporting negative impacts on their mental health. The implications for high-growth policy and practice mean that psychological and relational support is needed to help founders build resilience and manage more effectively the stresses and strains experienced during their rapid growth episodes.
... For example, whilst the field of entrepreneurship certainly includes the study of how social policy may influence women to opt for business ownership (Thébaud, 2015) and the extent to which entrepreneurship promotes or reinforces inequality (Bruton et al., 2021) -there remain critical distinctions between entrepreneurship and social policy. Moreover, though entrepreneurship has been found to contribute to equality/equity and increasing gender awareness has been shown to improve social policy (Guzman & Kacperczyk, 2019;Sajjad et al., 2020, Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023, these three fields have not been studied together. Taking these gaps as our starting point, this special issue begins to define and establish a distinctive field integrating gender, entrepreneurship, and social policy. ...
This article, and the special issue, seek to unpack the gendered nature of entrepreneurial pathways, specifically in relation to the role of social policies. We achieve this aim by first conceptualising gender, entrepreneurship, and social policy, to highlight the need to generate a stronger research agenda on the role of social policy within gender and tourism entrepreneurship research. We next outline an overarching framework for delineating the intersection of gender, entrepreneurship, and social policy, based on a critical review of existing studies, as well as by situating the papers in this special issue. We present this discussion through three thematic framings: (1) gender and entrepreneurship, (2) gender and social policy and (3) entrepreneurship and social policy. In conclusion, we discuss the implications for social policy and practice, and in doing so call for a research agenda that situates social policy more centrally within considerations of gender and tourism entrepreneurship.
... The growing presence of university-going women entrepreneurs is a phenomenon that challenges traditional notions about women's professional and educational activities, contributing a unique dimension to the intersection between education and entrepreneurship [5]. This phenomenon reflects a paradigmatic change in gender dynamics, evidencing the capacity of women to lead business initiatives while pursuing their academic studies [6]. ...
The purpose of this research is to analyze how personality traits and psychological profiles influence the detection of entrepreneurial opportunities by, and the intentions of, university-going women in the northwest region of Mexico. It also examines how business opportunities are decisive when it comes to awakening entrepreneurial intention. The moderating and mediating effects of the detection of business opportunities and the psychological profile are also examined with respect to the direct relationship between personal traits and entrepreneurial intentions. For this study, information was collected from 1197 students attending the Autonomous University of Baja California and the Technological Institute of Sonora through a digital survey (Google Forms) distributed via email during the second half of 2022. The PLS-SEM statistical technique was used to test the hypotheses of the proposed theoretical model. The results revealed that personality traits have positive and significant effects on the psychological profile and on business opportunities. However, it was clearly observed that one's personal traits and psychological profile have little or no influence on entrepreneurial intentions. We also found that the psychological profile is the construct that most influences business opportunities. In addition, it was also highlighted that business opportunities contribute to awakening the entrepreneurial intentions of university-going women. On the other hand, it was revealed that business opportunities have a negative moderating effect on the relationship between the psychological profile and entrepreneurial intentions. Likewise, this study has shown that the detection of business opportunities and the psychological profile have indirect effects on the relationship between the personal traits and the entrepreneurial intentions of university-going women. This research contributes to the development and strengthening of trait theory, the theory of reasoned action, and the theory of planned behavior.
... In some cases, accelerators also have a very focused audience in mind, where the main aim would be to develop a particular type of entrepreneur. For example, accelerators that aim specifically to develop or support female entrepreneurs (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023), corporate entrepreneurs (Urbaniec & Żur, 2021), or to attract a specific type of entrepreneur, e.g., transnational entrepreneurs (Brown et al., 2019). Some of these accelerator programs are also "the source of a wide range of innovations in different fields, such as high-tech, green technology, urban development, transportation, e-commerce, social media and energy" (Drori & Wright, 2018, p.1). Accelerators serve purposes across levels, including supporting individual development, startups, and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem (Caiazza et al., 2020;Cunningham et al., 2021). ...
Accelerators are broadly seen as platforms that government, non-profit, and for-profit organizations use to fast-track the development of entrepreneurial and SME business capabilities. Typically, this occurs as competitive, time-constrained, cohort-centered, authentic learning experiences supported by mentoring and access to the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, management development programs, and financial resources. Interest in how the ventures in the development programs evolve and contribute to the entrepreneurial ecosystem is increasing (Cantner et al. in Small Business Economics, 57, 407–423, 2021), but how the accelerators evolve has yet to be adequately researched. To better understand how accelerators evolve, we adapt Churchill and Lewis (Harvard Business Review, 61(3), 30–50, 1983) conceptual framework of the stages of small business development. This study investigated the life cycle of Australian accelerators from 2013 to 2020. The accelerators ranged from short-term “pop-up” programs to permanent programs. We found through a series of four selected exemplar case studies that these accelerators exhibited a similar four-stage life cycle to their participants, including (1) gestation, (2) survival, (3) viability, and (4) decline or renewal. We also found that external support was a critical issue that determined viability. Our findings support the development of accelerator management to be more agile, resilient, and entrepreneurial, which can confront those adopting a more standardized franchise model. In addition, we adapt Kohler (Business Horizons, 59(3), 347–357, 2016) work on corporate accelerators into an inclusive framework for all forms of accelerators, including considering their geographic context or Place, the actors involved with the accelerator or its People, the accelerator’s value Proposition to participants, the accelerator’s Processes and most fundamentally, its Purpose that will contribute to the entrepreneurial ecosystem practice and literature. This research provides practical considerations on positioning, suitable business models, and maximized operations.
... These initiatives present a meticulously organized framework, often extending over a predetermined duration, typically ranging from three to six months. Within this structured framework, these programs facilitate a comprehensive developmental trajectory that incorporates pedagogical components, expansive business networks, guidance in fundraising proficiencies, and mentorship provisions [7,8] . The combination of mentorship and access to resources provides a holistic ecosystem that nurtures innovation, facilitates knowledge transfer, and enhances the chances of success for early-stage businesses. ...
This study explores the role of mentoring programs as an effective and valuable informal learning method for novice entrepreneurs. With the aim of understanding the expectations and preferences of entrepreneurs participating in accelerator programs, we conducted a survey of 32 accelerator program participants and interview 35 other participants (who were part of the accelerator program during the previous years). The survey focused on gathering information about their perceptions of mentors and mentorship programs, aiming to identify key elements that contribute to successful mentoring relationships. The findings of our study shed light on the significance of mentoring programs to foster entrepreneurial development. The results reveal that novice entrepreneurs highly value mentors who possess practical experience, industry knowledge, and a willingness to provide guidance and support. Participants expressed a strong desire for mentors who can offer personalized advice tailored to their unique business challenges. Furthermore, our research highlights the importance of establishing clear expectations and goals within mentorship programs. Entrepreneurs emphasized the need for structured mentorship arrangements, with defined objectives and a roadmap for progress. The survey data also indicates that ongoing feedback and regular communication between mentors and mentees are crucial for a fruitful mentoring experience. Another noteworthy aspect identified through the survey is the preference for a diverse pool of mentors. Participants emphasized the importance of diversity in terms of industry backgrounds, entrepreneurial expertise, followed by demographic representation. The inclusion of mentors from different sectors and cultural backgrounds was seen as beneficial for gaining diverse perspectives and expanding networks. In conclusion, this research underscores the significance of mentoring programs as a valuable informal learning method for novice entrepreneurs. The survey of 32 accelerator program participants and the 35 interviews conducted with previous participants provided valuable insights into their expectations and preferences regarding mentors and mentorship programs. By understanding these factors, organizations can design and implement more effective mentoring initiatives to support aspiring entrepreneurs on their journey to success.
... These figures provide support that having more women in our sample reflects the gender distribution of the business accelerator participants. More recent research uncovered that business accelerators play a vital role in decreasing the gender gap in entrepreneurship (Avnimelech & Rechter, 2023). Overall, we acknowledge that given our sample characteristics (i.e., young entrepreneurs, and more female than male entrepreneurs), the generalizability of our findings to other contexts may be limited. ...
Self‐efficacy exerts a positive impact on several self‐regulatory functions to support goal accomplishment and performance. However, in contexts that are characterized by uncertainty and ambiguity, such as entrepreneurship, there might be a tipping point to this relationship, prompting calls for deeper investigations on the nonlinear effect. In particular, the underlying mechanisms explaining why and when the nonlinear effect occurs are unclear. Drawing on theories of self‐regulation, we examine the nonlinear effect of entrepreneurial self‐efficacy on venture goal progress through the entrepreneur's active feedback‐seeking and venture effort. We also propose that the entrepreneur's state error mastery orientation moderates the nonlinear effect. Conducting a six‐wave repeated measures study among 84 early‐stage entrepreneurs in a business accelerator in the Philippines, we use a within‐person approach to test our hypotheses and research model. Results suggest that self‐regulatory mechanisms in terms of feedback seeking, effort, and state error mastery orientation help to unpack why and when self‐efficacy exerts a nonlinear effect on performance outcomes.
... The results obtained in the background review allow us to identify from different perspectives the existence of a gap between the entrepreneurial capacity of men and women [82,83]. The most significant barriers to female entrepreneurship identified by [84,85] in the literature include low levels of entrepreneurial human capital, limited networks, low legitimacy in entrepreneurship, limited ecosystems, and access to capital. This suggests the need for policies to support women's entrepreneurship [86]. ...
The aim of this paper is to identify profiles of young Colombian entrepreneurs based on data from the “Youth Entrepreneurship” survey developed by the Colombian Youth Secretariat. Our research results show five profiles of entrepreneurs, mainly differentiated by age and entrepreneurial motives, as well as the identification of relevant skills, capacities, and capabilities for entrepreneurship, such as creativity, learning, and leadership. The sample consists of 633 young people aged between 14 and 28 years in Medellín. The data treatment was approached through cluster analysis using the K-means algorithm to obtain information about the underlying nature and structure of the data. These data analysis techniques provide valuable information that can help to better understand the behaviour of Colombian entrepreneurs. They also reveal hidden information in the data. Therefore, one of the advantages of using statistical and artificial intelligence techniques in this type of study is to extract valuable information that might otherwise go unnoticed. The clusters generated show correlations with profiles that can support the design of policies in Colombia to promote an entrepreneurial ecosystem and the creation and development of new businesses through
business regulation.
... They argue the mechanism is intensive, oneon-one counseling that occurs at accelerators which aligns with prior research showing women are particularly responsive to individualized mentoring and role modeling (BarNir et al., 2011;Byrne et al., 2019;Entrialgo & Iglesias, 2018). Yet Avnimelech and Rechter's (2023) recent study of accelerator participants in Israel find women gain less in terms of (self-reported) financial access than men. Considering a different type of ESO, Lyons and Zhang (2017) and Wilson et al. (2007) find entrepreneurship training and education programs designed to move latent entrepreneurs into actual entrepreneurs are particularly effective for women and non-White founders, yet Westhead and Solesvik (2016) found that women students going through the same entrepreneurship program reported greater entrepreneurial intention afterward than men. ...
Plain English Summary
Do entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) have different benefits for different founders? This paper finds the answer is yes, which has implications for how to create a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. While the literature continues to reveal more about the role of organizations like accelerators, business incubators, and mentoring programs for entrepreneurial success, we lack understanding of the different roles these organizations might play in fostering more inclusive entrepreneurial regions. This research analyzes whether women, immigrant, and racial minority founders benefit differently from participating in different types of mainstream entrepreneurial support organization programs including incubation, education, and mentoring. Results show great variation in how founders benefit from these programs with implications for inclusive ecosystem building. Since these organizations are often publicly funded or supported, the findings have implications for policy and economic development practice as well as for entrepreneurial firm strategy.
... Through mentoring, knowledge transfer and learning occur between individuals with higher (mentors) and lower (mentees) degrees of entrepreneurial human capital on both the content and process of entrepreneurship (Assenova, 2020;Mansoori et al., 2019;Sullivan et al., 2021). Content and process learning are functional roles of mentoring, but mentoring also serves a socio-psychological role where the mentor provides emotional support and helps embed an entrepreneur into the entrepreneurial field and local ecosystem (Avnimelech and Rechter, 2023;Eesley and Wang, 2017;Kram, 1983;St-Jean and Audet, 2012;Wang and Shibayama, 2022). ...
This study investigates whether male and female entrepreneurs exhibit systematic differences in the customer learning actions they pursue, and how those actions convert to venture performance. Drawing from a dyadic sample of founders and startup advisors in the high-technology context, we explore the effects of two alternative customer learning actions—customer involvement as an information source (CIS) and customer involvement as co-developers (CIC). We find that, compared to male entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs engage in higher levels of both types of customer learning actions (CIS and CIC). Contrary to research from the large established firm context, we find CIS and CIC have conflicting startup performance implications—CIS is beneficial, but CIC is detrimental.
Purpose
Accelerators and roadshows provide valuable scenarios for studying the embeddedness and dynamic effect of gender. Drawing on status theory and signaling theory, the study explores how investors’ implicit bias and the cohort effects in roadshows affect financing performance regarding investor drivers.
Design/methodology/approach
Experiment 1 recruited 220 financial practitioners in China and asked them to make investment judgments on two actual pitching materials of women- and men-led startups in the Internet health industry after manipulating past funding scenarios. Experiment 2 considers project-specific features to invite 211 Chinese financial practitioners to read the roadshow materials of women- or men-led startups in the Internet health or children’s education industry. Experiment 3 adopts the health monitoring and clothing manufacturing industries’ roadshow materials to recruit 238 financial practitioners in the United States (US) for the study.
Findings
Findings show that (1) women are at a financing disadvantage in the roadshows, (2) investors’ double standards reduce women entrepreneurs’ financing performance and (3) the mediating effect of double standards is moderated by the financing performance of women or men entrepreneurs that investors have approached in past investment activities.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the gender gap and accelerator literature by combining status theory and signaling theory to study the dynamic and embeddedness of entrepreneur gender effects in roadshows from investor drivers. The findings inform the participation of women entrepreneurs in accelerators, the selection of potential investors, and shifting investors’ perceptions toward women entrepreneurs at the early financing stage.
Women's entrepreneurial success can be achieved through the development of soft skills and the development of business plans to enhance business management skills. The study evaluated the impact of an entrepreneurial program focused on soft skills and business plan development through a pre-experimental methodology; a pre-and post-test was conducted on 28 women participants of the "Emprende Mujer" group over eight sessions. The main findings revealed a significant improvement in the soft skills of the women, as well as overcoming the lack of knowledge about the structure of a business plan, with a value of (p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, the business program proved to be effective for women entrepreneurs in search of business sustainability. This study highlights the importance of acquiring soft skills through experience. At the same time, the creation and development of business plans require educational intervention by specialists, as a lack of knowledge in key areas such as marketing and operations can hinder the growth of ventures.
Gender equality represents a priority goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Women everywhere run significant businesses, generating positive impacts on society. However, they still face numerous obstacles to starting and sustaining entrepreneurial activities. Extant literature, while increasingly acknowledging the importance of women’s entrepreneurship, often overlooks the nuanced differences between aspirant and experienced female entrepreneurs. This study aims to address this gap by adopting a micro perspective and examining the commonalities and differences in the drivers and barriers to entrepreneurship among aspirant and experienced women entrepreneurs in Italy. Through semi-structured interviews conducted between September and December 2022, this exploratory study sheds light on the factors influencing women’s entrepreneurial endeavors in a developed economy. We identified seven main themes: knowledge as gap for both, the role of technology, external support, socio-cultural background, network ties, territory concern, and personal dimension. Findings underscore the importance of understanding diverse backgrounds, motivations, and challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, offering insights for academic research. While at a general level factors and barriers are similar, at a micro level there are differences that could jeopardize both the success of this path in the start-up phase and its survival in the long term. The study also offers valuable practical implications by highlighting that women entrepreneurs should focus on idea validation, financial resources, networking, knowledge, and cultural stereotypes. At a policy level, tailored support strategies are recommended, including streamlined funding application processes and targeted training initiatives as well as measures to reduce socio-cultural barriers.
Purpose
This paper investigates the intersectionality of entrepreneurial masculinity within the context of venture accelerators. As such, it aims to shed light on how intersecting factors influence the construction and expression of masculinity among male entrepreneurs in venture accelerators.
Design/methodology/approach
This research is based on an in-depth analysis of four distinct accelerator cohort groups, employing a semi-structured interview approach. Interviewees were conducted with four accelerator managers and 52 male accelerator participants across four distinct accelerator cohort groups. Such a methodological choice is deemed instrumental in unravelling the nuanced dynamics within accelerator environments and their implications on hegemonic masculinity.
Findings
This study elucidates the nuanced ways in which men navigate the venture accelerator landscape. The findings revealed that the accelerator environment facilitated the reinforcement of traditional masculine behaviours. Whilst diversity was ostensibly valued, its acceptance decreased if it posed a challenge to male dominance or stereotypical masculine traits. Indeed, there was marginalisation of nontraditional expressions of masculinity, leading to a sense of “othering”.
Originality/value
By integrating intersectionality theory into the examination of masculine dynamics within venture accelerator contexts, this study expands current understanding of venture accelerator environments and their effects on both traditional and nontraditional forms of hegemonic masculinity. In particular, we highlight the impact of non-intersectional institutional norms on male entrepreneurs who deviate from traditional stereotypes. As such, we advance the understanding of venture accelerators by examining how they perpetuate and reinforce traditional masculine norms, even in environments that strive for diversity.
Purpose
Our study draws on gender role congruity theory to theorize and test an integrative conceptual model outlining how motives for entrepreneurial action explain the relationship between female entrepreneurship and innovation in nascent ventures.
Design/methodology/approach
To test our hypotheses, we employed structural equation modeling (SEM) in a sample of early-stage entrepreneurs ( N = 533).
Findings
We found a positive relationship between nascent female entrepreneurs and innovation, and that this relationship is mediated by motives for recognition, respect, and autonomy.
Originality/value
By revealing a positive relationship between female entrepreneurship and innovation, our work provides a complementary perspective to the literature, which suggests that there are limits to innovation potential for female entrepreneurs. Further, we find that this relationship is explained by motives for recognition, respect, and autonomy, but not financial security. Finally, most empirical research focuses on the innovative outputs of established new ventures, while our work leverages a sample of early-stage entrepreneurs.
Yapay zeka (AI), Nesnelerin İnterneti (IoT), blok zinciri ve büyük veri analitiği gibi ileri teknolojilerin entegrasyonuyla karakterize edilen Endüstri 4.0'ın ortaya çıkışı, iş dünyasında devrim yaratıyor. Geleneksel olarak kadın girişimciler, sermayeye, ağlara ve pazar fırsatlarına sınırlı erişimin yanı sıra toplumsal ve kültürel kısıtlamalar da dahil olmak üzere çok sayıda engelle karşılaşmıştır. Bu çalışma, bu teknolojilerin kadın girişimciler için dönüştürücü potansiyelini araştırmaktadır. Çalışmada nitel bir araştırma metodolojisi kullanılmakta ve çeşitli sektörlerden Endüstri 4.0 teknolojilerinden başarılı bir şekilde yararlanarak işlerini ileriye taşıyan kadın girişimcilerin fırsatlar ve zorlukları göz önüne seren vaka çalışmalarına yer verilmektedir. Belirlenen başlıca fırsatlardan biri, kaynaklara erişimin demokratikleştirilmesidir. Bir diğer önemli fırsat ise operasyonel verimliliğin artırılmasıdır. Ancak araştırma, kadın girişimcilerin Endüstri 4.0 teknolojilerinden yararlanırken karşılaştıkları çeşitli zorluklara da dikkat çekmektedir. Bunlar arasında, özellikle gelişmekte olan bölgelerde teknolojiye ve dijital okuryazarlığa erişimin eşit olmadığı dijital uçurum da yer almaktadır. Kadın girişimciler genellikle bu teknolojileri etkin bir şekilde kullanmak için gereken eğitim ve kaynaklara daha az erişebilmektedir. Buna ek olarak, veri gizliliği ve güvenliği ile ilgili endişeler yer almaktadır. Çalışma, kadın girişimcilerin Endüstri 4.0'ın gücünden faydalanmalarını desteklemek amacıyla politika yapıcılar, eğitimciler ve sektör paydaşlarına yönelik bir dizi tavsiyeyle son bulmaktadır. Bunlar arasında dijital okuryazarlığı geliştirmeye, teknolojinin benimsenmesi için finansmana erişimi artırmaya ve işbirliğini ve bilgi paylaşımını teşvik eden destekleyici ekosistemler oluşturmaya yönelik girişimler bulunmaktadır. Bu araştırma, Endüstri 4.0 çağında kapsayıcı ve sürdürülebilir girişimcilik ekosistemlerini teşvik etmek için bir takım içgörüler sağlayarak, cinsiyet ve teknoloji üzerine büyüyen literatüre katkıda bulunmaktadır.
This chapter explores successful Ghanaian indigenous entrepreneurship support for poverty alleviation. The existing literature views indigenous women's entrepreneurship as a solution to poverty and discusses how successful indigenous women's entrepreneurship empowers the poor to address health, education, and standard of living. Despite the contributions of these women, the theoretical underpinning of indigenous women's entrepreneurship is Western-centric and is challenged in providing insights on how indigenous women's entrepreneurship works in developing economies such as Ghana. The authors extend this field of study by examining how Ghanaian indigenous women entrepreneurs define success and the impact of their successful entrepreneurial activities on poverty alleviation. The study highlights the understanding of indigenous women's entrepreneurship success based on the triple bottom-line framework. Financial, economic, and social capital were resources provided by these women to address the health, education, and standard of living challenges of the poor on individual and community levels. We also elaborate on the theoretical, practical, and policy implications of the findings for the development of an inconclusive understanding of indigenous entrepreneurship's definition of success which is embedded in both local and Western principles and thereby contributes to the underexplored emerging field of indigenous women entrepreneurship in developing economies.
Many female entrepreneurs prefer the digital space over the physical space for entrepreneurship, as creating a business in the digital environment seems easier for them. Additionally, digital entrepreneurship has led to economic growth in the country and has created numerous opportunities for women. Therefore, the present study aims to identify the organizational and environmental drivers of women's digital business growth in Tehran. This exploratory research is applied in nature and employs qualitative content analysis for data collection and analysis. In this study, purposive sampling was used, and based on theoretical saturation, 15 interviews were conducted with female entrepreneurs and analyzed using thematic analysis. According to the research findings, the organizational drivers of women's digital business growth are categorized into three groups: appropriate human resource planning, effective marketing, and the advantages of the digital nature of the business. Furthermore, the environmental drivers of women's digital business growth fall into three categories: the academic startup ecosystem, government support, and the impact of COVID-19. The digital environment reduces many barriers to women's entrepreneurship and offers numerous advantages for women in business.
Purpose – This study sought to examine how women founders navigate gender and cultural influences in constructing network ties in Jordan.
Design/methodology/approach – In-depth interviews document the experiences of 14 women founders
operating digital technology-based businesses in Amman, Jordan.
Findings – Gender homogenous ties were perceived to be of diminished quality, limiting the ability of the women founders to acquire resources while risking isolation from diverse networks. Formal professional, male-centric ties were perceived to offer more business impact due to the applicability and usefulness of information.
Formal communication, use of intermediaries and industry events were used to develop network ties. These approaches enable founders to respect gendered collectivist norms, such as adhering to family members’ expectations about occupational roles, while meeting new business associates. The strength of network ties emerged as a continuum with strong, weak and midpoint ties. Midpoint ties offered valued encouragement and emotional support but were perceived to be less effective and provided fewer resources compared to strong network ties.
Originality/value – Mechanisms of gender inequality are evidenced in how gender, culture and social networks operate in relation to each other. Perceptions reflect culturally situated, within-group stereotypes, informing how women founders discount other women’s knowledge and experience.
What influences the success of academic entrepreneurship? Drawing on the motivation theory, this study investigates the effects of entrepreneurial intrinsic and extrinsic motivations on entrepreneurial persistence and consequently academic entrepreneurship performance with the moderating roles of female entrepreneurs and innovation and entrepreneurship support institutions analyzed. To test these effects, we used hierarchical regression with data collected from 211 academic entrepreneurs at Chinese universities. We find that entrepreneurial intrinsic motivation increases (but extrinsic motivation decreases) entrepreneurial persistence, which also mediates their effects on the academic entrepreneurship performance. The positive relationship between entrepreneurial intrinsic motivation and entrepreneurial persistence is strengthened for female entrepreneurs. Innovation and entrepreneurship support institutions alleviates the negative effect of entrepreneurial extrinsic motivation on entrepreneurial persistence and enhances the positive effect of entrepreneurial persistence on academic entrepreneurship performance. This study contributes to the literature of academic entrepreneurship and motivation theory. Managers are advised to pay attention for these motivation aspects and the entrepreneurial persistence to bring academic entrepreneurship performance.
There are significant disparities in access to healthcare treatment and this study investigates the healthcare entrepreneurship ecosystem and the challenges and considerations associated within. There is a lack of research on how to evaluate and assess the healthcare entrepreneurship ecosystem, especially when applying multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. The Hierarchical Decision Model (HDM) has been utilized to identify several perspectives and factors grouped under them by the expert's quantification. This research concentrates on underserved communities because that is where the biggest needs and impact can be made to support achieving health equity and universal health coverage. The findings of this research will help public and private healthcare organizations increase ecosystem activity by identifying significant factors and providing multiple solutions and scenarios to meet strategic advantages.
The present research delves into the complex dynamics of gender equality, highlighting women's experiences within the engineering sector. Drawing from a literature spanning from 2005 to 2023, we gathered insights from 108 pertinent articles on the topic. Our results show that a substantial portion of research underscore the persistent biases and barriers women encounter in engineering. Through our analysis, we unveiled four dominant themes: ‘The Impact of Sex Differences on Productivity’, ‘Gender Digital Divide’, ‘Discriminatory Behaviour’, and ‘Women and Performance’. Applying the glass ceiling theory as analytical framework, we discern a prevailing neglect towards women's challenges in the engineering field. Our findings accentuate the necessity for innovative policy interventions. To this end, we introduce a comprehensive policy model tailored to champion robust gender equity initiatives within engineering field.
This study delves into the subtle relationships between entrepreneurial bricolage, the use of artificial intelligence (AI), entrepreneurial knowledge, and the identification of opportunities in the field of entrepreneurship. It fills information gaps about the impact of these elements on opportunity recognition while examining the mediating role of entrepreneurial expertise. The major goal of this study was to investigate how entrepreneurial bricolage and AI adoption influence opportunity recognition, with a particular emphasis on the mediating role of entrepreneurial knowledge. Furthermore, the study hoped to contribute empirical data that could improve our knowledge of how these aspects interact. A structured questionnaire was provided to 420 entrepreneurs as part of a quantitative study methodology to collect data. For data analysis, SPSS was used, which included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation analysis. According to the findings, entrepreneurial knowledge serves as a bridge between entrepreneurial bricolage and opportunity recognition, as well as between AI utilization and opportunity recognition. As a result, the study presents empirical evidence demonstrating the importance of entrepreneurial bricolage, AI adoption, and entrepreneurial knowledge in improving opportunity recognition. These findings highlight the importance of these aspects and their interdependence in the context of entrepreneurship. This work has practical consequences for businesses, politicians, and researchers alike by shining light on the optimal allocation of resources, the adoption of AI, and the cultivation of knowledge to better opportunity recognition. Furthermore, it adds empirical data on the role of entrepreneurial knowledge as a mediator in the theoretical understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation.
El Emprendimiento femenino es una de las actividades económicas de gran importancia en Latinoamérica, el modelo de gestión de redes surge como una alternativa para generar oportunidades de ingreso, libertad económica y desarrollo en mujeres emprendedoras. La investigación se realizó mediante un enfoque cualitativo, teniendo como objetivo identificar las características y factores asociados a las redes de emprendimiento femenino mediante un análisis comparativo del comportamiento de las redes; se consideró un total de 69 emprendedoras conformadas por 30 emprendedoras de la de la Red Emprendedoras Popayán (Colombia) y 39 emprendedoras de la Red Emprendedora Perú; se utilizó una encuesta semiestructurada, para identificar las características de las emprendedoras y sus unidades de negocio. Los emprendimientos constituyen una actividad importante para las emprendedoras, siendo estos la base del apoyo familiar y fuente de ingresos económicos; los emprendimientos femeninos están estrechamente relacionados con las características de las mujeres que lideran las unidades de negocio. Por otra parte, existe una poca capacidad de endeudamiento, los intereses elevados, la falta de garantías o antecedentes y los montos solicitados son algunos de los factores que dificultan el acceso a los servicios bancarios, además de las pocas oportunidades de apoyo que encuentran por parte de sus gobiernos para el desarrollo y sostenibilidad de sus negocios. El agrupamiento en redes con enfoque de género es un mecanismo de fortalecimiento y desarrollo de actividades en conjunto que brinda confianza y seguridad a las emprendedoras al encontrar a personas que comparten expectativas comunes.
We use a sample of over 80,000 Spanish companies started by a sole entrepreneur between 2004 and 2014, and distinguish between male and female entrepreneurs demand for credit, credit approval ratio, and credit performance. We find that female entrepreneurs who start a business are less likely to ask for a loan. Of the female entrepreneurs requesting a credit, the probability of obtaining one in the founding year is significantly lower than their male peers in the same industry. This lower credit access disappears over the subsequent years, once the company has a track record of profits and losses. We also observe that women-led companies that receive a loan in the founding year are less likely to default as compared to men-led companies. This superior performance disappears for subsequent years, coinciding with the disappearance of the lower credit access. Taking all these results together, we rule out both taste-based discrimination and statistical discrimination in the credit industry, and point to the possible presence of double standards which might be a consequence of implicit (unconscious) discrimination.
Socially and educationally disadvantaged entrepreneurs often lack the knowledge and prior experience to develop and scale their businesses. Owing to limited educational and employment opportunities, poverty, and discrimination, these entrepreneurs frequently experience low business growth and performance. What factors influence the effectiveness of early-stage venture incubation and mentoring for promoting learning, scaling, and profitability among these entrepreneurs? Two studies in a business incubator serving low-income, underprivileged entrepreneurs in South Africa evaluate this question. Study 1 uses a matched, two-period case-control design to investigate the effects of incubation on business growth by comparing selected and incubated companies to similar also-selected but not incubated ones. The findings show that incubated companies grew 22% more in revenue and 15% more in employment than not incubated companies over the six months between applying to and graduating from the incubator. Study 2 uses instrumental-variable models to evaluate the role that mentoring played in improving business performance by analyzing data from seven cohorts of participants in the incubator randomly assigned to mentors. The findings show that participants assigned to high-ability (versus low-ability) mentors had 3.2% higher revenue and 3.5% higher profits one year after incubation. Further, the benefits of being mentored were more significant for businesses whose entrepreneurs had less pre-entry knowledge and experience, suggesting that mentoring supplemented gaps in human capital. These findings have implications for ways to support disadvantaged entrepreneurs and their businesses through mentoring and early-stage venture incubation.
Online access here: https://rdcu.be/b8tZI
Over the past 15 years, accelerators emerged as a popular and distinct new form of intermediary organization, playing a key role in supporting entrepreneurial and innovation activities. To date, despite significant growth in accelerators research, there is still little understanding of how different forms of accelerators operate, and what outcomes they produce across different contexts. This paper reviews the existing scholarly research on accelerators using the Context–Intervention–Mechanism–Outcome framework and is based on the analysis of 98 research papers on accelerators published in the last 15 years. The analysis identifies four mechanisms which explain how accelerators operate and the role they play in supporting entrepreneurship and innovation: the validation of ideas and products; the provision of product development and models learning; the provision of support to increase startups’ market access and growth; and the provision of support for innovation. The paper identifies the methodological and theoretical gaps in current research and provides avenues to support future research and industry practice.
The aim of the paper is to explore the published management research on women entrepreneurs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (also known as STEM) fields in order to offer a first, comprehensive state-of-the-art of this research. In doing so, a systematic literature review (SLR) of 32 papers has been undertaken. The results of this SLR show that the literature on this topic is still limited and fragmented. However, seeds have been sown for stimulating the theoretical debate and the empirical knowledge on these issues. Based on our analysis of these selected papers, we offer a vibrant research agenda for future developments.
The lean startup methodology has been steadily gaining widespread popularity during the past few years. As part of this trend, startup accelerator programs have begun to adopt the methodology as their main organizing framework. At the same time, coaches and their coaching practices lie at the core of many accelerator programs. Despite the widespread recognition of the importance of coaching, there is a lack of knowledge of how the role of coaches in accelerators interacts with the lean startup methodology. Using an ethnographic study design combined with interviews, this study investigates entrepreneur-coach relationships in the context of a university-based accelerator. The findings show that the lean startup methodology influences how entrepreneur-coach relationships evolve and how the formation and progression of these relationships facilitate learning among entrepreneurs. The lean startup methodology creates conflict between the information collected from customers and the (perceived) authority of coaches. However, the entrepreneurial method also enables the coaching to be evolutionary and assumption-changing. Suggestions are made for mitigating challenges related to the progress of entrepreneurial activities and entrepreneur-coach relationships.
The aim of this study is examine the entrepreneurial intention model and analyze the influence of education, role model, self-efficacy, self-personality, self-confidence on entrepreneurial intention. The contribution of this study is increasing knowledge about the intentions of young entrepreneurs in developing countries. The study uses questionnaire survey with the respondents of young entrepreneurs who aged 20-30 years and have just started their business. The data analyzed are 200 respondents with 22 question items. The data is analyzed by two step approach to SEM and the direct effects were observed from standardized regression weights. The result shows that the entrepreneurial intention model is accepted. Furthermore, it also shows that education and role models influence self-efficacy. While self-efficacy, self-personality and self-confidence influence entrepreneurial intention.
Although scholars have long recognized the consequences of sex-based labor market segregation for gendered outcomes in conventional wage-and-salary employment, comparatively little is known about the implications for entrepreneurship. We call attention to implications stemming from manifestations at distinct levels of analysis, specifically to the differential structural positions that men and women are likely to occupy as employees and to the degree of sex-based labor market segregation in a country overall. We hypothesize that the gendering of labor market positions will have the first-order effect of reducing women’s likelihood of acquiring entrepreneurship-relevant resources, experiencing entrepreneurial career previews, and being exposed to industry opportunity spaces for launching new firms, which will have the second-order effect of lowering their start-up ease perceptions relative to men’s. We further suggest that this gender gap will widen in societies with more highly sex-segregated labor markets. Data from 15,742 employees in 22 European countries provide strong support for these claims. By demonstrating how pre-entry assessments of entrepreneurship are influenced by gendered employment experiences at the individual level and gendered labor market regimes at the country level, this study lays a foundation for further multilevel research on the relationship between institutionalized labor market practices and entrepreneurial activity.
Open access until 4.April at SAGE:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0001839219835867
Building on the think manager – think male paradigm, this study tested the psychometric properties of an “Entrepreneurial Task and Relationship” (ETR) scale to assess gender stereotypes in entrepreneurship. The sample was composed of 1056 non-entrepreneurs and 178 entrepreneurs. Non-entrepreneurs rated the characteristics of: 1) a successful entrepreneur (n = 348); 2) a successful female entrepreneur (n = 360); and 3) a successful male entrepreneur (n = 348). Entrepreneurs rated to what extent they ascribe themselves entrepreneurial characteristics. Results revealed psychometric adequacy of a two-dimensional 13-item ETR scale to be invariant across different study conditions, non-entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs, as well as male and female participants. As with management, entrepreneurship is perceived as strongly associated with task orientation. The think entrepreneur – think male paradigm applies to entrepreneurship, highlighting the need for more awareness of gender stereotypes in that context. Implications of our study can be derived on entrepreneurship education and towards policy makers and media to promote a non-stereotyped image of entrepreneurship and foster this career option, particularly among women.
A role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders proposes that perceived incongruity between the female gender role and leadership roles leads to 2 forms of prejudice: (a) perceiving women less favorably than men as potential occupants of leadership roles and (b) evaluating behavior that fulfills the prescriptions of a leader role less favorably when it is enacted by a woman. One consequence is that attitudes are less positive toward female than male leaders and potential leaders. Other consequences are that it is more difficult for women to become leaders and to achieve success in leadership roles. Evidence from varied research paradigms substantiates that these consequences occur, especially in situations that heighten perceptions of incongruity between the female gender role and leadership roles.
With increased emphasis being placed on entrepreneurial thinking and acting in today's careers, we have witnessed growing research on entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) over the last two decades. The present study provides a systematic review of the literature on the theoretical foundations, measurement, antecedents, and outcomes of ESE, and work which treats ESE as a moderator. Based on the review, an agenda for future research is developed and implications for entrepreneurship education and training highlighted. In doing so, the need to consider alternative theoretical perspectives to improve understanding of how ESE influences outcomes at different levels of analysis is highlighted. In addition, the review identifies a need to a) examine the factors which drive short-term fluctuations and long-term changes in ESE, b) examine the developmental precursors of ese in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, c) examine the negative/curvilinear effects of ESE, d) investigate whether ESE can be treated as a collective level phenomenon, e) look at the effects of ESE on outcomes outside of entrepreneurial contexts, and f) improve measurement and research design.
With increased emphasis being placed on entrepreneurial thinking and acting in today’s
careers, we have witnessed growing research on entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) over the
last two decades. The present study provides a systematic review of the literature on the
theoretical foundations, measurement, antecedents, and outcomes of ESE, and work which
treats ESE as a moderator. Based on the review, an agenda for future research is developed and
implications for entrepreneurship education and training highlighted. In doing so, the need to
consider alternative theoretical perspectives to improve understanding of how ESE influences
outcomes at different levels of analysis is highlighted. In addition, the review identifies a need
to a) examine the factors which drive short-term fluctuations and long-term changes in ESE,
b) examine the developmental precursors of ese in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood,
c) examine the negative/curvilinear effects of ESE, d) investigate whether ESE can be treated
as a collective level phenomenon, e) look at the effects of ESE on outcomes outside of
entrepreneurial contexts, and f) improve measurement and research design.
Underlying entrepreneurship ecosystems is the implicit assumption that all entrepreneurs have equal access to resources, participation, and support, as well as an equal chance of a successful outcome (venture start-up). However in practice, this is not always the case. Research finds that when it comes to many aspects of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, women are at a disadvantage. In this paper, we offer a brief overview of current ecosystem frameworks pointing out where “gender” matters in ecosystems at the institutional, organizational, and individual levels. We go on to present a summary of the contributions to this special edition and conclude with suggestions for future research.
Women are under-represented in successful entrepreneurial ecosystems and the creation of women-only entrepreneurial networks has been a widespread policy response. We examine the entrepreneurial ecosystem construct and suggest that it, and the role networks play in entrepreneurial ecosystems, can be analysed in terms of Bourdieu’s socio-analysis as field, habitus and capital. Specifically, we develop the notion of gender capital as the skill set associated with femininity or from simply being recognized as feminine. We apply this to the development of women’s entrepreneurial networks as a gender capital enhancing initiative. Using data from qualitative interviews with network coordinators and women entrepreneurs, we reflect on the extent to which formally established women-only networks generate gender capital for their members and improve their ability to participate in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The paper concludes by drawing out the implications of our analysis for theory, entrepreneurial practice and economic development policy.
Entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) is an important construct in entrepreneurship research. It captures entrepreneurs’ specific self-efficacy in accomplishing entrepreneurial tasks. Because various empirical results exist in past studies of the ESE-firm performance relationship, we employed meta-analysis to review and synthesize the current literature concerning this relationship and to address moderators that influence it. We meta-analyzed 27 samples from 26 studies with a total sample size of 5,065 firms and found that the corrected ESE-firm performance correlation is 0.309. We found that the firm performance measurement is a significant moderator and we suggest scholars to further identify moderators.
We study the effect of having a female top manager (FTM) on firm performance using World Bank Enterprise Survey data that cover 130,000 firms in 130 mostly developing countries from 2008 to 2017. We show that firms with FTMs underperform their male-led counterparts. FTMs’ underperformance is largely driven by small and medium-sized enterprises and varies widely across world regions. FTMs influence firm performance through affecting firms’ three critical factors of production, which are finance, technology, and labor. Our mediation analyses indicate that the negative FTM–performance relation can be partially mediated by firms’ access to finance, technology usage, and labor selection, which are proxied by lines of credit, internet purchases, and labor cost, correspondingly. This study synthesizes the leadership literature, extends upper echelon and social role theories, and brings clarity to the equivocal findings in the literature on the relation between female leadership and firm performance.
Purpose
Entrepreneurship, which traditionally has been a male occupation, still attracts fewer women than men. Challenging gender stereotypes within entrepreneurship is one avenue to increase women's entrepreneurial intention and promote women entrepreneurship. This study adapts the “think manager – think male” leadership perspective to the entrepreneurship context and explores gender stereotype's implications for both entrepreneurial intention and motivation to become an entrepreneur.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 902 Spanish non-entrepreneurs, both male and female, were randomly asked about the representation of successful entrepreneurs (no-gender-mention), successful men entrepreneurs or successful women entrepreneurs (reduced stereotype threat condition vs no-gender-mention or men entrepreneurs' conditions). Then, female participants' entrepreneurial intention, its antecedents (i.e. attitudes toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms and entrepreneurial self-efficacy) and necessity vs opportunity motivation were measured and compared to their male counterparts' scores in those three conditions.
Findings
Female participants reported higher entrepreneurial intention, self-efficacy and opportunity motivation when assigned to the successful women entrepreneurs' condition. Younger participants – compared to older ones – also exhibited higher entrepreneurial intention and opportunity motivation, more positive attitudes toward entrepreneurship and higher scores in subjective norms. Furthermore, findings suggest a woman entrepreneur seems to be less accessible (or more counter-stereotypical) to male participants than to female participants and, thus, the “think entrepreneur – think male” bias is more noticeable in male participants. Therefore, reducing negative stereotype threat for women in entrepreneurship may increase women's entrepreneurial career aspirations. This is of utmost importance to optimize training courses and mentoring programs to strengthen women's self-efficacy in their entrepreneurial skills and capabilities.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature about gender, entrepreneurial intention and motivation by adapting a leadership paradigm (“think manager – think male”) to entrepreneurship (“think entrepreneur – think male”). These findings shed new light on the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention and motivation and have implications for policy measures. Acknowledging that exposure to successful women entrepreneurs as role models potentially facilitates entrepreneurship among women, governments should provide tailor-made incentives and support for women entrepreneurs in the form of awareness raising, networking and in the mass media.
Business accelerators are a phenomenon of increasing popularity in practice, but their specific value-added for the participating startups has been understudied thus far. Our study addresses this research gap by investigating how participating in a business accelerator program supports startups to forge relationships with other startups, helping them to overcome their early-stage needs. We use an in-depth exploratory qualitative research approach based on a multiple embedded case study design by studying 23 startups within six accelerators in Germany.
We find evidence that startups in accelerators forge specific types of relationships, including both cooperative and competitive elements, characterizing their early-stage needs. They cooperate through joint projects and exchange and compete on the firm level for internal and external resources and on the individual level for reputation, which makes these relationships overall coopetitive. Our findings indicate the importance of accelerators in driving the startups’ relationships, as accelerators trigger “coopetitive” behavior among startups through their available tools, including events, communication and the coworking space.
This study contributes to literature on business accelerators and coopetition. Additionally, this study offers implications for startups, accelerators and policy makers.
Mentorship from other experienced individuals has become essential to entrepreneurs and their fledgling ventures, particularly in today’s accelerators. However, even with the acknowledgment that mentoring and coaching improve an entrepreneur’s likelihood of success, we know very little about the nuances of mentor-mentee relationships or the individual characteristics important to an entrepreneur’s coachability. Therefore, we examined mentors and founders across entrepreneurial support organizations to investigate the factors that influence an entrepreneur’s coachability, how coachability translates to venture outcomes, and whether or not the mentor-mentee relationship met the entrepreneur’s expectations. We found that entrepreneurs that are more coachable are ultimately more successful during their time in these programs and are more satisfied with their mentorship experience. This article provides insights for the leaders of accelerators to improve mentorship opportunities and suggestions for entrepreneurs to improve their coachability.
This article examines rewards to product introduction by new ventures. The authors argue that the new ventures that gain the most from innovation are those that adopt strategies that give them legitimacy in the eyes of stakeholders. New ventures can gain legitimacy by creating associations with established entities; such associations can be internal or external to the firm. The authors test these ideas by examining the stock market gains of all products introduced between 1982 and 2002 by all public firms in the U.S. biotechnology industry. The results show that new ventures that acquire legitimacy externally by forming alliances with established firms gain more from their new products than new ventures that do not form such alliances. Among new ventures that do not form alliances, those that acquire legitimacy internally by creating a history of product launches or by hiring reputed executives or scientists gain more from their new products than those that do not. In relative terms, it pays more to have introduced a new drug before than to have a reputed executive on the firm's board; in turn, adding a reputed executive pays more than adding a reputed scientist to the firm's board. Finally, although new ventures can gain from either external or internal legitimacy, pursuit of external legitimacy by firms that already have internal legitimacy leads to lower rewards to innovation.
Accelerators are a fast-growing form of entrepreneurship support. Literature about them remains descriptive and disjointed. While some consider them new, others believe them to be a next-generation incubator model. Based on a qualitative inductive study in India, with inputs from both accelerator executives and founders of accelerated ventures, we shift the analysis from the form (accelerator) to its underlying mechanism (acceleration). We identify at least three characteristics that make acceleration unique: a focus on product-market fit ventures; a focus on time-compressed scaling; and a focus on aggressive scalability testing. Our findings call for a shift in entrepreneurship support research (including accelerators) from “form” to “mechanism.” Entrepreneurs will find our three characteristics useful in assessing which programs truly accelerate, and therefore increase their chances of achieving scale. Accelerator executives can now distinguish their offerings from other support forms (e.g. incubators) by searching for ventures with product-market fit, offering time-compressed scaling services and testing the ventures’ ability to scale rapidly. University administrators and policymakers can use the findings to add acceleration (to support scaling) as a component of their entrepreneurial ecosystems. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
We consider the role that gender-stereotyped behaviors play in investors’ evaluations of men- and women-owned ventures. Contrary to research suggesting that investors exhibit bias against women, we find that being a woman entrepreneur does not diminish interest by investors. Rather, our findings reveal that investors are biased against the display of feminine-stereotyped behaviors by entrepreneurs, men and women alike. Our study finds that investor decisions are driven in part by observations of gender-stereotyped behaviors and the implicit associations with the entrepreneur’s business competency, rather than the entrepreneur’s sex.
In this paper we discuss some strands of the recent literature on the evolution of gender gaps and their driving forces. We will revisit key stylized facts about gender gaps in employment and wages in a few high-income countries. We then discuss and build on one gender-neutral force behind the rise in female employment, namely the rise of the service economy, which is also closely related to the polarization of female employment and to the geographic distribution of jobs, which is expected to be especially relevant for female employment prospects. We finally turn to currently debated causes of remaining gender gaps and discuss existing evidence on labor market consequences of women’s heavier caring responsibilities in the household. In particular, we highlight sharp gender differences in commuting behavior and discuss how women’s stronger distaste for commuting time may feed into gender pay gaps.
Accelerators are entrepreneurial programs that attempt to help ventures learn, often utilizing extensive consultation with mentors, program directors, customers, guest speakers, alumni and peers. While accelerators have rapidly emerged as prominent players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and academics continue to raise questions about their efficacy. Moreover, relevant organizational literature suggests that even if accelerators are associated with better venture outcomes, results could be due to mechanisms other than learning, such as sorting or signaling. Drawing on mixed empirical methods that include proprietary data on the ventures accepted and "almost accepted" to a set of top accelerators, we find evidence that some, but not all, of the early accelerators we study substantially aid and accelerate venture development. We also find some evidence of sorting dynamics. These findings are corroborated using an auxiliary quantitative dataset constructed from publicly observable data. Complementary qualitative fieldwork suggests a key driver of these accelerator effects is a novel learning mechanism we label broad, intensive, and paced consultation. The implication of these insights is that the practices of early accelerators represent a beneficial and likely replicable form of intervention that may also have relevance for independent entrepreneurs, educational programs, and corporate innovation.
Underrepresented students face challenges in accessing entrepreneurial education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In attempts to address this deficit, a five-week social entrepreneurship program (named Poder) with a focus on technology was implemented at one of the largest community college systems in the U.S. Conceptually, the program curriculum was grounded in Social Cognitive Career Theory and Critical Consciousness, two approaches noted for helping underserved students. In order to evaluate the efficacy of the program, students from diverse backgrounds (n = 106) completed pre- and post-test measures, which included instruments assessing entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneurial skills, civic participation, critical behavior, technology optimism, and technology innovation. Results from paired samples t-tests and a series of repeated measures mixed-design ANOVAS suggest that students experienced significant increases in all outcome measures, except for civic participation, and effects were not moderated by race/ethnicity, gender, or immigration status. These results suggest that the program, designed with a culturally responsive curriculum, was effective in promoting the career development of culturally diverse and underrepresented students. We discuss conceptual and practical contributions for addressing educational attainment gaps and systemic issues in entrepreneurship and STEM education.
Accelerators aim to help nascent companies reach successful outcomes by providing capital, enabling industry connections, and increasing exposure to investors. Critically, however, accelerators also provide informative signals to founders about the probability of success. Founders use this information to decide whether to continue or shut down. To better understand these issues, I provide a model of accelerator participation and performance and then test empirical predictions from the model using a novel data set of approximately 900 accelerator companies across 13 accelerators and 900 matched nonaccelerator companies. I find that, through accelerator feedback effects, accelerator companies close down earlier and more often, raise less money conditional on closing, and appear to be more efficient investments compared with non-accelerator companies. Additional analysis using a separate sample of rejected accelerator applicants further supports these findings. These results suggest that accelerators help resolve uncertainty around company quality sooner, allowing founders to make funding and exit decisions accordingly.
This paper was accepted by Ashish Arora, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Startup accelerators positively influence their surrounding entrepreneurial ecosystem. This paper establishes a theoretical framework for a Minimum Viable Accelerator (MVA), a first-time accelerator program following lean principles. The MVA aims to improve the establishment and performance of accelerator programs. The resulting framework comprises six different stages, namely preparation, awareness, application, program, demo day and post demo day. The MVA framework focuses on improving validated learning through the implementation of Ries’ (2011) BML loop and the principle of structural questions. Simultaneously, MVAs reduce the amount of resources expended for setting up new programs through the involvement of the accelerator’s stakeholders.
Male entrepreneurs are known to raise higher levels of funding than their female counterparts, but the underlying mechanism for this funding disparity remains contested. Drawing upon Regulatory Focus Theory, we propose that the gap originates with a gender bias in the questions that investors pose to entrepreneurs. A field study conducted on question and answer interactions at TechCrunch Disrupt New York City during 2010 through 2016 reveals that investors tend to ask male entrepreneurs promotion-focused questions and female entrepreneurs prevention-focused questions, and that entrepreneurs tend to respond with matching regulatory focus. This distinction in the regulatory focus of investor questions and entrepreneur responses results in divergent funding outcomes for entrepreneurs whereby those asked promotion-focused questions raise significantly higher amounts of funding than those asked prevention-focused questions. We demonstrate that every additional prevention-focused question significantly hinders the entrepreneur's ability to raise capital, fully mediating gender's effect on funding. By experimentally testing an intervention, we find that entrepreneurs can significantly increase funding for their startups when responding to prevention-focused questions with promotion-focused answers. As we offer evidence regarding tactics that can be employed to diminish the gender disadvantage in funding outcomes, this study has practical as well as theoretical implications for entrepreneurship.
Accelerator programs are an increasingly important part of entrepreneurial ecosystems. While accelerators have core defining features—fixed-term, cohort-based educational and mentorship programs for startups— there is also significant variation amongst them. In this paper, we relate key variation in the antecedents, organizational design and operation of these programs to theories of firm-level entrepreneurial performance. We then document descriptive correlations between these design elements and the performance of the startups that attend these programs. In doing so, we probe the connections between design and performance in ways that integrate previously disparate research on accelerators and expand our understanding of startup intermediaries. Our findings delineate the building blocks as well as an agenda for future researchers to build upon not only our understanding of accelerators, but also our understanding of what new ventures need to survive and flourish.
Using data on the entire population of businesses registered in the states of California and Massachusetts between 1995 and 2011, we decompose the well-established gender gap in entrepreneurship. We show that female-led ventures are 63 percentage points less likely than male-led ventures to obtain external funding (i.e., venture capital). The most significant portion of the gap (65 percent)stems from gender differences in initial startup orientation, with women being less likely to found ventures that signal growth potential to external investors. However, the residual gap is as much as 35 percent and much of this disparity likely reflects investors’ gendered preferences. Consistent with theories of statistical discrimination, the residual gap diminishes significantly when stronger signals of growth are available to investors for comparable female- and male-led ventures or when focal investors appear to be more sophisticated. Finally, conditional on the reception of external funds (i.e., venture capital), women and men are equally likely to achieve exit outcomes, through IPOs or acquisitions.
This study adopts a gender perspective to analyze funding decisions made by an investment fund that invests equity stakes in new ventures. Prior research has indicated that there is gender skewness in risk capital investments resulting from a combination of demand‐ and supply‐side issues. We apply signaling theory to examine the interface between demand and supply to understand gender biases related to risk capital investments. In‐depth analyses of decision documents from four investment cases show that gender plays a role in the signals that are communicated in the prefunding entrepreneur–investor relationship.
Purpose
Women-led companies receive less than 5 per cent of early-stage equity investment. This paper aims to explore the disparity in equity funding between men- and women-led companies, using a social identity perspective, complemented by insights from signaling theory. We argue that in the angel group context, which is male-dominated, gender stereotypes may bias angels’ interpretation of the signals sent by entrepreneurs, so that entrepreneurial ventures led by men are more favorably evaluated, thus excluding women entrepreneurs from funding. The ideas are tested on a sample of 358 entrepreneurs who applied for funding from a northeast US angel group using perceptual data from both sides of the investment dyad. Findings suggest that angel investors view women-led entrepreneurial ventures as having less legitimacy, even though we see no difference in actual legitimacy across ventures.
Design/methodology/approach
The ideas are tested on a sample of 358 entrepreneurs who applied for funding from a northeast angel group using perceptual data from both sides of the investment dyad.
Findings
The findings suggest that, in the context of angel investing, there is a subtle bias that follows from the perceived stereotype between being female and the ability to lead a legitimate new venture. Thus, this study tests the tenets of the social identity theory by finding that mostly male angel investors act in accordance to their gender prescribed roles when they evaluate businesses presented by women entrepreneurs providing some evidence of “in-group” and “out-group” effects and stereotypes.
Research limitations/implications
The findings continue the conversation about biases toward women in early-stage financing by using a social identity lens to look at the way in which adopted identities lead to particular outcomes and stereotypes. The authors have used the context of angel investing to test these ideas, finding some support for their contention that gender is pivotal when angels are making investment decisions. For researchers, this study suggests that gender should not be used solely as a control variable, but instead should be the focus of the inquiry itself.
Practical implications
For practitioners, this study reminds women seeking angel investment that they are not playing on a level field and so they should do all that they can to enhance the legitimacy of themselves and their ventures.
Originality/value
The authors contend that within an angel group that is composed of predominantly men, role stereotypes of entrepreneurs as masculine will be expected, therefore creating gender biases against women. The authors expect these biases, whether conscious or unconscious, will lead the angel investors to evaluate men entrepreneurs more favorably than women entrepreneurs as they move through the angel investment process. Therefore, for women entrepreneurs in the early stages of investment funding, the authors posit that the dearth of funding is a function of gender identity stereotypes which may be manifested in hidden and often unconscious biases on the part of the angel investor.
This paper has three overarching objectives. The first is to document the development of the body of work known as women's entrepreneurship research. The second is to assess the contributions of this work, specifically vis-à-vis the broader entrepreneurship literature. The third is to discuss how this broader literature poses challenges (both difficulties as well as opportunities) for scholarship on female entrepreneurs. We approach these objectives from the standpoint of informed pluralism, seeking to explore whether and how women's entrepreneurship research offers extensions to—and can be extended by—general research on entrepreneurs and their ventures.
Deploying a multi-dimensional framework focusing on individual, organizational and societal factors, we investigate gendering practices through which women entrepreneurs become disadvantaged in the technology sector. Through qualitative fieldwork, we focus on women entrepreneurs’ experiences networking to access valuable entrepreneurial resources and examine the role of technology incubators and accelerators in facilitating this access. These organizations have the potential to mitigate gender inequities by adopting gender-aware practices such as increasing access to networks and resources that might otherwise be unreachable for women technology entrepreneurs. Focusing simultaneously on the complex intersections of networking, organizational practices at incubators and accelerators, and institutionalized gender norms in society, we outline how different gendering practices work separately and in tandem to marginalize women technology entrepreneurs. We observe that these organizations engage in “gender neutral” recruitment practices and promote transactional networking which result in the replication rather than eradication of gender inequality. Moreover, organizational attempts to address “gender issues” as they relate to technology entrepreneurs re-inscribe rather than disrupt societal gender norms. Our research offers new insights for understanding the interrelated individual, organizational and societal factors contributing to gender inequality in technology entrepreneurship and provokes discussion on the possibilities for social change.
Financial capital is a critical resource for growing firms, yet women entrepreneurs received very small percent of the funding. This research updates earlier research by the Diana Project using a data base of all venture capital funded firms in the US. We compare funding in those firms led by men and women across stage, sector, state, region and outcomes. Results show women have made progress in attracting venture capital, although there is still a significant gender gap. A research framework and future research directions are proposed.
We track high-growth ventures from the idea stage to commercialization and investigate the nature of the gender gap early in the venture lifecycle. Using data on 651 venture ideas that collectively attracted over $700 million in venture financing, we find a significant gender gap among ventures without documented intellectual assets at the earliest stage of founding but not among ventures that already possess intellectual assets. We also find a gender gap in entrepreneurs' readiness to commit to their venture ideas full-time. Conditional on such commitment, there are no significant differences in ventures' access to venture financing or rate of commercialization.
Since the early 1980s, new ventures with high growth potential and large capital needs have found an ever-increasing pool of venture capital available to support their growth. However, the flow of venture capital investment to women-led businesses remains meager in spite of the fact that in the US and Europe an increasing number of businesses are owned by women. The apparent disparity between potential investment opportunity and actual deals made between venture capital firms and women-led businesses raises the question of whether gender is an issue. The majority of venture capital studies investigate equity funds flows, investor criteria and the nature of the investor-investee relationship. Research on women entrepreneurs focuses on psychological dimensions, business characteristics and performance. Questions about the intersection of gender and venture capital financing are largely unexamined. This exploratory study utilizes longitudinal data to track US venture capital investments by proportion, stage, industry and gender. The descriptive statistics and our analysis of the findings suggest several hypotheses to explain the apparent gender gap.
We examine how entrepreneurs manage new venture legitimacy judgments across diverse audiences, so as to appear legitimate to the different audience groups that provide much needed financial resources for venture survival and growth. To do so, we first identify and describe the different mechanisms by which entrepreneurs can establish new venture legitimacy across diverse audiences. We then account for the institutional logics that characterize different new venture audience groups, and use this as a basis for uncovering how and why the legitimacy criteria for a new technology venture may vary depending on the audience. We then consider how leaders of entrepreneurial ventures may use framing as a means to manage legitimacy judgments across various audiences, and thereby improve their chances of accessing critical financial resources for venture survival and growth.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute towards understanding how entrepreneurial learning might be understood as being socially situated, embedded in everyday practice in the context of family business. The study is framed by three main principles drawn from situated learning theory. First, the family and the business are examined as overlapping communities of practice, as sites of practice‐based knowledge. Second, the concept of legitimate peripheral participation is explored in relation to members of the family business. Finally, how practice is both reproduced and transformed over time is examined in the context of two generations' participation in a family business. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on an empirical study of two generations from five families, the founders of a business and their successors. The interview approach adopted phenomenological techniques. A thematic analysis identified conceptual frameworks to make sense of the data in a “quasi grounded” approach. Finally, the three main principles introduced from situated learning theory – communities of practice, legitimate peripheral participation, and cycles of reproduction and transformation provided a conceptual framework to analyse the empirical material. Research limitations/implications – This is an interpretive, qualitative study based on a small sample of families based in the North West of England. The findings are not intended to be generalised to a population, but to offer empirical insights that extend theoretical frameworks in order to better understand the entrepreneurial phenomenon. Practical implications – The experience of the second generation both in the family business and in overlapping contexts of learning‐in‐practice brings innovation and change as well as continuity. The study also suggests that the complex process of succession might be informed by the understanding of the importance of the nature and extent of participation in the family business over time. Originality/value – This paper introduces conceptual frameworks that capture the social complexity of intergenerational entrepreneurial learning and contributes an empirical illustration of situated learning theory within the context of family business. The situated learning perspective contrasts with much of the existing entrepreneurial learning literature, which has tended to focus on “the entrepreneur” and individual learning processes. This study demonstrates that applying a learning lens brings theoretical insights to the study of family business.
