A Framework for Designing Business-Acceleration Programs: A Case Study from Egypt

Ismail Ayman ()
Additional contact information
Ismail Ayman: Department of Management, American University in Cairo, Cairo11835, Egypt

Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 2020, vol. 10, issue 2, 16

Abstract: Business acceleration services are gaining popularity around the world. In this study, we put forward a framework and an iterative process for the design of acceleration programs. Based on literature from around the world and a case study of an acceleration program in Egypt, we develop a model that considers the process for designing, monitoring, and adjusting an acceleration program based on both internal and external considerations. In this study, we find that aspects such as the analysis of the external environment in the surrounding entrepreneurship ecosystem, and of the internal environment in the host institution’s capabilities, resources, and limitations, are important in guiding the design process. We also illustrate a comprehensive set of design parameters to be considered in the development of the acceleration program, including the program’s value proposition, sector focus, duration, service offering, resource intensity, partnerships, as well as the profile of the startups supported. In presenting this model, we aim to fill an important gap in research on how accelerators are designed and offer a framework substantiated by academic review that helps practitioners and policymakers avoid “copying and pasting” acceleration programs without careful attention to the local contexts and needs.

Keywords: startup accelerator; venture development organization; university-based accelerator; Egypt (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://doi.org/10.1515/erj-2018-0196 (text/html)
For access to full text, subscription to the journal or payment for the individual article is required.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bpj:erjour:v:10:y:2020:i:2:p:16:n:1

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.degruyte ... journal/key/erj/html

DOI: 10.1515/erj-2018-0196

Access Statistics for this article

Entrepreneurship Research Journal is currently edited by Chandra S. Mishra and Ramona K. Zachary

More articles in Entrepreneurship Research Journal from De Gruyter
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Peter Golla ().