No islands of entrepreneurship—mapping the trans-local dimension of entrepreneurial ecosystems through networks of accelerator participation

Andreas Kuebart (), Erica Santini and Valentina Forrer
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Andreas Kuebart: Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg
Erica Santini: University of Trento
Valentina Forrer: Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

Small Business Economics, 2025, vol. 65, issue 3, No 7, 1427-1442

Abstract: Abstract This paper explores the geography of entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) and provides a typology of how EEs are connected trans-locally. Although the literature has mainly focused on the place-specificities of EEs, there is limited research on the trans-local connections established by entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) that foster exogenous dynamics. Exploiting a longitudinal dataset of European startups participating in accelerator programs embedded within EEs, this study disentangles patterns of temporary relocation and maps the centrality of EEs through both network and cluster analysis. Our results support the notion of startups being locally embedded but also emphasize the flow of knowledge and resource exchange across different EEs. Eventually, the spatial network of temporary relocations highlights a mix of EE profiles, indicating that trans-local exchange through accelerator participation is the norm rather than the exception within EEs. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of EEs and the role of accelerators in facilitating and shaping trans-local entrepreneurial activities.

Keywords: Entrepreneurial ecosystems; Accelerators; Entrepreneurial support organizations; Spatial network analysis; Trans-local entrepreneurship (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D85 L26 R30 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s11187-025-01026-1

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