Start-up factories, transnational entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial ecosystems: unpacking the lure of start-up accelerator programmes

Ross Brown, Suzanne Mawson and Neil Lee

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: This paper examines the role of accelerator programmes in promoting transnational entrepreneurship. Designed to assist the growth of start-ups by providing seed finance and structured entrepreneurship support, these programmes are now a prominent feature in many entrepreneurial ecosystems around the world. Drawing on in-depth qualitative evidence focused on one particular programme, the paper shows accelerators play an important intermediary or ‘brokerage mechanism’ providing start-ups with enhanced relational connections and networks. Transnational entrepreneurs attracted to these programmes are highly focused on exploiting these networks whilst maintaining multiple levels of embeddedness in various contexts to maximize the opportunities afforded by accelerators. While many governments are attempting to replicate accelerators programmes within the public sector, the paper concludes that such attempts may prove problematic within weaker entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Keywords: Transnational Entrepreneurs; Public Policy; Accelerators; Entrepreneurial Ecosystems; Networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F3 G3 J01 R14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 20 pages
Date: 2019-05-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo, nep-ino and nep-sbm
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

Published in European Planning Studies, 4, May, 2019, 27(5), pp. 885-904. ISSN: 0965-4313

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http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/100107/ Open access version. (application/pdf)

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Journal Article: Start-up factories, transnational entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial ecosystems: unpacking the lure of start-up accelerator programmes (2019)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ehl:lserod:100107

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