Title: Entrepreneurial support systems: role of the Czech accelerator

Authors: Rashmi Assudani; Tomasz Mroczkowski; Angeles Muñoz-Fernández; Shaista E. Khilji

Addresses: Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Williams College of Business, Xavier University, 3800 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati Ohio, 45207, USA ' Department of International Business, Kogod School of Business, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016, USA ' Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n 18071 Granada, Spain ' Human and Organisational Learning and International Affairs, The George Washington University (GW), Washington DC 20052, USA

Abstract: The role of institutional context in affecting entrepreneurship and innovation has received scant attention. This paper examines the effect of one such institutional structure, the Czech Accelerator program, in developing entrepreneurial activity and innovation in Czech participating firms. Using a questionnaire and follow up interviews with participants, interviews with Czech Accelerator program and archival data sources, this study provides evidence to the facilitative role of an accelerator on the front end of innovation in firms participating with the accelerator's program. However, the data does not provide any evidence of growth in revenues, growth in sales, or securing venture funding by firms participating in the accelerator's program. These findings have implications for policymakers and business leaders in the Czech Republic and other middle-income economies to support their innovation and entrepreneurial activity.

Keywords: innovation; entrepreneurship; start-ups; accelerator; Czech Republic.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2017.086955

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2017 Vol.21 No.6, pp.530 - 552

Accepted: 04 Aug 2016
Published online: 03 Oct 2017 *

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