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NOTE: Since 2009 the title of the International Journal of Entrepreneurship Education (IJEE) has been changed to the title above. ISSN numbers: IJEE 1649-2269 and IRE 2009-2822
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ISSN Number: 2009-2822. Frequency: 4 Issues per year (online only)
#1726 - Exploring Entrepreneurial Decision-making in Early-Stage Start-ups within University Business Incubators
IRE Vol 23, Issue 2, 2025, Pages
Author(s): Ekene Okwechime (Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom), Nilay Balkan (University of Glasgow, United Kingdom), Dyneshia Johnson (De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom)
Abstract:
University Business Incubators (UBIs) play an increasingly prominent role in supporting early-stage ventures, yet the dynamics of entrepreneurial decision-making within these spaces remain underexplored. This article explores the entrepreneurial decision-making process among early-stage start-ups within University Business Incubators (UBIs). A qualitative study was carried out with the use of archived meeting records between early-stage entrepreneurs and business mentors within a UBI based in Scotland. The analysis consisted of 55 meeting records, spanning a period of six months, from 23 start-ups. Our analysis reveals that entrepreneurs use UBIs for different purposes; ranging from accessing resources and mentorship to outsourcing critical tasks such as grant writing. We also identify a typology of entrepreneurs: those with high self-awareness who proactively develop their ideas, and those who rely heavily on mentors to act due to limited clarity or confidence. Most importantly, our findings illustrate how entrepreneurial decision-making is developed within UBIs amongst early-stage start-ups via a set of entrepreneurial decision-making stages: i). configuration, ii). set-up, iii). scaling, iv). configuration and set-up, v). configuration, set-up, and scaling. All these culminate in a framework that conceptualises and explains entrepreneurial decisions amongst early-stage start-ups. The paper contributes to the literature by offering a perspective of decision-making in UBIs and providing practical insights into how UBIs can align their resources with the varying readiness levels and plans of entrepreneurs.
Keywords: University Business Incubators; Decision-making; Early-stage start-ups; Entrepreneurial process