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The Selection Process and Criteria of Impact Accelerators. An Exploratory Study

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  • Heiko Butz

    (Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany)

  • Matthias Jan Mrożewski

    (International Entrepreneurship, ESCP Business School Berlin, 14059 Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

Start-up accelerators, a relatively new and competitive type of business incubators, are nowadays considered to be a highly effective way of providing venture support. Start-ups who have been supported through accelerators have an approximately 23% higher survival rate than other new businesses. This positive effect can be explained by the highly selective process accelerators apply when deciding on which venture projects to support. It comes as no surprise that understanding this process and the respective selection criteria is at the core of accelerator/incubator literature within entrepreneurship research. Existing research is however limited to the investigation of commercial accelerators which provide support to start-ups having an economic purpose only. Hence those academic findings cannot be simply extrapolated to accelerators supporting ventures combining economic goals with social and ecological purpose. Given the growing meaning of sustainability entrepreneurship and hence the increasing number of sustainability-oriented accelerators, the above limitation seems to be an important research gap. This paper addresses the above gap by investigating the selection processes and criteria of so-called impact accelerators focusing on the support of start-ups expected to create not only economic outcomes but also positive social and/or environmental impact. Building on existing accelerator literature, we qualitatively investigate the selection processes and criteria of nine European impact accelerators. By comparing our findings with existing research, we identify important differences between the selection approach of commercial and impact accelerators thus contributing to sustainability entrepreneurship research and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Heiko Butz & Matthias Jan Mrożewski, 2021. "The Selection Process and Criteria of Impact Accelerators. An Exploratory Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-22, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:12:p:6617-:d:572348
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    1. Alex Maritz & Quan Nguyen & Hsin-Ming Hsieh, 2021. "Exploring the Strategic Intent and Practices of University Accelerators: A Case of Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-11, September.
    2. Michał Bańka & Mariusz Salwin & Maria Kukurba & Szymon Rychlik & Joanna Kłos & Monika Sychowicz, 2022. "Start-Up Accelerators and Their Impact on Sustainability: Literature Analysis and Case Studies from the Energy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-30, October.
    3. Berna Beyhan & Derya Fındık, 2022. "Selection of Sustainability Startups for Acceleration: How Prior Access to Financing and Team Features Influence Accelerators’ Selection Decisions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-23, February.
    4. Bańka Michał & Salwin Mariusz & Waszkiewicz Aneta Ewa & Rychlik Szymon & Kukurba Maria, 2022. "Startup Accelerators," International Journal of Management and Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, vol. 58(1), pages 80-118, March.
    5. Michal Banka & Mariusz Salwin & Dariusz Masłowski & Szymon Rychlik & Maria Kukurba, 2022. "Start-up Accelerator: State of the Art and Future Directions," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 477-510.

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