Personal Networks’ Influence on Student Entrepreneurs: A Qualitative Study

This study focuses on students who have conceptualized the business idea during their academic studies and created the business venture during or within two years after graduation. The extant literature identifies social networks as a key factor not only for opportunity recognition but also for start-up survival. This study expands the knowledge about the roles of personal networks within the context of student entrepreneurs. By conducting focus group, interviews, and a survey at a top-ranked technological institute of higher learning in India, this study analyzed the role played by the personal networks in facilitating and enabling the creation of a venture by student entrepreneurs. Our study findings indicate that (1) student entrepreneurs expect ten potential roles from their personal networks, (2) the hierarchy of these roles indicates the triggering impact of business networking with a final outcome of motivational support, and (3) business networking, venture financing and the founding team formation are the most important roles in the actual start-up phase.