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Scaling up in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A comparative study of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Life Science

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  • Alvedalen, Janna

    (CIRCLE, Lund University)

  • Carlsson, Bo

    (Case Western Reserve University)

Abstract

Scaling-up is still underexplored in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem literature. This paper presents a comparative analysis of five Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Life Sciences in Sweden and the US, based on own data collection. It examines the factors that support or impede the scale-up process of firms in different geographical contexts. The paper outlines firm-specific and firm-external factors important to high-growth firms in Life Science and shows these factors differentiate across distinct geographical contexts. The study sheds light on key enablers and barriers to scaling-up in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and the roles of different actors including growth ambition, technological expertise, management competence, business model alteration, funding, global firms, human capital, support organizations, local growth culture, hospitals and universities.

Suggested Citation

  • Alvedalen, Janna & Carlsson, Bo, 2021. "Scaling up in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A comparative study of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Life Science," Papers in Innovation Studies 2021/9, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2021_009
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurial Ecosystem; scale-up; high-growth firms; Life Sciences; Sweden; U.S.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M21 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Business Economics
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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