What role do start-up competitions play in entrepreneurial ecosystems? This question is investigated in Lennard Stolz’ new paper, recently published in Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography. Based on 45 qualitative Interviews in the two case study regions Berlin and Hannover, he investigates the role of the competitions in the ecosystems and how this role is influenced by regional characteristics. The interviews with organizers and participants of the competitions, but also with ecosystem experts like investors, entrepreneurship support offices, and coaches, show that both competitions serve as networking events in their ecosystems that “anchor” activities of local entrepreneurship support agents. However, sub-networks of entrepreneurs and actors who are not connected to the SUCs are identified. The SUCs seem to work primarily for public actors, ‘solid’ entrepreneurs, and university spin-offs. International venture capitalists, wealthy business angels, and high growth firms are not involved in the competitions. Both analysed regions influence the perceived value of their competitions, e.g. in terms of the industrial expertise of jurors.
Stolz, L. (2022): Start-up competitions as anchor events in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: first findings from two German regions. Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography. DOI: 10.1080/04353684.2022.2052739
