Entrepreneurship education in entrepreneurship laboratories

Abstract

There are many studies on entrepreneurship education in business school curricula, but there is less research on pre-acceleration education programs at entrepreneurship laboratories. This is unfortunate, as entrepreneurship laboratories represent an important context for entrepreneurship education in that they combine a range of services and activities, including entrepreneurship education programs, with extensive stakeholder engagement. In this study, we attempt to remedy this gap by investigating two international entrepreneurship lab experiences that bring together Italian, French, Polish, Estonian, and Swedish universities and are dedicated to improving health and well-being. The laboratories under investigation foster innovation and entrepreneurship by incorporating a diverse range of stakeholders in a variety of activities. Our findings highlight the value of combining the nurturing of an entrepreneurial mindset with the acquisition of specific tools and competencies when promoting entrepreneurship. Our study sheds light on how architecture, education and outcomes are intertwined and together contribute to shaping the concept of entrepreneurship lab. Additionally, our findings suggest that an international network enables universities to mobilise innovative capabilities located in diverse geographies and to capitalise on multicultural and multidisciplinary competencies. Based on our findings, the study offers a number of contributions to theory and practice.