This study is a qualitative, embedded multiple case study conducted for my graduate thesis at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in the Netherlands. The topic of the study is seed accelerator programs and how they affect the startup process.
The study takes the perspective of the startup/entrepreneur during the accelerator process and integrates entrepreneurship literature with more practical knowledge of incubation/acceleration techniques and how they aid startups in their early stages.
The objective of this research is to delve into the phenomenon of the accelerator model and understand how they accelerate new ventures. The research question formulated within the context of the accelerator phenomenon, stated below, shapes the structure of the study. The research question also defines the cases used in the study and makes it clear what aspects of the cases are of interest, as it would not be feasible to investigate every aspect of the cases chosen. Therefore, this master thesis investigates the following research question and relevant interrelated questions:
How do accelerator programs affect the entrepreneurial process of the startups they accept into their programs?
- Why do accelerator programs exist and where do they fit in literature?
- How do accelerators affect the entrepreneurial process, specifically entrepreneurial opportunities, founders and resources?
- How do accelerators compare to incubators, angel investors and venture capitalists in the context of the entrepreneurial process?
- How do accelerators help startups overcome entrepreneurial failure?
To investigate these questions, this research takes on a qualitative methodology so as to delve into a deeper understanding of the how and why questions posed above. The subject of analysis is twofold. First, the accelerator programs are the primary cases of analysis while, second, the startups participating in those accelerator programs are the embedded cases of analysis. Therefore, this study is a qualitative embedded multiple case study which investigates how accelerator programs affect the startup process of their startups.