Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Insights
  • Home
  • Content
    • Perspectives
    • Innovative Programs & Policies
    • Research You Should Know
    • In Case You Missed It
  • About Endeavor
    • Our Mission
    • Our Model
    • Our Entrepreneurs
    • Insight & Research
    • Investor Network
    • Programs
    • Our Background
    • FAQS
  • About EEI
Research You Should Know 0

Sneak Peak: Three Important Lessons for Accelerators

By Endeavor Insight · On June 7, 2015

There seems to be remarkably little research on accelerators, despite the soaring popularity of the model: according to some estimates, there are currently several thousand accelerators in operation in the world. To fill this knowledge gap, a team at Endeavor Insight interviewed staff at 58 accelerators to learn what makes a successful accelerator and what the greatest challenges are in the field today. (Endeavor Insight has written about accelerators and what sets them apart from incubators here and here.)

Here is a sneak peak into Endeavor’s upcoming publication on accelerators and what makes them succeed.

Lesson 1: The supply of accelerators is unmatched by startup demand

When asked about some of the more challenging aspects of operating an accelerator, respondents most commonly mentioned that competition is tough, especially because a rapidly growing supply of accelerators is unmatched by the demand for their services. Interviewees at more remote locations also complained that they have difficulty breeding successful startups and creating wealth in the community because the best businesses flock to well-known locations, attracting good mentors to those areas. Others mentioned the growing competition from public and corporate accelerators, while others pointed to the prospect of equity crowdfunding as a future obstacle.

Lesson 2: Free facilities are unlikely to be key

Many accelerators offer affordable facilities for startups, which can include growth and marketing assistance, legal counseling, or laboratory space. While startups often desperately need these services, only 5 percent of the interviewees mentioned they were a key component of a successful accelerator.

Lesson 3: Success breeds success: great mentors can make great accelerators

Quality guidance seems to have great added value for accelerators: mentorship was mentioned as key for operating a successful accelerator by a staggering 46.5 percent  of respondents. On the one hand, this may be thanks to experienced mentors, who can help startups succeed; on the other, having renowned experts on board can help accelerators stand out among their competitors, and maintain selectivity towards their applicants.

A Virtuous Cycle of Quality Mentoring and Successful Business Acceleration

These findings suggest that there may exist a virtuous cycle that drives success for accelerators. As part of this cyclical process, quality candidates appeal to quality mentors, generating more success among companies, which, in turn, attracts more qualified candidates and experts. Apart from the presence of mentors, their level of engagement and matching them with the right candidates also seems to matter a great deal.

The research behind these findings will be published soon on the new Endeavor website.

Contributed by Lili Torok.

Print Friendly
acceleratorsfacilitiesincubatorsmentorshipstartups
Share Tweet

You Might Also Like

  • Research You Should Know

    Place-Based Innovation Policies are Important for Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems

  • Research You Should Know

    Middle American Cities Are Some of the Nation’s Largest Talent Generators

  • Research You Should Know

    National Governments Want More Companies to Scale

No Comments

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Subscribe to our monthly update

  • Popular
  • Comments
  • Tags
  • How Can Decision Makers Foster Productive Entrepreneurship Communities?

    October 29, 2018
  • Three Tips for Entrepreneurship Policy-Makers from Philip Auerswald

    October 14, 2015
  • The Three Most Important Resources Companies Need to Succeed

    March 10, 2014
  • Start-Up Chile: Heading toward Failure or Success?

    September 9, 2014
  • How Five Percent of Kenyan Companies Can Help Create 3.9 Million Jobs

    May 11, 2015
  • How Local and State Governments Can Best Support Entrepreneurship

    April 15, 2015
  • ride says: Тhanks for finally writing about >The Three Most Important Resourϲes Compan...
  • American Dreamers says: Very insightful article. This can help out all aspiring ...
  • Steven Koltai says: In my work in 36 countries over the past 8 years beginning as the first Senior...
  • Mark Neild says: Of course it may be that just providing entrepreneurs in developing countries ...
  • Endeavor Insight says: Thank you, Julia! Big hugs from Team Insight....
entrepreneurial ecosystem entrepreneurship ecosystems access to finance entrepreneurship startups access to capital jobs scaleups entrepreneurship policy research success high-growth firms economic growth smes public policy economic development europe high-growth

Perspectives

  • Network Building Sets Women Entrepreneurs Up for Success

    February 12, 2020
  • Emerging Fintech Entrepreneurship in the African Remittance Market

    June 29, 2017
  • Xavier Niel is Building the World’s Largest Startup Incubator in Paris

    May 26, 2016

Innovative Programs & Policies

  • How Social Entrepreneurs ‘Zig-Zag’ Their Way to Scale

    December 5, 2019
  • Five Ways for Entrepreneurship Support Programs to Become More Effective

    November 22, 2019
  • What Types of Companies Have the Strongest Impact on Economic Growth?

    June 7, 2019

Research You Should Know

  • Place-Based Innovation Policies are Important for Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems

    March 30, 2020
  • Middle American Cities Are Some of the Nation’s Largest Talent Generators

    March 23, 2020
  • National Governments Want More Companies to Scale

    March 12, 2020

In Case You Missed It

  • What Is the Typical Career Path of CEOs at Large Firms?

    July 24, 2019
  • The Fintech Sector is Rapidly Expanding in Latin America

    June 25, 2018
  • Scaling Entrepreneurs Drive Innovation in Emerging Markets

    June 7, 2018

Endeavor

To learn more about Endeavor and our worldwide network of high-growth companies please visit our website.

© Endeavor 2019. All rights reserved.