Measuring Scaling-Up Awareness among Incubator Mentees
Measuring Scaling-Up Awareness among Incubator Mentees

Author(s): Vivek Sharma, Sudhir K. Jain, Kusha Sharma
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Economy
Published by: Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze
Keywords: Incubation applicants; engineer entrepreneurs; scaling-up awareness entrepreneurial challenges; early stage recklessness
Summary/Abstract: Purpose: The technology students in India are upbeat about the innovative environment in theirinstitutions while government wholeheartedly supports their entrepreneurship zeal in hope of supporttowards the gaping demand-supply mismatch, in job availability. The present work intends to explorethe naivety of technical innovators towards entrepreneurial challenges after a successful start. Design/methodology/approach: The awareness of scaling-up challenges among fresh applicantsseeking tenancy at these incubation centres, is an important parameter of knowledge for mentors ofincubation centres in academic institutions. This could be a roadblock in a nation’s plans to growprivate organisations and generate jobs. Data from 40 such applicants to incubation programs atIndian Institute of Technology, Delhi, were collected in 2018, to carry out a pilot study towardsexploration of naivety of technical patent holders regarding entrepreneurial careers. The work useda battery of self-generated statements about scaling-up of successful start-ups, addressed to applicantsof a technological incubator. Findings: The pilot study has thrown back three factors which have been named as ‘FutureReadiness’, ‘Early Stage recklessness’ and ‘Zeal for Growth’. The clubbing does point to researchedthemes like; (1) financial recklessness at initial stage of ideation by offering partnership in exchangeof meagre investments. (2) too much of individualism in decision making. Research/practical implications: The work has been carried out with a clear aim to generate a toolfor mentors at business incubators of academic institutions, which can assist the mentors in assessingthe need for scaling-up readiness right at start-up stage. The factors, once finalised, can be used fora pre-post analysis of the mentorship programs, with respect to the effectiveness of the scaling-upinformation disseminated during the mentorship program. Originality/value: The challenges of scaling-up the initial success of new business are distinctlydifferent from those faced by start-ups. Literature has reported many tools to assess the mentoringneeds of start-ups. The present attempt is aimed at facilitating the mentee readiness about the scaling-up needs, likely to come their way.

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