Impact of Pre-incubators on Entrepreneurial Activities in Turkey: Problems, Successes, and Policy Recommendations

Abstract

Entrepreneurship can be considered a driving force for economic growth, employment creation, and competitiveness in societies. However, a crucial issue is the ability to produce knowledge and train a skilled workforce that has a proper entrepreneurial mindset. In this regard, there are three main actors: public governance, universities, and the private sector.

Universities should take more role as both producers and disseminators of knowledge in entrepreneurial activities. The concept of pre-incubation centers, which is the central focus of this paper, is one outcome of such activities.

By providing targeted resources and services, incubation serves as a business-support process that accelerates the successful development of start-ups and companies. Incubation ideas focus on already established firms—either start-up or senior firms; however, pre-incubation centers focus on the early-stage ideas of students and entrepreneurs.

This study addresses the impact of services offered in pre-incubation centers—namely infrastructure, coaching, and business networks—on the graduation rates of incubator participants in Turkey. Based on interview data with 23 of 40 pre-incubation managers, we found that it is necessary to develop synergy among universities and achieve local economic alignment. The educational system should produce individuals with requisite skills: at that point, they can become active in furthering government policies to promote entrepreneurship. In this context, entrepreneurial universities play an important role as both producers and disseminators of knowledge. University-based incubation centers will become key actors for promoting entrepreneurial culture in societies.