Internationalization of welfare stimulating start-up accelerators

Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to fill the gap in the literature regarding the
internationalization processes used by welfare stimulators, a type of start-up
accelerators that have as objective to drive the growth of a regional or national
start-up ecosystem. More specifically, we look at how their local mission can be
reconciled with their international dimension. To answer the research question,
we used the case-study method applied on one Portuguese and one Finnish
welfare stimulator. Interviews were the key technique to collect primary data,
and internal and external documentation provided secondary data. We
concluded that both welfare stimulators use internationalization to better fulfil
their mission. Both companies use insourcing as a market entry mode, as this
mode allows them to reach an international dimension without compromising
on their local mission.

Date of Award	28 Jul 2017
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Laure Leglise (Supervisor)