MAKING INNOVATION FLOURISH: THE CAPABILITIES OF ACCELERATORS FOR CLEAN TECH VENTURES

Ian P. McCarthyBeedie School of BusinessIan_mccarthy@sfu.ca

Malek, K., Maine, E., & McCarthy, I. P. (2014). A typology of clean technology commercialization accelerators. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 32, 26-39.

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BASED ON IDEAS IN THE FOLLOWING PAPER:

A PRIMER ON ACCELERATORS

• “An accelerator is a type of business incubation program that allows entrepreneurial teams and their ventures to connect with and access resources from investors and other important stakeholders.” (Malek et al 2014: 26)

A PRIMER ON ACCELERATORS

• Accelerators are related, but distinct from incubators in five major ways:

1. Entrepreneurial teams must compete to be selected to join an accelerator.

2. Accelerators will typically accept and nurture a much greater number of start-up teams than a typical incubator.

3. Accelerators typically take some equity in the start-ups in exchange for providing capital and development services.

4. The accelerator development experience is much more rapid and intensive than that offered by an incubator.

5. The start-up teams that join an accelerator are expected to interact and network with other teams to support each other.

(Malek et al 2014: 26, and Miller and Bound, 2011)

CANADIAN CLEAN TECH ACCELERATORS

CAPABILITY DIMENSIONS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES

(Malek et al 2014: 31)

TYPOLOGY OF CLEAN TECH ACCELERATOR CAPABILITIES

(Malek et al 2014: 35)

TAKEWAYS

• There is no universal or one best way to design and manage an accelerator.

• An accelerator’s capabilities must suit the tech nature of the ventures and economic and innovation conditions of the region.

• External fit - high performing accelerators will have capability dimensions (strategy, governance, business model, operations and financing) that suit the ventures and the region.

• Internal fit – high preforming accelerators will have capability dimensions (strategy, governance, business model, operations and financing) that align with each other.

(Malek et al 2014)