TUM School of Management. Technische Universität München (Germany) and Online. 5 December 2024, 13h CET

Authors: Inma Aleixos-Borras (University of Stuttgart), Christopher Hayter (Georgia Institute of Technology), José López (University of Ottawa), Roman Lubynsky (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Presenter: Christopher Hayter (Georgia Institute of Technology)

Defined as a developmentally-oriented relationship between a more experienced, knowledgeable person and a protégé, mentoring has long been recognized as a crucial element of entrepreneurial development and success. However, whilst recent research highlights the role of mentors in venture accelerators and incubators, scholars have generally overlooked mentoring dynamics within the earliest stages of founder identity construction. This study therefore explores the emergence and evolution of purposeful interactions between early-career scientists and entrepreneurship mentors embedded within heterogenous programmatic and institutional contexts within Germany and the U.S. Based on our findings, we present a conceptual model that explicates how protégés together with their mentors co-construct an entrepreneurial identity. Specifically, we show that although protégés can enter into mentoring relationships from one of three distinct dyadic pathways, that self-conception as a founder depends on the cognitive and emotional readiness of protégés, as well as the extent to which the mentoring relationship enables recursive integration of other constituent conceptual elements. Implications for research and policy are also discussed.

MedNight EU. 25 September 2024. Online.

Authors: Inma Aleixos-Borras (University of Stuttgart)

I participated in the 5th edition of Young Researchers at Schools (English Room). I shared with students how I became a researcher and my research with the Ungendered Values project. Recording of the talk on YouTube

Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science. 22 April 2024. Stuttgart (Germany)

Authors: Inma Aleixos-Borras (University of Stuttgart), Isabel Rodríguez (University of Valencia)

We use the dynamic approach to job/work (dis)satisfaction (Bruggemann, 1974; Büssing, 1992, Büssing et al., 1999) in order to explain researchers' (dis)engagement in science commercialization.

Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science. 18 March 2024. Stuttgart (Germany)

Authors: Inma Aleixos-Borras (University of Stuttgart), Christopher Hayter (Georgia Tech)

We have presented some preliminary findings of startup coaching in German universities and Hochschulen regarding: What are coaches' role in the entrepreneurial university ecosystem? How do coaches work with individuals? How is their work aligned with the entrepreneurial mission of the institutions? What's their impact on individuals, the universities, and the region?

International Entrepreneurship Education Summit 2023. 1 December 2023. Stuttgart (Germany)

Authors: Inma Aleixos-Borras (University of Stuttgart)

Movies can contribute to (un)shape the “collective imaginery” (Morin, 2005). Can we use movies to make researchers reflect on the possibility of commercializing their own research as a means to societal impact? I will use some biopics and other movies, e.g., Ghostbusters, Hulk, to answer this question.

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4S Conference. 8-11 November 2023. Honolulu (USA)/Online

Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science. 16 October 2023. Stuttgart (Germany)/Online

Authors: Dr. Inma Aleixos-Borrás (University of Stuttgart), Dr. José J. López (University of Ottawa), Dr. Ferran Giones (University of Stuttgart)

This contribution is part of a work-in-progress study on science commercialization (SC)  via start-up formation, in which we aim to explain why and how SC happens. The differentiation between basic and applied research or use-inspired basic research (Stoke, 1997) does not fully explain non-commercialization and commercialization, respectively. Drawing inductively upon one case study, we suggest that, in order to explain why SC happens, we need to consider, among other things, the properties and nature of the recipient objects or subjects upon which technology or knowledge aims to be applied. We call them “target objects” (TOs), which furthermore are embedded in a social, political, and economic context that may also condition SC.

INGENIO (CSIC-UPV). 2 November 2023. Valencia (Spain)

Authors: Dr. Inma Aleixos-Borrás (University of Stuttgart), Dr. José J. López (University of Ottawa), Dr. Ferran Giones (University of Stuttgart)

The idea is part of a work-in-progress study on science (non) commercialization (SC). We aim to explain why SC or other ways of knowledge/technology transfer happen more often in some disciplines than in others. The differentiation between basic and applied research or use-inspired basic research (Stoke, 1997) does not fully explain science non-commercialization and commercialization, respectively, within or across disciplines. Drawing inductively upon two case studies, we suggest that, to explain why SC happens or does not happen, we need to consider, among other things, structural and authority relationships that may or may not be contingent on the social structure of scientific fields (Colyvas & Powell, 2007; Whitley, 2000, 2010), and what we call “target objects” (TOs). TOs are twofold objects. They are constituted by, on the one hand, (non)material epistemic outputs and, on the other hand, the recipient objects or subjects upon which the (non)material epistemic outputs aim to be applied. Furthermore, we should consider that TOs are embedded in a social, political, and economic context that may also condition SC.

Research, Innovation, Science and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Program (Elements4Founding), 2nd Edition. 11 October 2023. Stuttgart (Germany)

Presenter: Inma Aleixos-Borras (University of Stuttgart)

Where: Freiraum at Pfaffenwaldring, 45. 70569 Stuttgart (Vaihingen Campus). Also possible to join online.

Agenda:

• Welcome and introduction from Prof. Alexander Brem, Head of Institute at the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science (ENI)

• Introduction to RISE and Elements4Founding from the E4F project team

• Outline of the workshop series 

  1. • Structure of the course program

     • Requirements

• Welcome from our Network partners: TRACES, Gründermotor, Design Factory Stuttgart, Young Entrepreneurs in Science

• How to be(come) an impactful researcher – mini-workshop with Dr. Inma Aleixos Borrás

• Wrap-up and Q&A

Submitted to BCERC Conference 2024, Munich (Germany). Not accepted.

Co-authors: Isabel Rodríguez (IDOCAL, Universitat de València), José López (University of Ottawa) 

The purpose of this paper is to enhance our understanding of the motivations driving academics to partake in the commercialization of scientific endeavors through establishing ventures. Specifically, it seeks to scrutinize the conditions under which concrete academics decide to found a start-up as a needed divergence from academia, a compelled choice, or an asset while maintaining their academic affiliations. In order to provide plausible explanations of these phenomena, we draw upon Herzberg’s two-factor motivational theory (Herzberg, 2003; Herzberg et al., 2017) while considering structural and contextual issues as well as authority relationships that may or may not be contingent on the social structure of scientific fields (Colyvas & Powell, 2007; Whitley, 2000, 2010). Competing values between science and business have been reported as one of the most relevant factors influencing researchers’ (non)entrepreneurial behavior (Jain et al., 2009; Lam, 2011, Pandey & Pansera, 2020; Shi et al., 2021; Stuart & Ding, 2006). However, we suggest that most of these contributions tend to portray researchers as personae, rather than individuals (Daston & Sibum, 2003). In doing so, the literature referring to the scientist or der Wissenschaftler has created a polarized scientific identity based on values in science and values in business, which, although nowadays is more diluted than ever before, impedes us to see the scientist as an individual who needs to work for a living and aims to be realized professionally. 

We suggest that Herzberg’s motivational theory allows us to account for the concrete personal needs of particular individuals who should “resist[-] the multiplication of identities even at the disciplinary level, not to speak of the level of the individual” (Daston & Sibum, 2003, p. 4) and are neglected in both sociology of science and entrepreneurship literature. Moreover, it provides us a theoretical basis for explaining our participants’ narratives of start-up creation and their academic exodus or stasis (Nicolaou & Souitaris, 2016) as expounded in the results section. 

Our paper contributes to the field of entrepreneurship, particularly within the realm of academic entrepreneurship. It also aligns with comparative studies of the sociology of science, as exemplified by the work of Gläser et al. (2018) and the domain of organizational psychology. This contribution is achieved by offering a nuanced perspective on the scientist's daily working conditions, moving beyond the idealized portrayal of the scientific personae to delve into the everyday needs of sustenance and self-realization.

EINST4INE ITN. 10 October 2023. Stuttgart

A presentation tailored for Early Career Researchers of EINST4INE ITN

MedNight 2023. September 2023. Online.

Authors: Dr. Inma Aleixos-Borrás (University of Stuttgart)

En esta presentación explico a chicas y chicos de secundaria de varios institutos en España cómo he llegado a ser investigadora y qué es lo que estoy investigando actualmente, en concreto, la transferencia de conocimiento y tecnología del mundo científico a la sociedad. Les hablo de un caso ejemplar, el de Pilar Mateo Herrera, y su tecnología Inesfly contra el mal de Chagas.

More information on MedNight's website and on Twitter  Presentation on Mednight Eu's YouTube Channel

Eu-SPRI Conference 2023. Accepted and resigned.

Authors: Aleixos-Borrás, Inma (University of Stuttgart), Giones, Ferran (University of Stuttgart), Lichius, Kathrin (University of Stuttgart), López, José J (University of Ottawa), Petit, Mª Francisca (Universitat de València), Wahl, Andreas (University of Stuttgart), Zsohar, Mia-Celine (University of Stuttgart)

We examine whether movies can be an effective tool to make early-stage-career researchers reflect on their own societal-driven motivations for conducting research, and how to align businesses’ economic growth with societal impact.

R&D Conference 2023. June 2023. Sevilla (Spain)

Authors: Inma Aleixos-Borrás, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow (University of Stuttgart) , Christopher Hayter (Arizona State University), José J. López (University of Ottawa)

This is an on-going study in which we explore inductively start-up coaches’ role in developing an entrepreneurial identity in researchers and having impact in research institutions. Our initial working hypothesis was that start-up coaches can play a relevant role in embedding an entrepreneurial mindset in researchers, or steering researchers towards an entrepreneurial horizon. Contrary to our working hypothesis, we found that start-up coaches’ strong commitment with neutrality prevents them from doing so. Coaches’ work consists on helping researchers to reflect on their main intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to create a start-up, and on both the impact and consequences of creating a start-up. After such reflection researchers have to decide whether they want to engage in a process of creating a start-up. During this reflexive process coaches adopt different coaching approaches depending on researchers’ intrinsic or extrinsic motivations to engage in commercializing their own research. Governmental funding to support the transfer of research to society allows both researchers and coaches to enter into a transitional  process of venture creation during which researchers may or may not adopt an entrepreneurial identity. Based on our findings, we suggest that start-up coaches contribute to societal impact of research in several ways.

Research, Innovation, Science and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Program (Elements4Founding), 1st Edition. 30 March, 3 April, 13 April, 2023. Stuttgart (Germany)

Presenter: Inma Aleixos-Borras (University of Stuttgart)

In this module, I reflect on Impactful Research and Entrepreneurship by using, among other things, some movies' and biopics' scenes, such as Ghostbusters (1984) and Oppenheimer (2023).

JBVI 2022 Entrepreneurship Academy. 15-17 November 2022. IE Business School. Madrid (Spain)

Authors: Dr. Inma Aleixos-Borrás (University of Stuttgart)

This work in progress is part of a larger project on the topic of entrepreneurship. The former inspects the scientific discourse of (post)positivist, feminist and STS1 scholarly work on entrepreneurship by adopting the realist approach propounded by Sayer (2000, 2010), and using Fairclough’s (2003) discourse analysis method. The discourse analysis is motivated by preliminary conclusions on the “conceptual network” (López, 2003) of a small set of journal articles and book chapters, which suggests that there is a different type of entrepreneurship that prioritizes for-purpose and pro-environmental goals over for-profit goals, and presents women as the most frequent and appropriate occupants of this type of entrepreneurship. Conversely, it seems to exclude men from it. These associations between gender/sex and types of entrepreneurship are not only explained or justified in terms of personality traits, but also in terms of pro-social and environmental values.

Drawing on the “gender mosaic” and “gender illusions” by neuroscientist Dr. Daphna Joel (Joel & Vikhanski, 2019), I take issue with these associations, which run the risk of gendering values. Arguably, the idea of gendered values has ethical and ontological consequences that have to be theoretically and empirically interrogated. Therefore, two of the main objectives of this research are ultimately, on the one hand, to contribute to minimizing the risk of gendering both value-laden motivations and human behavior of entrepreneurship, and, on the other hand, to stop perpetuating the gendered academic discourse of the different types of entrepreneurship based on values and personality traits.