Entrepreneurial space and the freedom for entrepreneurship: Institutional settings, policy, and action in the space industry

Research Summary Anticipating that innovation nurtures entrepreneurship, we began an extended case study of innovative start-up in the space industry. We quickly saw institutions imposed formidable barriers to implementing entrepreneurship from innovation. Curious about how, why and extent this situation, widened our other start-ups, CEOs existing businesses, incubator, a technology transfer office key influencers large companies agencies. found policies had, effect, shrunk entrepreneurial field, leaving little room for enterprise. Conceptualizing this, propose create “entrepreneurial space.” Theoretically, explain how concept can be usefully applied contexts. Managerial The industry is extremely innovative. It also dominated by two powerful incumbent firms third highly regulated. This research examines shaped institutions, what implies freedom entrepreneurial. investigate question French European context. find while industrial context had completely pushed out upstream segments it flourished margins segment not at all entrepreneurial; downstream milieu recommend policymakers (a) strengthen private-public-partnership arrangements; (b) implement attract venture capitalists transform reinvigorate segment; (c) design specific incubation mechanisms start-ups.