How a Corporate Accelerator Shapes Innovation: New Paper by Demir, Lukeš and Vanhaverbeke
The article by Ferhat Demir, Martin Lukeš and Wim Vanhaverbeke, published in Technological Forecasting and Social Change, examines how a corporate accelerator can shape and develop its innovation environment. The study shows that an accelerator can actively guide knowledge flows between startups and the corporation, enabling innovation that extends beyond organizational boundaries. The authors identify five key mechanisms—co‑designing, co‑selecting, co‑accelerating, co‑investing and reconciling—that support effective collaboration within the ecosystem. The research also highlights the role of a “pathfinder”, an external expert who connects startups, helps them navigate challenges and accelerates their progress. In this way, the accelerator becomes an active coordinator of the entire innovation environment, not just a support unit. The article is available in open access, making it freely accessible to students and researchers. The study offers fresh insights into how innovation can be built and scaled across broader entrepreneurial ecosystems.
DEMIR, Ferhat, LUKEŠ, Martin, VANHAVARBEKE, Wim. Cultivating outside-out open innovation: How a corporate accelerator orchestrates its ecosystem. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 2026, roč. 226, č. May 2026, č. čl. 124608. 17 s. [Economics and Business; Social and economic geography Q1 D1]