EVALUATING THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITY INCUBATION CENTERS IN ENHANCING ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARENESS AND STARTUP INTENTIONS AMONG BUSINESS SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

University-based incubation centers have emerged as crucial drivers of entrepreneurship within higher education, providing students with mentorship, resources, and networks to transform innovative ideas into viable ventures. This study investigates how incubation centers influence entrepreneurial awareness and startup intentions among business school students in India. Adopting a qualitative multiple case study design, we rely exclusively on secondary data (public records, annual reports, entrepreneurship cell documentation, policy briefs, and university websites) to examine incubation programs at selected Indian universities. We analyze incubator capability configurations – the specific combinations of infrastructure, funding support, mentorship, training programs, industry linkages, and outreach activities – and evaluate their impact on students’ entrepreneurial awareness (knowledge and mindset about entrepreneurship) and intentions (willingness to start a venture). The cross-case analysis reveals that incubation centers with strong mentorship networks, active student engagement through entrepreneurship cells (E-cells), and experiential learning opportunities (e.g. startup bootcamps, hackathons, pitch competitions) tend to heighten students’ awareness of entrepreneurship and increase their intent to pursue startups. Conversely, limited outreach and lack of integration with academic programs emerge as barriers to student participation in some incubators. The findings highlight the importance of a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem within universities – one that combines physical infrastructure with cultural and educational initiatives – in nurturing student entrepreneurship. This study contributes to the literature by offering a nuanced, cases-based understanding of how different incubator models and capabilities foster entrepreneurial attitudes in an emerging economy context. Recommendations are offered for university administrators and policymakers to strengthen incubator programs (e.g. through policy support, improved outreach, and tailored support for student founders) to better cultivate the next generation of entrepreneurs.