FROM ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION TO BUSINESS INITIATION: HOW THE HIGHER ACADEMIC SECTOR CAN SHAPE THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM IN GUATEMALA

Research on successful entrepreneur ecosystems in mature economies like the United States and Europe has gained much recent attention. However, despite their intriguing nature, few investigations to identify good practices that apply to developing economies have surfaced. A case that deserves our attention, is the Higher Education sector in Guatemala. This sector has outperformed other elements of its Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (EE) and scored relatively high compared to other ecosystems. As universities in this country have evolved, they have assumed new roles beyond research and education, engaging in entrepreneurial activities as their contribution to society. By fulfilling this new ‘mission’ and pushing for more entrepreneurship within their developing ecosystem, these ‘entrepreneurial universities’ have become increasingly relevant and positioned themselves as leaders. They have collaborated with industry and the government to establish causal relationships that are succeeding in making Guatemala more entrepreneurial. Although there is still work to be done, these Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are setting the example which is portrayed in this thesis, of how an academic sector can lead entrepreneurial activity in a developing economy.

FROM ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION TO BUSINESS INITIATION: HOW THE HIGHER ACADEMIC SECTOR CAN SHAPE THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM IN GUATEMALA