Deconstructing Corporate Accelerator Programs: Insights From a Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Corporate accelerators (CAs) are corporate-run programs supporting startup development and growth while generating mutual benefits. Despite the considerable academic attention they have received, gaps in the discourse still persist. These include a lack of consistent understanding of what constitutes a CA within and across (emerging) subtypes and how they operate and can be configured to achieve specific outcomes. As a result, the precise operational and strategic logic of CAs remains unclear and fragmented, complicating theory development, empirical testing, and practical implementation. To address these shortcomings, we employ a context, interventions, mechanisms, outcomes (CIMO) logic rooted in the realist tradition to both systematically organize and synthesize existing findings. Specifically, this article advances the discourse on CAs by clarifying their conceptualization and operation within and across subtypes. Additionally, it links specific interventions and mechanisms to outcomes through generalizable propositions. The resulting framework offers theoretical insights for configuring CAs to fulfill specific strategic roles in various organizational settings, with implications for their effective use and paving the way for future empirical testing and performance evaluation.