Successful commercialisation in startup accelerator programmes: How different startup ecosystems matter

Abstract

This study examined the influence of the Western Australian and Iranian startup ecosystem contexts, including the powers and liabilities that determine startups’ commercialisation outcomes. By utilising a theoretical framework based on programme evaluation, explanatory theory building, and critical realism, a cross-contextual comparison study was conducted. The study showed that the context of startup accelerator programmes and the startup ecosystem is an important determinant of commercialisation outcomes. The study revealed factors that impede startup accelerator programme success, including low follow-on investment, ecosystem immaturity, the ineffective agency of the Western Australian and Iranian governments, low levels of talent among startup agents, and the shortcomings of the startup accelerator programmes. The research confirmed that programme evaluation is a suitable theoretical base for the evaluation of startup accelerator programmes by determining what works, for whom, in what context, and why. It extended the existing body of knowledge by developing the change models of the startup accelerator programmes studied in the context of Western Australia and Iran, which can be applied in research on other startup accelerator programmes in different contexts.