Examining the Importance of Developing Entrepreneurial Communication Skills in Accelerator Programs: A Focus Group Based Approach

Entrepreneurial accelerator programs have emerged within university settings as a solution to reduce the notably high failure rate of new ventures. Accelerators seek to support entrepreneurs by providing services and experiences that prepare participants to confront challenges that occur throughout the entrepreneurial journey and connect them to a broader business ecosystem. However, despite existing research that points to a correlation between an entrepreneur’s communication skills and the firm’s ability to achieve key business milestones, the existing literature does not identify which specific communication skills entrepreneurs need nor the situations/audiences in which these skills are most applicable. Therefore, this study conducted five focus group interviews with 14 established entrepreneurs from the United States who have participated in a university accelerator program in an effort to uncover the most valuable communication skills for entrepreneurs and the situations in which these skills apply. The findings illuminate how the development of specific communication factors such as confidence when presenting, flexibility, and empathetic listening are essential for entrepreneurs to engage with a wide range of audiences. This study also provides recommendations for university accelerators seeking to facilitate the development of these communication skills in their programming.