Fostering startups through the vehicle of entrepreneurial support organisations like technology business incubators (TBIs): a systematic literature review

Abstract

Several countries across the globe are integrating entrepreneurship practices like technology business incubation and acceleration programmes to spur economic development and achieve macroeconomic benefits. The growing interest among researchers has made this field multifaceted and diverse. Despite the proliferation of business incubator research, empirical studies showing their contribution to and from the perspective of incubated startups are still in the developing stage. Bibliometric performance analyses and science mappings were performed on 207 articles from 90 journals published between 1994 and 2024. In addition, the input-mediator-outcome framework was applied to a selected subset of 53 articles. Biblioshiny in R-studio was utilised to do bibliometric analysis following the extraction of data from the Web of Science database. The study provides a valuable framework for comprehending how various inputs influence startup outcomes through specific mechanisms, ultimately leading to improved performance. This understanding can be instrumental in guiding startups, incubators, policymakers, and researchers towards actions and strategies that enhance the overall success of startups in the entrepreneurial landscape.