The bottom-up business incubator: Leverage to networking and cooperation practices in a self-generated, entrepreneurial-enabled environment

The purpose of this study is to report the findings of an exploratory study of two self-generated, entrepreneurial-enabled environments labeled ‘bottom-up business incubators'. They are characterized by being jointly established by the entrepreneurs, they are not supported by public or private funds, thus, they carry no costs for society. The bottom-up business incubators share the same overall traits as for business incubators as described in the literature, e.g. co-location of businesses and access to shared equipment, but in contrast to traditional business incubators, it is characterized by being based on mutual recognition of the value of networking as well as cooperation among the firms.Based on observations and interviews with tenant firms, the study identifies networking and cooperation activities among the entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the study investigates the role of the bottom-up business incubator in terms of facilitating and enabling the conditions for internal networking and cooperation among the entrepreneurs, thus, how the business incubators become a formal mechanism for embedding the companies in entrepreneurial networks. The closing section of the paper addresses the implications for research and practitioners.

► Two bottom-up business incubators are analyzed. ► Networking and cooperation activities among the entrepreneurs are identified. ► Analysis of how internal networking and cooperation are facilitated and enabled. ► Physical proximity has a facilitating role. ► Shared values and norms has a facilitating and enabling role.