Proposta de melhoria da jornada empreendedora de uma incubadora de base tecnológica: um estudo de caso universitário

Abstract

Entrepreneurship plays a strategic role in regional socioeconomic development, particularly in contexts marked by the need for economic diversification. In this scenario, university-based technology business incubators are relevant mechanisms for fostering innovation and supporting the creation of new ventures. In this context, the present study aims to propose the improvement of the entrepreneurial journey of a university-based technology incubator, based on the evaluation of its first operational cycle and on the theoretical foundation of startup development models throughout the entrepreneurial process. To achieve this objective, a basic research approach was adopted, with a descriptive nature and a qualitative methodology, conducted through a single case study. Data collection was carried out through bibliographic research, document analysis, non-participant observation, and semi-structured interviews with the incubator team and the incubated ventures. The data were analyzed using content analysis techniques, allowing for an understanding of the perceptions, experiences, and practices associated with the incubation process. The results showed that the initial entrepreneurial journey, composed of three stages, contributed to the maturation of ideas, market understanding, and the initial structuring of the ventures, with mentoring, advisory support, and networking standing out as the main valuegenerating factors. However, relevant operational limitations were identified, such as the use of a generic entrepreneurial journey model that did not address the specificities of technology-based businesses, as well as the absence of systematized tools for monitoring and tracking the incubated ventures. Based on the analysis of the collected data and the literature on startup development models, a new entrepreneurial journey structured into five stages, focused on technology-based businesses, was proposed. Additionally, a prototype of a digital system was developed to monitor the progress of startups. The evaluation of the perception of the revised journey and the prototype screens was carried out by specialists, confirming its importance for the incubation process and for the management of the incubator.