Field of Expertise «Business Creation and Development»

Heiko Bergmann on the university's research platform «Alexandria»

External: Prof. Dr. Joakim Vincent, Prof. Dr. Martin Obschonka, Prof. Dr. Susan Müller, Prof. Dr. Christian Hundt, Prof. Dr. Per Davidsson, Prof. Dr. Rolf Sternberg, Prof. Dr. Philipp Sieger 

Focus

At any given time, millions of people around the world are trying to start a new business or become self-employed. In Switzerland alone, more than 100,000 people are involved in start-up activities. However, only some of these efforts are actually successful; other start-up projects are abandoned after a more or less long period of time. In this research field, we investigate the entrepreneurial process from the first entrepreneurial intention to the establishment of a new company. The overarching question is which founder, company and environmental factors are conducive for the successful founding of a new company. We either look at the entire spectrum of entrepreneurial activities or only at start-ups in certain areas or sectors, such as start-ups from universities. Current research projects focus on start-ups in the circular economy and start-ups that work closely with established large companies ('venture clienting').

Our research questions are as follows:

• Which framework conditions are conducive to entrepreneurial activities and how do they interact with personal characteristics of (potential) founders?
• Which characteristics and activities of founders promote the creation of a profitable company?
• What motivates founders to persist with their venture for a long time despite an apparent lack of success?
• What are the success factors of circular economy start-ups?
• What characteristics and activities of start-up teams promote the successful collaboration with established companies?

Key Publications

• Bergmann, H., Hundt, C., Obschonka, M., & Sternberg, R. (2023). What drives solo and team startups at European universities? The interactive role of entrepreneurial climate, gender, and entrepreneurship course participation. Studies in Higher Education, 1–21.
• Braun, I., Sieger, P., & Bergmann, H. (2023). Going the whole nine yards: founder social identities and the nascent-active transition. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 35(9–10), 812–840.
• Müller, S., Kirst, A. L., Bergmann, H., & Bird, B. (2023). Entrepreneurs’ actions and venture success: a structured literature review and suggestions for future research. Small Business Economics, 60(1), 199–226.
• Koumbarakis, P., Bergmann, H., & Volery, T. (2021): The impact of founder’s regulatory focus on the process of firm birth and firm abandonment. Management Decision, 59(5), 919–937.
• Bergmann, H., Geissler, M., Hundt, C., & Grave, B. S. (2018): The climate for entrepreneurship at higher education institutions. Research Policy, 47(4): 700–716.
• Bergmann, H., Hundt, C., & Sternberg, R. (2016): What makes student entrepreneurs? On the relevance (and irrelevance) of the university and the regional context for student start-ups. Small Business Economics, 47(1): 53–76.
• Bergmann, H., & Stephan, U. (2013): Moving on from nascent entrepreneurship: measuring cross-national differences in the transition to new business ownership. Small Business Economics, 41(4): 945–959.
• Davidsson, P., Gordon, S. R., & Bergmann, H. (Eds.). (2011): Nascent Entrepreneurship. Cheltenham, UK / Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Research Projects

• Eye-opener or Business as Usual? – How an external shock affects already unprofitable part-time entrepreneurs (GFF Project)
• Swiss Panel of Emerging Businesses (SwissPEB)
• SNF-Projekt on long venture gestation processes

Impact and transfer

• Teaching at HSG, mainly at the bachelor profile area «Entrepreneurship»
• Coordination of the course «Capstone projects» on bachelor level
• Research conference «Renontres de St-Gall»
• Executive education
• Supervision of dissertations, master and bachelor theses
• Policy reports and contract research