The Institutional Support to Neurodiverse Entrepreneurs: Insights From Business Incubators

Abstract

Business incubators (BIs) represent a significant category of entrepreneurial support organizations. They provide support to entrepreneurs engaged in traditional and social ventures. They can facilitate the development of inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems by linking entrepreneurs and stakeholders. However, incubators struggle to promote diversity and inclusion among their cohorts, and to ensure equal access to their support. There has been recent growing attention to supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs. In this context, neurodiversity has gained considerable attention. Consequently, specialized incubators and programs targeting neurodiverse entrepreneurs have emerged, and BIs have widely adopted explicit communication strategies to attract neurodiverse candidates. Considering these initiatives, this chapter explores how BIs can support neurodiverse individuals during their entrepreneurial journeys. The qualitative method uses semi-directive interviews with neurodiverse entrepreneurs to understand their experiences and expectations regarding BIs. The data was analyzed through inductive coding, resulting in three themes: (1) Specific yet diverse needs of neurodiverse entrepreneurs; (2) Visions of neurodiverse entrepreneurship; and (3) Representation of neurodiverse entrepreneurs. Findings show that neurodiverse entrepreneurs place significant hope in incubators to address the specific challenges they experience. However, to achieve their full potential in fostering an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem, incubators must be mindful of unintentionally reinforcing stereotypes, stigmatization, and hierarchization of neurodiverse individuals. Incubators should diversify the role models for neurodiverse entrepreneurs they promote and broaden the perspectives on neurodiverse entrepreneurship. The implications of intersectional identities on neurodiverse individuals' experience of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial support should be considered. Involving neurodiverse entrepreneurs in the design and governance of incubation programs is important.

Demeyère, C. (2024). The Institutional Support to Neurodiverse Entrepreneurs: Insights From Business Incubators. In Neurodiversity and Entrepreneurship (pp. 87-108). Emerald Publishing Limited.