Empirical Frontiers in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Catalog description

This doctoral seminar examines the empirical foundations and emerging phenomena at the intersection of innovation and entrepreneurship, with a focus on real-world contexts, data, and disparities. Topics include the diverse sources of innovation—from basic science and universities to users and incumbent firms—and the institutional environments that shape innovation outcomes, such as intellectual property regimes, regional policies, and government support. The course explores the origins of innovators and entrepreneurs, including demographic, geographic, and organizational antecedents, and delves into the evolving landscape of entrepreneurial finance, including crowdfunding, venture capital, and grants. Special attention is given to the commercialization of academic science, the systemic underrepresentation of marginalized groups in innovation ecosystems, and the role of new technologies—especially large language models—in reshaping research and practice.