Title: Opportunities of the entrepreneurship education for enhancing cooperation between start-up entrepreneurs and business angels

Authors: Tiit Elenurm; Külliki Tafel-Viia; Silja Lassur; Külli Hansen

Addresses: Estonian Business School, A, Lauteri 3, 10114 Tallinn, Estonia ' Tallinn University, Narva Road 25, 10120 Tallinn, Estonia ' Tallinn University, Narva Road 25, 10120 Tallinn, Estonia ' Estonian Business School, A, Lauteri 3, 10114 Tallinn, Estonia

Abstract: This paper analyses the perceptions of start-up entrepreneurs and business angels about success factors, knowledge gaps and other challenges of cooperation between entrepreneurs and investors. Cooperation challenges and related learning needs are studied in the start-up entrepreneurship context, where entrepreneurs as new growth oriented venture founders are often searching additional capital providers. Understanding knowledge gaps of each other and learning by doing are important drivers of cooperation between founders and investors. Entrepreneurs pointed out knowledge gaps of business angels related to syndication. Business angels stressed learning needs of entrepreneurs in the field of testing the business idea and communicating with early users. Creating the cooperative entrepreneurial team was also considered an important learning challenge. Entrepreneurship education should prepare young entrepreneurs to understand the role of symbiotic entrepreneurship and different stakeholders in the start-up venture development process.

Keywords: entrepreneurship; business opportunities; start-up process; business angels; knowledge gaps; cooperation; trust; Estonia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2019.103437

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2019 Vol.38 No.3, pp.379 - 394

Received: 04 Oct 2017
Accepted: 23 Dec 2017
Published online: 06 Nov 2019 *

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