Social Incubators and Accelerators for Migrant Entrepreneurs: Exploratory Insights From Italy

While the literature about entrepreneurial ecosystems has burgeoned, scholars have started to critically examine their inclusiveness in terms of equitable access to resources, networks, and related power for diverse entrepreneurs. In this regard, migrant entrepreneurs represent a category that, far from being homogeneous, deserves attention due to the pervasive racialized patterns in entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurial support organizations are important pillars that can foster equal and inclusive entrepreneurship practices. This chapter provides evidence about how two neglected types of support organizations, namely social incubators and accelerators, support migrant entrepreneurs. The analysis of explorative data, collected through semi-structured interviews with specialists from one social incubator and one social accelerator in Italy, highlights the pivotal role of governance and organizational structures, targeting and selection processes, and services provided. The chapter provides several insights that contribute to the literature on entrepreneurial support organizations, along with practical recommendations.