Economic Development Through Business Acceleration Practices Within Local Authorities: A Case Study of Bradford Council, UK

This chapter reviews the effectiveness of accelerator programmes and their impact on entrepreneurial success. Accelerators are programmes that support start-up businesses with mentorship and educational components culminating in a graduation event. Funded by local authorities in the UK, their effectiveness in supporting and championing entrepreneurship and growth has been questioned. A case study of Bradford Council used a stakeholder analysis (by taking a sample of key stakeholders, delivery partners, and participants) to determine the success of these programmes. Target data included the need to create more jobs to measure these programmes’ success. However, accelerators still need to achieve this goal, given that funding and survival are the main drivers for entrepreneurs. The study highlighted the importance of defining the accelerator's clear vision and purpose and engaging and collaborating with key stakeholders. This study provides insights into how aligning programmes and accelerating business practices can aid entrepreneurial success. It can serve as a valuable resource for startups, programme managers, and local authorities that want to implement accelerator programmes to support economic development.