9th Paper Development Seminar: Entrepreneurship Insights

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-07

### A Hub for Entrepreneurship Research On May 28 and 29, 2026, the University of Seville became a lively center for entrepreneurship scholarship once again. The Paper Development Seminar (PDS) on Entrepreneurship Process Research has grown into a key event on the global academic calendar. It's co-organized by the University of Seville and the Observatorio del Ecosistema Emprendedor de Andalucia (OEEA)--the group behind the GEM and GUESSS projects in the area. The 9PDS keeps pushing how we understand and study the entrepreneurial journey. ### What Makes the 9PDS Special? The main goal of the 9PDS is simple: give early-career and established researchers a collaborative space to polish their work for top-tier academic journals. To keep things intimate and productive, participation is capped at 20 selected proposals and papers. That's it--no more than 20. This small group size means everyone gets real, focused attention. ### Diverse Topics and Fresh Perspectives This year, people came to Seville from all over Europe and beyond. Over two days, presentations covered a wide range of topics through a process lens. Research discussions touched on everything from ADHD symptoms and entrepreneurial bricolage to how frontier-tech ecosystems work in Africa, how AI affects founder well-being, and failure paths in social ventures. It's a mix that shows how broad entrepreneurship research really is. ### A Focus on Gender and Entrepreneurship A big milestone for this edition was a dedicated focus on gender and entrepreneurship dynamics. Working with the CreaVES project--a Spanish Research Agency (AEI) initiative studying how social gender stereotypes and personal values shape firm creation and venture types--the 9PDS held a special session on this important topic. It wasn't just a side note; it was a central part of the conversation. ### Keynotes and Mentorship from Top Editors Beyond peer discussions, the real strength of the 9PDS is the structured feedback and mentorship from its panel of world-renowned journal editors. Each participant got written and oral feedback from at least two expert panelists. This guidance helps them make the structural changes needed for top-tier publication. ### Plenary Sessions That Inspire The plenary sessions offered invaluable masterclasses from leading scholars: - **Profs. Ulla Hytti and Miruna Radu-Lefebvre** kicked things off with a thought-provoking talk: "How about men entrepreneurs? Gender, masculinities and entrepreneurship." - **Prof. Ute Stephan** shared an insider framework in her session on publishing in top management and entrepreneurship journals. - **Prof. Susana C. Santos** gave a powerful, urgent perspective with "Entrepreneurship amid war." The academic program ended with an interactive round table on "Emerging topics and practices in entrepreneurship research." It brought together Profs. Hytti, Liguori, Santos, and Stephan to help participants navigate the future of scholarly publishing. > "The feedback from editors is like having a roadmap to publication--you know exactly where to go." - A participant's reflection ### Celebrating Academic Excellence The closing ceremony highlighted the exceptional quality of work this year. Sponsored by the European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ECSB) through the ECSB Event Fund, the Best Paper Award went to PhD student Robert Hoyer from Leuphana University. He received a free one-year membership to the ECSB, a nice nod to his hard work. ### Why This Matters For anyone in entrepreneurship research, the 9PDS is more than a conference. It's a chance to refine ideas, get direct feedback from editors, and connect with peers who share your passion. If you're working on a paper, this is the place to be. Mark your calendar for next year--you won't want to miss it.