9th Paper Development Seminar: Advancing Entrepreneurship Research

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-07

This past May 28th and 29th, 2026, the University of Seville once again became a buzzing hub for entrepreneurship scholars. The Paper Development Seminar (PDS) on Entrepreneurship Process Research has firmly established itself as a key event on the global academic calendar. 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 region—the 9th PDS continues to push boundaries in how we understand and study the entrepreneurial journey. ### Keeping It Intimate and Productive The main goal of the 9PDS stays razor-focused: to give early-career and established researchers a highly collaborative space to polish their work for top-tier journals. To keep things intimate and productive, participation was capped at just 20 selected proposals and papers. That small size means everyone gets real, meaningful feedback. This year, attendees came from all over Europe and beyond. Over two days, presentations covered a wide range of topics through a process lens. Discussions touched on: - The link between ADHD symptoms and entrepreneurial bricolage - How frontier-technology ecosystems operate in Africa - AI's impact on founder well-being - Failure pathways in social ventures ### A Special Focus on Gender and Entrepreneurship A major highlight this year was a dedicated emphasis 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 ran a special session on this timely topic. ### Keynotes and Mentorship from World-Class Editors Beyond peer discussions, the real gem of the 9PDS is the structured feedback and mentorship from its panel of internationally renowned journal editors. Each participant got written and oral feedback from at least two expert panelists, with tips on structural improvements needed for top-tier publication. The plenary sessions were packed with insights from leading scholars: - **Profs. Ulla Hytti (University of Turku) and Miruna Radu-Lefebvre (Audencia Business School)** kicked things off with a thought-provoking talk: "How about men entrepreneurs? Gender, masculinities and entrepreneurship." - **Prof. Ute Stephan (King's College London)** shared an insider's guide during her session, "How to publish in top management and entrepreneurship journals." - **Prof. Susana C. Santos (Florida State University)** gave a powerful, urgent talk titled "Entrepreneurship amid war." The academic program ended with an interactive round table on "Emerging topics and practices in entrepreneurship research," featuring Profs. Hytti, Liguori, Santos, and Stephan. They helped participants navigate the shifting landscape of scholarly publishing. ### Celebrating Academic Excellence The closing ceremony celebrated the outstanding quality of work presented this year. Thanks to generous sponsorship from 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. In short, the 9th PDS was another step forward for entrepreneurship research. It showed how focused mentorship, diverse perspectives, and a collaborative spirit can push the field ahead. If you're a researcher looking to sharpen your work and connect with top editors, this seminar is one to watch.