PRE-STEP Team Development for Early-Stage Entrepreneurs

Purpose and goal:

The purpose of the PRE-STEP feasibility study and the planned development project is to strengthen the competitiveness of Sweden´s incubator companies with a focus on the team issue in the early phases (formation). Through the team development program STEP, tools are offered for team development after the formation of a team. This feasibility study has mapped needs and challenges around the team issue in early phases and identified a development need around methods and tools for incubators and incubator companies linked to TMRL.

Expected results and effects:

Through the preliminary study PRE-STEP, the needs around the team issue were mapped in the early phase of the target group based on deep tech, life science, and general incubation. The needs related to finding, attracting, and financing team members, funding the team, and tools related to forming and building early teams. Based on this, the subsequent intended pilot aims to produce a toolbox packaged for coaches/business developers to meet entrepreneurs, researchers, and idea carriers in the early phase.

Approach and implementation:

The preliminary study has mapped challenges for entrepreneurs and researchers around team issues in the early phase. Input was collected from coaches and companies via surveys and interviews. Mapping common needs and differences between life science, deep tech, and general incubation.

The focus was also to identify essential competencies of incubators to handle the issue. We see a possible pilot project where tools are developed, tested, and evaluated that meet the needs of a specific case at the incubator company.