Which start-ups do accelerators prefer?. A comprehensive approach

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the role played by both the human capital of founders and the financing sources in startups, whether they are impactful or just for-profit ventures, in the odds of being accepted in a business accelerator, considering both for-profit and impact-driven programs. In the present investigation, the human capital is considered to be composed of three dimensions, namely, educational background, previous managerial experience, and previous founding experience, and the same division into three categories also applies to the financing sources: debt, equity, and philanthropy.