Dissertation

Three Essays on Seed Accelerator Dynamics

Throughout my dissertation, I have developed research projects that advance our understanding of the temporal development of accelerators and their broad impact on entrepreneurial ecosystems. I explore the locational trajectories of startups using mixed methods, focusing on how they relocate to participate in accelerators, the factors they consider, and what influences their location choices after the program. Additionally, I examine how peers’ networks in accelerator programs determine the fundraising performances of startups in accelerator programs, offering an explanation for the significant variations in startup performance across accelerator cohorts. These studies shed light on the underappreciated factors—such as the geographic diversity of peers and startups’ pre-accelerator experience—that influence startups’ strategic choices and performance after completing accelerator programs.

About Joonho

Joonho is a Ph.D. Candidate in Public Policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focuses on the institutional and social contexts that foster the emergence and growth of groundbreaking entrepreneurial ideas and promising ventures. In his dissertation, he sets up accelerators as the primary research context. He explores the locational dynamics of nascent startups, focusing on how they relocate to participate in accelerators, the factors they consider, and what influences their location choices after the accelerator program. He also investigates how startup ideas and growth opportunities are shaped by peers and program directors in the same cohort. Prior to his doctoral study, Joonho worked for the Ministry of Science & ICT in South Korea, taking charge of multiple entrepreneurship policy programs. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (2012) and Master of Public Policy (2019) from Seoul National University.