Abstract:
Universities around the globe play a key role in developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem for
students. However, the significance of universities as providers and enablers of entrepreneurial
ecosystems, as well as their influence on digital entrepreneurial intent among students, has
received little attention in the Pakistani context. This study is an attempt to bridge this gap by
exploring the role of incubation centers in fostering digital entrepreneurial intentions among
students at universities in Pakistan. Since this study is qualitative in nature, data is collected
through semi-structured interviews. The sample of this study is students engaged in digital
entrepreneurial activities at university-based business incubation centers in Islamabad. The
findings of this study revealed that tangible and intangible resources provided at university
incubation center influenced the students’ attitudes towards entrepreneurship, perceived
behavioral control and subsequently digital entrepreneurship intentions. University incubators
served as entrepreneurial ecosystems which promoted incubated individuals’ sense of desirability
and self-efficacy. According to the findings exposure to successful entrepreneurs and
entrepreneurial support at university incubators increased students' willingness to become
entrepreneurs. Moreover, university incubators inculcated the personality traits of persistence,
resilience and adaptability in the respondents to face setbacks and overcome obstacles by enabling
collaborative problem solving that facilitated their entrepreneurial behavior. Students’ digital
entrepreneurial intentions predicted by their attitude towards entrepreneurship and perceived
behavioral control resulted in digital entrepreneurial behavior. The findings of this research can
assist policymakers and educators in identifying more effective and systematic ways to promote
entrepreneurship at universities, and so contribute to Pakistan's economy by generating new firms.
The study's findings will help future researchers better understand students' digital entrepreneurial
intentions while investigating the importance of student entrepreneurship at university incubators.
Furthermore, the study provides a foundation for future research into the effectiveness of
university business incubators in comparison to the SOR model in terms of student digital
entrepreneurial intention.
