Exploring the Formation of Student Entrepreneurial Capability in Universities

Studies have shown that entrepreneurial mindsets and specific entrepreneurial skills can be learned at universities. However, most literature approaches entrepreneurial capabilities from a firm-level perspective. Few studies have explored entrepreneurial capabilities formation in students at the university level. We address this gap by investigating how an entrepreneurial educational ecosystem nurtures students' entrepreneurial capabilities. We use semi-structured, in-depth interviews as our research method. We found five entrepreneurial capabilities that student entrepreneurs acquired from the university ecosystem and considered them essential. We propose a framework and explain how these capabilities are formed in the ecosystem. Our findings shed light on the formation of student entrepreneurial capabilities formation. Our findings can also provide insights for policymakers and universities to promote student entrepreneurship.