Date and Time: Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 2:00–3:00 p.m .
Location: Zoom – a link will be sent to those who register.
Speaker: Professor David B. Audretsch, Indiana University, USA.

About the webinar: Entrepreneurship is often associated with technology, innovation, start-ups and economic growth. In this webinar, Professor David B. Audretsch will invite us to look beyond that familiar view and consider how entrepreneurs can challenge established ways of doing things, develop solutions to problems that existing organizations are unable or unwilling to address, and contribute to broader economic and societal change.

Entrepreneurs do not operate in a vacuum. Their ability to act is influenced by institutions, government, established companies and other powerful actors. Recent research is also raising another fundamental question: What is the relationship between entrepreneurship and democracy?

Professor David Audretsch has spent much of his career studying entrepreneurship, innovation, economic development and public policy. His more recent research has examined the role of institutions and power in entrepreneurship, as well as the links between entrepreneurship and democracy.

The webinar takes a broader perspective than the usual question of how societies can generate more entrepreneurship. It asks what kinds of entrepreneurship societies need, what conditions allow entrepreneurs to challenge established structures and solve problems, and why this may matter for democracy.

During the webinar, Professor Audretsch will address questions including:

• Why should we think about entrepreneurship beyond technology, start-ups and job creation?

• How do institutions and democratic conditions influence entrepreneurial activity?

• How do governments, established firms and other powerful actors enable or constrain entrepreneurial opportunities?

• What role can entrepreneurs play in challenging existing structures and developing solutions to societal problems?

• Should entrepreneurship policy focus less on generating more start-ups and more on creating the conditions for productive, independent entrepreneurial activity?

The webinar will include time for participants’ questions.

About the speaker: David B. Audretsch is Distinguished Professor and Ameritech Chair of Economic Development at Indiana University. He is also Interim Dean of the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and Director of the Institute for Development Strategies.

His research focuses on the links between entrepreneurship, government policy, innovation and economic development. He is a co-founder and currently the Editor-in-Chief of Small Business Economics: An Entrepreneurship Journal and has published extensively on entrepreneurship, innovation, institutions, public policy and economic development.

Beyond academia, Audretsch has worked extensively with policymakers and international organizations, including the World Bank, the OECD, the European Union, and the United Nations. He has received honorary doctorates from four European universities, including Jönköping University in Sweden.