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Abstract:
This lecture explores the evolving landscape of entrepreneurship policies, focusing on the tension between fostering growth and inclusion. Drawing on the design and implementation of entrepreneurship policies for innovative firms, it examines the evolution of such policies in Latin America, focusing on the case of Start-Up Chile, the world’s first public business accelerator. From a policy perspective, it addresses how entrepreneurship policies can better respond to crises, such as Chile’s 2019 social unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic, while moving beyond a narrow focus on economic and innovation outcomes to provide more inclusive results. It also challenges prevailing myths, such as the obsession with unicorns, and highlights often-overlooked aspects like mental health, exclusion, and urban-rural disparities.
Bio
Rodrigo Frias is a PhD researcher in entrepreneurship policies at Durham University and a senior policymaker with over 15 years of experience. As the Former Deputy CEO of Start-Up Chile and Head of Early Investment at the Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO), he managed £10M in annual budgets and supported 500 ventures annually. An SPRU alumnus (2015) and co-founder of the Evidence-based Policy and Innovation Research Lab at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, his work has been recognised by the British Council and Apolitical.
More about Rodrigo: https://www.durham.ac.uk/business/our-people/rodrigo-frias/