Engineering Innovation Eco-System by Design: Insights From India

Can you engineer entrepreneurship in a socially complex environment that is risk averse, and build an innovation ecosystem? We believe it's possible by inducing certain type of behaviour via persuasive educational curriculum and physical environment. This paper reports preliminary findings from VentureStudio - an innovation centre of Ahmedabad University, that was established by following a Persuasive Education and Environment (PEE) Framework. The PEE Framework is based on well-known theory of planned behaviour, persuasive technology, and diffusion of innovation. Seven batches were offered six-month design fellowship program that included following a persuasive venture design curriculum and exposure to persuasive physical environment. Through PEE Framework, we could motivate participants to pursue entrepreneurship as a career. Some of our start-ups tasted early success in terms of international acquisition and receiving seed funding. The preliminary results after following PEE framework indicates that this framework may be useful in setting up innovation centres and shaping societal behaviour; and contribute to building an innovation ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship.