Learning in entrepreneurial educational ecosystems: the impact of teammates and informal mentoring
The entrepreneurial educational ecosystem (EEE) is a recent concept to clarify the relationship between entrepreneurship education programs and the environment in which they operate. The interactions between the University and the local entrepreneurial ecosystem are seen as an important source of learning for students and the development of new projects that benefit all. How to facilitate these interactions and what are the learning dynamics at work, however, remain open questions. Using the six dimensions of the EEE conceptual framework, we analyze the case of Campus des Entrepreneurs. This entrepreneurship program allows students to live an entrepreneurial experience as a team. 44 interviews with these students were conducted. The results show that (i) team functioning allows the vast majority to act in the ecosystem by overcoming individual fears; (ii) the team is then an important vector of vicarious learning that can be verbalized and integrated through reflective spaces; (iii) we also detail the importance of the role of the actors of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the students’ learning process. Some adopt an informal mentoring posture and provide psychological support, professional advice and become role models for students.