S∙E∙A∙M Research Institute

Focus and research goal

The S∙E∙A∙M Research Institute develops methods and models, collects and manages data and thus shapes activity-based and data-driven entrepreneurship research. In doing so, the institute works closely with the Chair of Innovation Management and Innovation Economics at the University of Leipzig and the Fraunhofer Center for International Management and Knowledge Economy.

The institute has a comprehensive data set (SEAM database), which maps over 20,000 start-up processes from more than 100 countries in more than seven million data points and is continuously growing. The data is collected as qualitative and quantitative observations via a project management tool used by founders.

This unique dataset enables the novel use of data science methods to study start-up activities, which could not be used for this purpose in the entrepreneurship research field so far. Thus, the S∙E∙A∙M Research Institute creates the preconditions for evidence-based and data-driven answers to new research questions around start-up processes and their support.