Track: Entrepreneurship

Abstract

Abstract

Mentoring activities in the Business Incubator at the University are very important in supporting the business acceleration of students. MSMEs built by students need to continue to develop in their business development through innovation. This study aims to see the pattern of innovation carried out by students’ MSMEs through the choice of whether they tend to be incremental or radical innovation. Data were collected from 88 entrepreneurship students, through open-ended survey questions which were then coded and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software. The results of the study show that there is a balance between the choice of incremental or radical innovation. In incremental innovation, respondents see the need to carry out continuous improvement, benchmark and strengthen references to add value to innovation in their business. While in the radical improvement pattern, respondents focused on making new products on the market, something different from competitors, and rebranding. This research is useful for mentors at the Business Incubator to provide support in the innovation process carried out by entrepreneurial students as part of entrepreneurship education.

Keywords

Incremental innovation, radical innovation, entrepreneurial skill, entrepreneurship education, MSMEs