Entrepreneurship and Ideology: Accelerationism and the Politics of Venture Creation

In what ways are political and philosophical ideologies shaping entrepreneurial motivation, strategy, and impact? Departing from the dominant paradigm that views venture creation primarily through the lens of financial incentive and market opportunity, we theorise entrepreneurship as a vehicle for advancing a range of ideological goals. Focusing on two contrasting logics - accelerationism and degrowth - we explore how entrepreneurs and venture capitalists are mobilizing ventures to hasten technological transformation or to deliberately decelerate economic activity in pursuit of ecological and social aims. By developing a conceptual framework of ideological entrepreneurship, our study reflects on the need for a broader understanding of entrepreneurial agency in contemporary socio-economic change.

Biography

Dominic Chalmers is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow. His research focuses on the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology and political economy, and has been published leading journals such as ETP, JBV, JMS, and SEJ. Dominic has received over £7m in research funding as principal and co-investigator from funders including the European Union, Innovate UK, and the Economic and Social Research Council. His current work examines the implications of a radical productivity boom relating to Generative AI technology and the increasing role of ideology in venture creation.