One Size Fits All? Action Research and Literature Review on Students’ Design Requirements for a University Pre-Incubation Space

Physical innovation spaces foster students’ entrepreneurial mindset by leveraging the synergy of co-locating entrepreneurship education, (in)formal student activities, and external events. However, academic research remains inconclusive on whether students’ design requirements for these spaces are universal or context-specific. Seizing the opportunity presented by the opening of a new university mixed-use entrepreneurial space, an action research study was initiated following the participatory double diamond process of design thinking. The first phase (2022–2023) involved nine focus groups ( N = 253), while the second phase (2023–2024) consisted of twelve prototyping and testing sessions ( N = 99). A subsequent comparison of students’ design requirements with features of other innovation spaces ( N = 10) as well as findings from an extensive post-empirical literature review indicated that—contrary to the content and pedagogy of entrepreneurship education—students’ needs regarding entrepreneurial space appear essentially similar, with only their relative importance exhibiting some contextual variation. Further research is needed to validate the consistency of these requirements and to explore how contextual factors, such as culture, economy, and organizational structure, influence their prioritization.