Digital Platforms as Incubators on the Journey to Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship fosters growth and innovation but is also associated with challenges that lead to venture failure and discourage potential entrepreneurs. Several public and private initiatives to improve the success and to support entrepreneurs are already recognized in research. The constantly growing gig economy, in which freelancers work online through digital platforms, could provide an alternative supportive environment for entrepreneurs. This qualitative study therefore addresses the role of digital platforms in empowering entrepreneurship by examining 15 entrepreneurial careers. We show how freelancers use platforms to build experience, networks, funding and selfmarketing to facilitate their entrepreneurial journey. We highlight different paths of platform entrepreneurship and a transition to entrepreneurship when freelancers develop entrepreneurial intentions and desires to leave the platform environment. We provide a theoretical model for entrepreneurship through digital platforms and enrich the entrepreneurship and digital platform literature. In practice, entrepreneurs and platform owners can use these insights for success strategies.