Female entrepreneurship is still a limited phenomenon in European countries and its promotion ranks high on the EU policy agenda. Various frameworks have been offered to explain the main structural differences in entrepreneurship between men and women, emphasizing a variety of underlying factors. With a novel approach, this paper argues that due to a process of generation renewal the numerical difference between male and female entrepreneurship will diminish. Generation replacement is seen by sociologists and other social scientists as the motor behind cultural renewal. Our core interest in this paper in developing such a dynamic interpretation within the European context is the role of different generations (Silent Generation, Babyboomers, Generation X, Millennials). Younger cohorts of females are hypothesized to be more pro entrepreneurship and pro self-employment both in terms of attitudes, intentions, and behaviors, compared to older cohorts. They are furthermore assumed to converge with their male generation members in this regard. This paper empirically tests these two hypotheses by analyzing multi cross-sectional European data from the Eurobarometer over a span of thirty-five years (1980-2015). Results show that this generational approach sheds new light on explaining trends in female entrepreneurship. We find evidence of an increased growth in female entrepreneurship that can be attributed to generation replacement. This rise in total female entrepreneurship is characterized by diversity among European countries in the study. Positive attitudes toward entrepreneurship are essential to considering future self-employment. Education is a key factor. Female entrepreneurship, it is predicted, will become more prominent in Europe.
With Brexit looming, start-ups in the London ecosystem may ask themselves whether they are still in the right place for their business. Are they considering a move to the continent due to the ambiguous Brexit developments? This research analyzes the probability of international start-ups based in the London region relocating to another European entrepreneurial ecosystem. We use location decision theory and secondary data from the European Digital City Index to rank the most attractive eco-systems for the possible relocation of London-based start-ups. In addition, we interview London start-up founders asking how likely they are to leave and where they envision continuing their entrepreneurial endeavors. This study examines whether London will lose its top rank as the most attractive entrepreneurial ecosystem in Europe. We ask which of the competing ecosystems of Europe stands to gain from London’s possible loss. Our quantitative analyses show that Amsterdam is the most likely hub to benefit from any exodus. The qualitative analyses conveyed a mixture of concern and ambivalence as only three of the startups considered relocating their headquarters to another ecosystem. Six of the startups have either opened an office in another European ecosystem or are in the process of doing so. This allows them to watch and wait as they want to remain. The attractiveness of the London region, the social capital investments by team and partners, and the lack of finances to leave are the main reasons for not considering relocation of their headquarters currently.
MULTIFILE
Photonic biosensors for medical diagnostics have been in development for some time. They have proven to show equal or better performance as compared to other techniques in terms of sensitivity, accuracy, and reliability. In order for companies to successfully introduce these sensor products on the market, they must also perform equal or better in price per test and usability. The price per test is to a large extent determined by the costs of the (disposable) cartridge containing the sensor chip and bioactive layer. If the active components can be left out of the cartridge a significant cost reduction can be obtained. However, this adds the challenge of coupling light from the source to the sensor chip inside the cartridge and back onto detectors. This coupling requires a positioning accuracy in the (sub-) micrometer regime. Here, we present a demonstrator system, which implements an passive alignment step followed by an active alignment procedure. The initial alignment is realized with high accuracy when placing a cartridge in an acceptor slot. This results in finding a “first light” state, which allows the active alignment to take over. Active alignment is then realized by moving the fiber by means of a set of actuators to the position with optimal coupling efficiency. A demonstrator was designed and manufactured to test the influence of several key parameters, such as the influence of production accuracy of the cartridges on the initial alignment. The resulting system has shown to comply with the requirements of ease of alignment along with full automation.
MULTIFILE
