CONFERENCES
E&PDE 2026 - 28th International Conference on Engineering & Product Design Education
The Conference will bring together representatives from education and industry interested in sharing new perspectives on design education.
Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
IS THERE A DESIGN PATH TO CREATING VENTURES?
Sivertsen, Ingrid Berg; Sundermeier, Janina
Type:
Year:
2026
Editor:
Buck, Lyndon; Brisco. Ross; Bohemia, Erik
Author:
Series:
E&PDE
Institution:
NTNU, Norway; Freie Universität Berlin
Page(s):
505 - 510
DOI number:
ISBN:
978-1-912254-24-8
ISSN:
3005-4753
Abstract:
Design graduates increasingly pursue self employment, yet prevailing entrepreneurship models remain grounded in an either technology or market anchored venture creation logic. These perspectives assume that ventures originate either from technological novelty or from an identifiable market need, which are assumptions that do not fully explain how many design driven ventures emerge. Drawing on Danneels et al.’s [5] anchor based framework, Vogel’s [7] venture triggers, and Sarasvathy’s [8] Bird in Hand principle, this paper explores whether an additional pathway better captures the early formation of design led ventures. Through two qualitative Case Studies of early stage design entrepreneurs, we examine how founders articulate motivations, engage in creative processes, and make decisions during venture creation. The cases reveal that neither entrepreneur begins from a clear technological anchor nor a validated market gap. Instead, both founders’ foreground product quality, their skillset, aesthetic expression, and user experience, while placing comparatively less emphasis on formal market analysis and financial forecasting. Based on these findings, we propose design anchored venture creation as a third anchoring logic. This study contributes to entrepreneurial search theory and design entrepreneurship by demonstrating how identity based and practice based motivations can precede opportunity formation. We argue that recognising design anchoring has implications for entrepreneurship education and opens new avenues for theorising creative led venture emergence.
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