The role of psychological entrepreneurial support in women-only incubators

This article explores the contribution of psychological entrepreneurial support, based on same-gender group mentoring, to the strengthening of female entrepreneurial intention in the specific context of a women-only incubator. According to the literature on female entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurs are faced with specific challenges that influence their entrepreneurial intention such as a lack of self-confidence, caused by gender stereotypes, and conflict between family life and entrepreneurial career. More precisely, our research aims to determine how psychological entrepreneurial support is implemented in the incubation process to overcome these specific challenges, and the mechanisms for strengthening female entrepreneurial intention analyzed at both intrapersonal and interpersonal levels. We discuss the implications of our findings on related research into business incubators and the design of mentoring programs adapted to the needs of women entrepreneurs.