Ricerc@Sapienza

Purpose – This paper aims to dismantle the idea that sex per se explains entrepreneurial outcomes and
demonstrates the influence of a gendered motivation on forging and shaping new venture teams, which is a
disruptive choice affecting the future of start-ups.
Design/methodology/approach – A two-level research model is validated on data from the Panel Study
of Entrepreneurial Dynamics II (PSED II), with a system of simultaneous equations. First, if team features
affect the performance of new ventures is tested; then, the study investigates determinants of team features
with a focus on sex and motivation of nascent entrepreneurs.
Findings – Human capital (HC) in terms of education and experience of team members consistently explains
venture evolution only when considering the larger team of affiliates. The HC gathered by nascent
entrepreneurs is not because of the simplistic sex condition, but rather to a gendered motivation related to the
inferior need of achievement of women.
Research limitations/implications – Limitations of discretionary scoring assigned to items of the
PSED II survey are present, but unavoidable when processing qualitative data.
Practical implications – Women need to be (culturally) educated on how to re-balance their personal
motivation towards entrepreneurship by fostering their incentives for achievement. Political and educational
programmes could trigger success in the creation of new businesses led by women.
Originality/value – This paper contributes to the literature on nascent entrepreneurship, focusing on the
entrepreneurial teams in the initial phase of business creation, and provides the basis for further studies aimed at
eradicating the stereotypes of gender roles that lead women to self-exclusion and organizational errors.