Mapping the Educational Backgrounds of French-Speaking Belgian Scale-Up Founders: A Cross-Demographic and Sectoral Profile of 196 Entrepreneurs

Details

Supervisors

Gailly, Benoît

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences de gestion, à finalité spécialisée
Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

enThis thesis explores the relationship between higher education and high-growth entrepreneurship in Belgium, focusing on scale-up founders in the Walloon and Brussels-Capital regions. Drawing on Human Capital Theory (Becker, 1975), it examines the educational backgrounds of 196 founders from 100 high-growth companies. The study uses descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Multiple Correspondence Analysis to identify patterns in education, field of study, institutional background, and additional training, while also considering demographic and professional variables such as age, gender, and prior work experience. The findings indicate that the majority of scale-up founders possess advanced degrees, particularly in business, engineering, and information technology. Compared to the general Belgian population, these founders are significantly more educated. Furthermore, certain fields of study appear more strongly associated with entrepreneurial outcomes. While most founders earned their degrees at well-regarded Belgian institutions, some also studied abroad, reflecting a globalised educational path. Entrepreneurship-specific training remains relatively rare, especially among older founders, although more common among younger cohorts. Additional analyses reveal that prior sector experience plays a key role in venture development, with over half of the founders having previously worked in the same industry. Gender disparities remain notable, with women representing only 6% of the sample, often linked to patterns of disciplinary segregation. This research contributes to understanding how education, experience, and demographic factors interact to shape entrepreneurial trajectories. It offers implications for policymakers, universities, and innovation support organisations aiming to promote inclusive and effective entrepreneurial ecosystems. Future research is encouraged to explore causality and examine longitudinal performance outcomes across different founder profiles.