Developing High-Growth Entrepreneurship Through Knowledge and Mindset Interventions - Evidence from an RCT in the Czech Republic

Overview & Synopsis

The Moravian-Silesian Region lies at the industrial core of the Czech Republic and has historically been dominated by state-run mining and heavy industries, particularly automotive manufacturing. Since the 1990s, the region has faced the challenge of transitioning to a more diversified economic model, with private sector development emerging as a key priority for local economic growth. This study demonstrates that, despite the region’s long-standing industrial legacy, firms are eager to receive support to strengthen their capabilities and adopt a more growth-oriented mindset. Early-stage firms, in particular, proved especially receptive to the training, finding the concepts highly relevant and, in some cases, using them to pivot and refine their business ideas. While existing programs from the innovation center and other entities had already offered some level of support, the Smart Start program’s structured, hands-on, and sustained approach appears to deliver meaningful short-term learning and behavioral shifts. Participating firms also placed high value on the personalized mentoring and feedback they received on their business strategies. To assess whether these promising early results translate into sustained business growth, future survey rounds will capture longer-term outcomes, including profitability, employment, and customer acquisition.