BOOST - Building Outstanding Opportunities for Sustained Growth and Transformation
The BOOST Workshop is designed to foster advanced research development, scholarly collaboration, and meaningful engagement with business practice. It brings together researchers and industry experts in the fields of entrepreneurship and management. The workshop program includes keynote lectures, panel discussions, editorial insights, and interactive roundtable sessions. A core feature of BOOST is the opportunity for participants to receive in-depth, constructive feedback on their ongoing research projects from senior scholars in entrepreneurship and management.
Info
Event date
13.04.2026 11:30 - 14.04.2026 14:00
Event type
Public lectures, seminars and round tables
Workshops, courses and camps
Event language
English
Event address
Satamakatu 10
Jyväskylä 40100
Finland
Event payment
Free of charge
Welcome to the BOOST 2 – Building Outstanding Opportunities for Sustained Growth and Transformation workshop, taking place on April 13–14, 2026 at Satama Viilu, located in the heart of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Set against the vibrant lakeside scenery of Jyväskylä’s harbor district, BOOST 2 brings together leading scholars, journal editors, and practitioners for two dynamic days of research development, entrepreneurship dialogue, and meaningful networking.
Participants can expect inspiring keynote talks, interactive Meet-the-Editors sessions, paper development roundtables, practitioner insights, and structured opportunities to build lasting academic and industry collaborations—all in a collegial and forward-looking atmosphere.
Organizing Committee
Corresponding Co-Chair: Dr. Daria Hakola (University of Jyväskylä School of Business and Economics)
Co-Chair: Dr. Mari Suoranta (University of Jyväskylä School of Business and Economics)
Supporting Institutions
Turku School of Economics
European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
All inquiries should be forwarded to daria.d.hakola(at)jyu.fi
BOOST is a research development workshop focused on entrepreneurship, strategy, and firm growth under conditions of rapid change. The workshop brings together scholars, journal editors, and industry representatives to provide constructive and developmental feedback on working papers.
We welcome submissions from researchers at all career stages whose work engages with questions related to entrepreneurial action, firm scaling, renewal, and strategic adaptation in uncertain environments.
📝 What to Submit
• A working paper (full paper preferred; extended abstracts considered in justified cases)
• The paper must not be published or accepted in a journal at the time of submission
• Submissions should be prepared for academic journal development
The goal of BOOST is to help participants strengthen their manuscripts toward submission to leading journals.
👥 Development Format
Accepted papers will receive:
• Structured feedback in small roundtable discussions
• Comments from experienced senior scholars
• Opportunities to engage with journal representatives during the “Meet the Editors” sessions
📬 Submission
Please submit your working paper via the submission form available here.
We look forward to welcoming you to Jyväskylä for two days of focused academic development, collegial discussion, and future research collaboration.
📅 Important Dates
Submission deadline: March 15, 2026
Workshop dates: April 13–14, 2026
💶 Travel Support
A limited number of participants (max. 5) may receive partial travel support (200€ fixed amount) after the workshop.
Priority is given to:
Strong paper submissions (“best paper” runners-up)
Active members of the European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ECSB)
Please note that travel grants are limited and cannot be guaranteed.
Programme
BOOST 2 (2026) – Programme Overview
Building Outstanding Opportunities for Sustained Growth and Transformation 📍 April 13–14, 2026 | Jyväskylä, Finland
We are delighted to present the programme for BOOST 2 (2026), a two-day research development workshop bringing together researchers, journal editors, and practitioners in entrepreneurship and strategy. The program is subject to a change.
Day 1 – April 13
The workshop opens with a welcome from Vice-Rector Pasi Raiskinmäki (JYU), followed by an introduction to BOOST 2 and networking lunch.
The afternoon features keynote addresses by Professor Christina Theodoraki and Professor Kim Klyver, two internationally recognized scholars in entrepreneurship research.
Participants will then engage in Meet the Editors (Session 1) with representatives from:
Small Business Economics Journal
Journal of Small Business Management
Journal of Business Venturing Insights
The day concludes with interactive Paper Development Round Tables and an evening social dinner.
Day 2 – April 14
The second day begins with insights from the 2026 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, offering fresh data and trends shaping the entrepreneurial landscape.
Meet the Editors (Session 2) includes:
Entrepreneurship and Regional Development Journal
Journal of Business Research
International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development
The programme continues with practitioner keynotes and a dedicated industry–university workshop, fostering dialogue between academia and business.
The event concludes with lunch and wrap-up discussions.
BOOST 2 is a co-branded event with European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
First BOOST Workshop
Date: Thursday, January 16, 2025 Time: Full day Place: On-site seminar @ Sataman Viilu, Satamakatu 10, Jyväskylä (Finland)
