The RENT XXII was organised in Covilhã, Portugal on November 20-21 2008. It was hosted by University of Beira Interior.

The theme for the conference was ”Entrepreneurship as an Engine for Regional Development”. There were many interesting papers discussing the theme from various perspectives, such as entrepreneurship education, spin off processes and knowledge transfer, family firms, innovation and technological entrepreneurship, networks and entrepreneurship, regulations and entrepreneurship etc.

Again, a successful Doctoral Seminar was organized in conjunction with the conference. It was chaired by Professors Poul Rind Christensen and Friederike Welter. Moreover, as a new session was ECSB collaborative round table for researchers who had recently finished their PhD Thesis in entrepreneurship or in the field of small business. The session was chaired by Associate Professor Luca Iandoli and Professor Friederike Welter.

The Best Paper Award for a Junior Researcher Ceremony took place in the final plenary session. The award went to Nicola Breugst, Tobias Kollmann & Carina Lomberg from University of Duisburg, Essen, Germany, on their paper “Filling the situational vacuum of the trait approach – entrepreneurial intentions in experimentally manipulated situations ”. The winners of the third Case Study Competition were also announced in the final plenary session. The three winner cases are: Breda McCarthy from University College Cork, Ireland, Luca Iandoli & Maria Sansone from University of Naples, Italy, Thierry Volery from University of St Gallen, Swizerland. Congratulations for the winners!

The fifth Inter-RENT “Technology-driven entrepreneurship: How technology shapes the way entrepreneurs start and run their businesses” was officially launched at the final plenary session. Moreover, the annual general meeting of ECSB was held in the closing session and was run by the President of ECSB, Friederike Welter.

For more information on the programme, papers and events please visit the Official Conference Website.