Two Papers by Dr. Siwei Zhu Accepted for Presentation at BCERC 2025
Two research papers by Dr. Siwei Zhu at Pakesa School of Business have been accepted for presentation at the prestigious Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference 2025, one of the top conferences in entrepreneurship.
“What Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Stand-Up Comedians: The Impact of Investor Laughter During Entrepreneurial Storytelling on Funding Decisions”, co-authored with Dr. Barış Morkan, R&D Director at Guven Partners LLC. This study explores how investor laughter influences entrepreneurial storytelling and funding decisions by integrating qualitative insights from stand-up comedians with quantitative data from Shark Tank.
“Expanding the Lean Startup Framework: The Role of Validated Learning from Technical Specialists”, co-authored with Dr. Dan Hsu, Professor of Entrepreneurship at NDSU. This study shows that student entrepreneurs who seek feedback from technical specialists (rather than business generalists) are better equipped to address technical feasibility and develop superior minimum viable products (MVPs). We also highlight the mediating role of failure analysis in this process.