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Ute  Stephan

Professor Ute Stephan

Professor of Entrepreneurship

Research interests

  • Strategy, International Management and Entrepreneurship

Biography

Ute Stephan is Professor of Entrepreneurship at King’s Business School, King’s College London, a Fellow of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP) and a 21st Century Entrepreneurship Fellow. She serves as Associate Editor at the Journal of Management and at Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. From 2015-2019 she was Editor-in-Chief of Applied Psychology: An International Review and from 2019-2022 Consulting Editor at the Journal of International Business Studies.

As an expert on the Psychology of Entrepreneurship, Ute explores how individuals and societies can thrive through entrepreneurship. Ute’s research builds evidence on how contexts (culture and institutions) shape entrepreneurship and well-being, and how entrepreneurship, in turn, can help to build more inclusive societies.

Ute’s research explores (1) entrepreneurial well-being, stress and mental health, (2) culture and institutions, and (3) (3) social entrepreneurship. She publishes in leading journals such as the Journal of Management, Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS), Journal of Business Venturing (JBV), Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice (ETP), Management Science, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, Academy of Management Perspectives. Ute serves on the editorial boards of the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, JBV and ETP.

Her research has won multiple international awards, attracted over £3 million in funding from the European Commission, the UK Government, UK research councils, charities and German government institutions; and has been featured in the media including the Financial Times, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, WIRED, BBC, AlJazeera, Bloomberg and others.

Ute led projects commissioned by UK Government Departments on social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial aspirations. She currently leads a 30 country study on Entrepreneurship & Covid-19, she is also a lead investigator of the 10-country SEFORIS project which stands for Social Enterprises as a Force for Inclusive and Innovative Societies, and its predecessor the SELUSI project. She is an elected board member of the GLOBE project (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness project) and of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP). Ute chairs the IAAP publication committee.

Personal webpage

    Research

    Positive Entrepreneurship

    The project explores how entrepreneurs and their families can flourish, thrive and be happy in the face of stressful entrepreneurial work.

    Project status: Completed

    Global 2
    Supporting Entrepreneurship during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Global Study of Entrepreneurs' Resilience and Well-being

    The Covid-19 pandemic threatens small businesses’ survival and entrepreneurs’ mental well-being. This project investigates their resilience strategies.

    Project status: Ongoing

    News

    Professor Ute Stephan wins the most prestigious prize for published research in international business for work on social entrepreneurship

    Ute Stephan, Professor of Entrepreneurship, has been awarded the 2025 Decade Award by the Journal of International Business Studies for her paper on social...

    Ute Stephan

    Underinvestment in UK start-ups sparks high-level roundtable talks

    Lord Livermore, Financial Secretary to the Treasury joins 20 other innovation ecosystem leaders to discuss lack of investment in UK start-ups, which is at a...

    Lord Livermore speaking at Investor Roundtable event

    Will joining the Great Resignation to found your own business bring happiness?

    The latest research suggests that it might, but entrepreneurship brings distinct stresses

    Woman entrepreneur on phone and laptop sitting on sofa

    Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor visit King's to meet women entrepreneurs

    Professor Ute Stephan shared her findings on the resilience of women entrepreneurs during COVID

    Professor Ute Stephan speaks at the Entrepreneurship Institute event. Also pictured are Sir Keir Starmer MP, Entrepreneurship Institute Director Julie Devonshire and two female entrepreneurs

    Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor hears from female entrepreneurs

    Ahead of International Women’s Day 2022, Leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer MP and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP yesterday...

    starmer-event2

    Toll of pandemic on entrepreneurs' mental health revealed in new report

    A global study by King’s Business School into the impact of the pandemic on entrepreneurs’ businesses and mental well-being has found that stress worsened...

    Entrepreneur

    International Women's Day 2021: The contribution of the women at King's to the global response to COVID-19

    As part of the UN’s International Women’s Day 2021 theme “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”, we recognise the important...

    international women's day

    16.6 Million UK jobs at risk if entrepreneurs and SMEs cannot sustain their businesses

    Researchers from King’s Business School warn in a new report that many of the UK’s 5.86 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in a precarious...

    Closed Sign

    Professor Ute Stephan contributes to Cherie Blair Foundation for Women global programme for women entrepreneurs

    Scheme will help women entrepreneurs in low to middle income countries negotiate the impact of COVID-19

    Women entrepreneurs

    King's Business School and Social Enterprise UK masterclass on creating and measuring impact

    Research perspectives and examples from leading social enterprises on social impact success

    Research perspectives and examples from leading social enterprises on social impact success

    Events

    30Oct

    The Innovators Guide to MedTech & Entrepreneurship

    Get a taste of what it's like to study MedTech Innovation & Entrepreneurship MSc at King's Business School.

    Please note: this event has passed.

    21Nov

    Entrepreneurship Courses - Information Session

    Join our information session on our Entrepreneurship courses available at King's Business School

    Please note: this event has passed.

    25May

    The Innovator's Guide to MedTech Entrepreneurship

    Join us on campus to find out more about our MedTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship MSc

    Please note: this event has passed.

    25May

    The Innovator's Guide to MedTech Entrepreneurship - Online

    Join us online to find out more about our MedTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship MSc

    Please note: this event has passed.

    24May

    How to use ESG to build your business

    Join SME leaders, industry speakers and King’s leading academics to share the latest developments in ESG.

    Please note: this event has passed.

    06May

    Entrepreneurs and Covid-19: How to Deal with Stress, Stay Resilient and Re-Gain Control

    This webinar offers insights for entrepreneurs from those who are in the process of starting their business to owners and managers of established businesses.

    Please note: this event has passed.

    Features

    How entrepreneurial skills can equip young people facing the bleak prospect of unemployment

    Government interventions to improve the employability of young people could be more effective by considering how to develop entrepreneurial competencies

    entrepreneurship-2020

    Spotlight

    Spotlight on COVID: Challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs

    Ute Stephan, Professor of Entrepreneurship at King's Business School, discusses the challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs during the pandemic...

    spotlight-covid-1920

      Research

      Positive Entrepreneurship

      The project explores how entrepreneurs and their families can flourish, thrive and be happy in the face of stressful entrepreneurial work.

      Project status: Completed

      Global 2
      Supporting Entrepreneurship during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Global Study of Entrepreneurs' Resilience and Well-being

      The Covid-19 pandemic threatens small businesses’ survival and entrepreneurs’ mental well-being. This project investigates their resilience strategies.

      Project status: Ongoing

      News

      Professor Ute Stephan wins the most prestigious prize for published research in international business for work on social entrepreneurship

      Ute Stephan, Professor of Entrepreneurship, has been awarded the 2025 Decade Award by the Journal of International Business Studies for her paper on social...

      Ute Stephan

      Underinvestment in UK start-ups sparks high-level roundtable talks

      Lord Livermore, Financial Secretary to the Treasury joins 20 other innovation ecosystem leaders to discuss lack of investment in UK start-ups, which is at a...

      Lord Livermore speaking at Investor Roundtable event

      Will joining the Great Resignation to found your own business bring happiness?

      The latest research suggests that it might, but entrepreneurship brings distinct stresses

      Woman entrepreneur on phone and laptop sitting on sofa

      Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor visit King's to meet women entrepreneurs

      Professor Ute Stephan shared her findings on the resilience of women entrepreneurs during COVID

      Professor Ute Stephan speaks at the Entrepreneurship Institute event. Also pictured are Sir Keir Starmer MP, Entrepreneurship Institute Director Julie Devonshire and two female entrepreneurs

      Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Chancellor hears from female entrepreneurs

      Ahead of International Women’s Day 2022, Leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer MP and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP yesterday...

      starmer-event2

      Toll of pandemic on entrepreneurs' mental health revealed in new report

      A global study by King’s Business School into the impact of the pandemic on entrepreneurs’ businesses and mental well-being has found that stress worsened...

      Entrepreneur

      International Women's Day 2021: The contribution of the women at King's to the global response to COVID-19

      As part of the UN’s International Women’s Day 2021 theme “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”, we recognise the important...

      international women's day

      16.6 Million UK jobs at risk if entrepreneurs and SMEs cannot sustain their businesses

      Researchers from King’s Business School warn in a new report that many of the UK’s 5.86 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in a precarious...

      Closed Sign

      Professor Ute Stephan contributes to Cherie Blair Foundation for Women global programme for women entrepreneurs

      Scheme will help women entrepreneurs in low to middle income countries negotiate the impact of COVID-19

      Women entrepreneurs

      King's Business School and Social Enterprise UK masterclass on creating and measuring impact

      Research perspectives and examples from leading social enterprises on social impact success

      Research perspectives and examples from leading social enterprises on social impact success

      Events

      30Oct

      The Innovators Guide to MedTech & Entrepreneurship

      Get a taste of what it's like to study MedTech Innovation & Entrepreneurship MSc at King's Business School.

      Please note: this event has passed.

      21Nov

      Entrepreneurship Courses - Information Session

      Join our information session on our Entrepreneurship courses available at King's Business School

      Please note: this event has passed.

      25May

      The Innovator's Guide to MedTech Entrepreneurship

      Join us on campus to find out more about our MedTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship MSc

      Please note: this event has passed.

      25May

      The Innovator's Guide to MedTech Entrepreneurship - Online

      Join us online to find out more about our MedTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship MSc

      Please note: this event has passed.

      24May

      How to use ESG to build your business

      Join SME leaders, industry speakers and King’s leading academics to share the latest developments in ESG.

      Please note: this event has passed.

      06May

      Entrepreneurs and Covid-19: How to Deal with Stress, Stay Resilient and Re-Gain Control

      This webinar offers insights for entrepreneurs from those who are in the process of starting their business to owners and managers of established businesses.

      Please note: this event has passed.

      Features

      How entrepreneurial skills can equip young people facing the bleak prospect of unemployment

      Government interventions to improve the employability of young people could be more effective by considering how to develop entrepreneurial competencies

      entrepreneurship-2020

      Spotlight

      Spotlight on COVID: Challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs

      Ute Stephan, Professor of Entrepreneurship at King's Business School, discusses the challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs during the pandemic...

      spotlight-covid-1920