This paper examines the linkage between multinational corporations (MNCs) and entrepreneurial businesses. Above all, it tries to connect the multinational corporations’ interests with the nurturing process of entrepreneurs. A literature review has provided a background on the dynamic of entrepreneurial ecosystems and the role of each of its members towards promoting entrepreneurship. Multinational firms are key players that have been studied from a more economic perspective rather than being considered mentors that nurture entrepreneurs. In order to run this research, information was extracted from 9 different cases, including multinational corporations, entrepreneurs, and experts in the field. Based on the findings, a model that allows a better understanding of this interaction between multinational firms and entrepreneurs is proposed. This model suggests that multinational corporations have different drivers and different ways to collaborate with entrepreneurs; but when nurturing entrepreneurship, they tackle the same factors. In the end, the result is a positive impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Table of Contents
I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1
II. LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................. 2
2.1 Entrepreneurial Ecosystem ................................................................................................... 2
Figure 1. (Faghih & Zali, 2018)...................................................................................................3
2.2 Multinational corporations in the entrepreneurial ecosystem..............................................4
2.3 Research Gap Identification..................................................................................................6
III. METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................... 6
3.1 Research design .....................................................................................................................7
3.2 Data collection........................................................................................................................8
3.2.1 Sampling Description ...................................................................................................................8
Table 1. Table of Participants .....................................................................................................9
3.3 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 10
IV. FINDINGS .................................................................................................................. 11
4.1 Entrepreneurial Ecosystem ................................................................................................. 13
4.2 Multinational firm-Entrepreneur Relationship..................................................................14
4.3 Nurturing process ................................................................................................................ 17
4.3.1 Economic sustainability..............................................................................................................17
4.3.2 Social Support.............................................................................................................................18
4.3.3 Training & Technical Support...................................................................................................20
4.3.4 Internationalization....................................................................................................................21
V. DISCUSSION............................................................................................................... 22
Figure 2. EKTI (Proposed Model) ............................................................................................ 22
VI. CONCLUSIONS......................................................................................................... 27
VII. BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................... 29
VIII. ATTACHMENTS .................................................................................................... 33
Table of figures
Figure 1. (Faghih & Zali, 2018) .......................................................................................... 3
Table 1. Table of Participants ............................................................................................ 9
Table 2. Table of representative data............................................................................... 11
Figure 2. EKTI (Proposed Model).................................................................................... 22

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