UNIVERSITY INCUBATORS AND YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM A PERUVIAN UNIVERSITY

Abstract

This study analyzes the influence of business incubators on university entrepreneurship within a higher education institution located in northern Peru. Through a quantitative, non-experimental, correlational, and cross-sectional approach, a validated and highly reliable instrument (α > 0.96) was applied to a sample of university students. Given the non-normal distribution of the data, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used, revealing statistically significant relationships between business incubators and three key dimensions of entrepreneurship: affective-behavioral (r = 0.512), entrepreneurial intention (r = 0.613), and institutional context (r = 0.602). These findings indicate that incubators not only provide technical support but also serve as formative environments crucial for the development of entrepreneurial skills. It is concluded that their structural integration into universities contributes to the strengthening of innovation ecosystems, sustainability, and regional economic development.