The European Scaleup Institute is a platform of academic experts and practitioners in Europe for scaleups, high-growth firms, governmental organisations and policymakers to address the scaleup gap.
MORE ABOUT US
May 22-23, 2026
European Scaleup Conference
Scaling and scaleups have gained significant attention in recent years, as they significantly contribute to economic growth, value and wealth creation, competitiveness, employment, and technological change and can have material social impact. At the same time, scaling poses multiple challenges such as managing rapid growth while attaining or maintaining profitability and organizational control, attracting and retaining resources such as funding and talent while establishing and elaborating organizational processes and structures, rapidly replicating standard practices and business models while adapting to diverse local environments, as well as dynamically responding to shifting competitive, regulatory and geopolitical landscapes while maintaining focus and competitive advantage. Despite emergent insights into underlying drivers and challenges, there is still much to learn about scaling and scaleups. The ESI Conference serves as a platform for discussing original research and insights about the nature, fundamental issues, determinants, and consequences of scaling and scaleups.
Esade Business School
Address: Av. d'Esplugues 92-96, 08034 Barcelona (SP)
Sessions and speakers
Conference Programme
Day-by-Day Schedule Overview
The conference unfolds over two days of curated sessions, discussions, and networking opportunities. This schedule provides a structured overview of the event flow, helping you navigate key moments - from academic sessions to informal exchanges.
- 9:00–9:30: Registration & Morning Coffee – Reception Desk
- 9:30–9:45: Welcome & Presentation ESI – Floor A, Room A001
- Welcome by Prof. Lisa Hehenberger, Dean of the Esade Business School
- Introduction by Prof. Dimo Ringov, ESI Academic Chair
- 9:45–11:15: Paper Presentations (Session 1) – Floor A, Room A001
- 11:15–11:30: Coffee Break – Cafeteria Floor A
- 11:30–13:00: Paper Presentations (Session 2) – Floor A, Room A001
- 13:00–14:00: Lunch – Restaurant, Floor 2
- 14:00–15:00: Practitioner Panel – Floor A, Jungle Room
- 15:00–15:15: Coffee Break – Cafeteria Floor A
- 15:15–16:45: Paper Presentations (Session 3)- Floor A, Room A001
- 16:45–17:00: Coffee Break – Cafeteria Floor A
- 17:00–17:20: ESI ScaleUp Monitor Report – Floor A, Room A001
- Presentation by ESI
- 20:00–22:30: Seaside Dinner
- Restaurant Sal Mar, Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta, Ciutat Vella, 08003, Barcelona
- 9:30–9:45: Morning Coffee – Cafeteria Floor A
- 9:45–11:15: Paper Presentations (Session 4) – Floor A, Room A001
- 11:15–11:30: Coffee Break – Cafeteria Floor A
- 11:30–13:00: Paper Presentations (Session 5) – Floor A, Room A001
- 13:00–13:15 Farewell & Closing Remarks – Floor A, Room A001
- 13:15–13:45: Farewell Toast – Terrace, Floor 2
Session Details
The academic programme offers a comprehensive view of the frontier of scaling research. Bringing together leading scholars from top institutions, each session explores key themes through original research and discussion. Explore the sessions below to engage with the ideas shaping the future of scaling.
- “Scalability and Scaling in Management Research: Toward a Process Model Integrating Fragmented Literatures”
Justin J.P. Jansen (Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University) & Esther Tippmann (University of Galway)
- “Quantifying and Decomposing Scaling”
Daniel Blaseg (Esade), Johannes Roscher (McKinsey) & Bernd Skiera (Goethe University Frankfurt)
- “Predicting the Size-Based Growth of Companies Across the Global Market”
Ruyi Tao (Beijing Normal University), Jiang Zhang (Beijing Normal University), Veronica R. Cappelli (IESE Business School), Marcus J. Hamilton (University of Texas at San Antonio), Geoffrey B. West (Santa Fe Institute) & Christopher P. Kempes (Santa Fe Institute)
- “The Internal Dimensions of Growing Organizations: Activity Scale, Scope, and Startup Performance”
Constantin Prox (INSEAD)
- “Constructing Scalability: A Process Theory of Anticipatory Organizational Architecting”
Sarah Bohan (Select Strategies, Dublin), Jonathan Levie (University of Galway) & Josephine Igoe (University of Galway)
- “Engineering Business Model Scalability: A Process Model”
Erkko Autio (Imperial College Business School) & Llewellyn Thomas (University of Sydney Business School)
- “Building Scalability as a Dynamic Capability in Digital Startups”
Nicolaas van Disseldorp (Tilburg University)
- “When Autonomy Backfires: Adverse Selection in Startup Recruitment”
Saerom (Ronnie) Lee (The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania) & Reuben Hurst (Smith School of Business, University of Maryland)
We are finalizing the participants and will update here shortly
- “The Enabling Role of Recombinant Business Model Innovation in Scaling”
Ann-Sophie Kowalewski (IESE Business School) & Christoph Zott (IESE Business School)
- “Beyond Optimal Distinctiveness: Explaining Divergent Venture Scaling Paths in Nascent Markets”
Thomas Standaert (Ghent University), Xavier Walthoff-Borm (VLAIO, HOGENT and Ghent University), Elke Hubeau (Ghent University) & Petra Andries (Ghent University)
- “Beyond ‘Scalable by Default’: A Multi-Level View on International Scaling of Digital Firms”
Julia Baranova (Univali, Brazil), Irina Mihailova (University of Eastern Finland) & Dorota Piaskowska (University College Dublin)
- “Timing the Ascent: Open-Source Software and the Decision to Start Scaling”
Jabar Torkaman (Esade) & Dimo Ringov (Esade)
- “Mind the Gap: Internal and External Frames in Scaling Entrepreneurial Firms”
Odhran McIntaggart (IE Business School, IE University), Christina Kyprianou (IE Business School, IE University) & Kieran Conroy (Queen’s University Belfast)
- “From Out-of-Sync to In-Sync Scaling: A Process Model of Synchronisation”
Vladimira Mihaylova (Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University), Tom J.M. Mom (Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University) & Justin J.P. Jansen (Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University)
- “Frame-Driven Collision: How Scaling Frames Prevent Growth in Informal Markets”
Kabir M. Joshi (Bayes Business School)
- “The Hidden Work of Scaling: How Collective Toolmaking Recalibrates Coordination in Venture Transitions”
Laure Marty (ESCP Business School)
- “Building Decision Capacity to Scale in High-Growth Ventures”
Bisan Abdulkader (LUISS Guido Carli) & Fabrizio Germani (Strategic Analysis)
- “Scaling of Sustainable Business Models”
Yuanyuan Cheng (University of Eastern Finland) & Irina Mihailova (University of Eastern Finland)
- “Scaling Under Threat: How Rigidity Responses Condition Scaling”
Jakobus Cilliers (Esade) & Dimo Ringov (Esade)
- “Sick Leave in Scale-ups: A Gender-Inequality Paradox”
Mohamed Genedy (Stockholm School of Economics), Johan Wiklund (Syracuse University), Arnold B. Bakker (Erasmus University Rotterdam & University of Johannesburg) & Karin Hellerstedt (Jönköping International Business School)
Upper Diagonal
Address: Passeig Manuel Girona, 7-21 08034, Barcelona
9 min walking distance Conference Venue
Sansi Pedralbes
Address: Avda. Pearson 1-3 - 08034 Barcelona
4 min walking distance Conference Venue
Arenas Atiram
Address: Capitán Arenas 20, 08034 Barcelona
15 min walking distance Conference Venue
Tres Torres Atiram
Address: C. Calatrava 32, 08017 Barcelona
25 min walking distance Conference Venue
