Entender las elecciones de localización de “scaleups” en las ciudades europeas: un análisis empírico
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17561/ree.n1.2026.9039Keywords:
scaleups, empresas de alto rendimiento, localización, emprendimiento, ecosistema emprendedorAbstract
Este estudio investiga los factores que influyen en la elección de la ubicación de las scaleups en las ciudades europeas utilizando un conjunto de datos diverso y técnicas estadísticas como PLS-SEM. Según la literatura, una scaleup es una nueva empresa, de hasta 10 años de antigüedad, que ha alcanzado un ritmo de crecimiento estable y constante. Los resultados ponen de relieve la existencia de relaciones significativas entre la elección de la ubicación de las scaleups y factores como el clima de la ciudad, el entorno laboral, el desarrollo tecnológico y el nivel educativo. Un modelo secuencial muestra el efecto directo y positivo de la educación en la elección de la localización de las scaleups, al tiempo que revela relaciones entre el clima de la ciudad, el entorno laboral y la tecnología. La investigación ofrece valiosas ideas a los responsables políticos y a los empresarios que buscan mejorar el atractivo de las ciudades para este tipo de empresas. El fomento de un ecosistema empresarial propicio, la promoción del desarrollo tecnológico y la mejora del entorno laboral se perfilan como estrategias clave para atraer y retener a las empresas scaleup en las ciudades europeas. Este estudio contribuye a la literatura sobre emprendimiento urbano y desarrollo regional explorando el impacto de nuevas variables y examinando el papel del ecosistema empresarial.
Downloads
References
thinknow. (2019). Innovation Cities™ Program. Retrieved 06 2025, from Innovation Cities™ Program: https://www.innovation-cities.com/europe-cities-ranking-2019-innovation-cities/18839/
Acs, Z., & Armington, C. (2004). The impact of geographic differences in human capital on service firm formation rates. Journal of Urban Economics, 56(2), 244-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jue.2004.03.008
Acs, Z., & Audretsch, D. (2003). Innovation and technological change. In Handbook of entrepreneurship research: An interdisciplinary survey and introduction (pp. 55-79). Boston, MA: Springer US. In Handbook of entrepreneurship research: An interdisciplinary survey and introduction, 55-79.
Acs, Z., Sameeksha, D., & Hessels, J. (2008). Entrepreneurship, economic development and institutions. Small business economics, 31, 219-234. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-008-9135-9
Ahn, K., & Winters, J. (2022). Does education enhance entrepreneurship? Small Business Economics(61), 717-743. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-022-00701-x
Akın, B., & Seyfettinoğlu, Ü. (2022). Factors determining the location decision: Analysis of location choice preferences of the ICI-1000 companies with the nested logit model. Central Bank Review, 22(1), 57-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbrev.2022.03.001
Ali, F., Rasoolimanesh, S., Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C., & Ryu, K. (2018). An assessment of the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in hospitality research. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management., 30(1), 514-538. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-10-2016-0568
Alizadeh, H., & Sharifi, A. (2023). Societal smart city: Definition and principles for post-pandemic urban policy and practice. Cities, 134, 104207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2023.104207
Arauzo-Carod, J., Liviano-Solis, D., & Manjón-Antolín, M. (2010). Empirical studies in industrial location: An assessment of their methods and results. Journal of Regional Science, 50(3), 685-711. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9787.2009.00625.x
Arauzo‐Carod, J.-M. (2013). Location determinants of new firms: does skill level of human capital really matter? Growth and Change, 44(1), 118-148. https://doi.org/10.1111/grow.12004
Audretsch, D. (1995). Innovation and industry evolution. MIT press.
Audretsch, D., & Belitski, M. (2017). Entrepreneurial ecosystems in cities: establishing the framework conditions. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 42, 1030-1051. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-016-9473-8
Audretsch, D., & Feldman, M. (1996). R&D spillovers and the geography of innovation and production. The American economic review, 86(3), 630-640. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2118216
Audretsch, D., & Fritsch, M. (2002). Growth regimes over time and space. Regional studies, 36(2), 113-124. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343400220121909
Audretsch, D., & Keilbach, M. (2004). Entrepreneurship capital and economic performance. Regional studies, 38(8), 949-959.
Autio, E. (2016). Entrepreneurship support in Europe: Trends and challenges for EU policy. Brussels: Policy Reports. Brussels: European Commission. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.1857.1762
Bagozzi, R., & Yi, Y. (1988). On the evaluation of structural equation models. Journal of the academy of marketing science, 16(1), 74-94. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02723327
Berkowitz, D., & DeJong, D. (2005). Entrepreneurship and post‐socialist growth. Oxford bulletin of economics and statistics, 67(1), 25-46. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0084.2005.00108.x
Beynon, M., Jones, P., & Pickernell, D. (2019). The role of entrepreneurship, innovation, and urbanity-diversity on growth, unemployment, and income: US state-level evidence and an fsQCA elucidation,. Journal of Business Research, 675-687. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.01.074
Block, J., Hoogerheide, L., & Thurik, R. (2013). Education and entrepreneurial choice: An instrumental variables analysis. International Small Business Journal, 31(1), 23-33. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242611400470
Cai, X., Lu, Y., & Wang, J. (2018). The impact of temperature on manufacturing worker productivity: Evidence from personnel data. Journal of Comparative Economics, 46(4), 889-905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jce.2018.06.003
Chang, X., & Li, J. (2019). Business performance prediction in location-based social commerce. Expert Systems with Applications, 126, 112-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2019.01.086
Chen, M., Huang, X., Cheng, J., Tang, Z., & Huang, G. (2023). Urbanization and vulnerable employment: Empirical evidence from 163 countries in 1991–2019. Cities, 135, 104208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2023.104208
Cheng, S., Stough, R., & Jackson, R. (2009). Measuring and building high-quality entrepreneurship: a research prospectus. Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 22(3), 329–340. https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610903399088
Chin, W., Cheah, J.-H., Liu, Y., Ting, H., & Lim, X.-J. (2020). Demystifying the role of causal-predictive modeling using partial least squares structural equation modeling in information systems research. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 120(12), 2161 - 2209. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-10-2019-0529
Clark, L., & Watson, D. (1995). Constructing validity: Basic issues in objective scale development. Psychological Assessment, 7(3), 309–319. https://doi.org/10.1037/14805-012
Craig, C., & Feng, S. (2018). A temporal and spatial analysis of climate change, weather events, and tourism businesses. Tourism Management, 67, 351-361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2018.02.013
Craig, C., Ma, S., Karabas, I., & Feng, S. (2021). Camping, weather, and disasters: Extending the Construal Level Theory. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 49, 353-363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2021.10.005
Darwish, M. (2023). Optimal workday length considering worker fatigue and employer profit. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 109162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2023.109162
Day, J., Chin, N., Sydnor, S., & Cherkauer, K. (2013). Weather, climate, and tourism performance: A quantitative analysis. Tourism Management Perspectives, 5, 51-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2012.11.001
Diamantopoulos, A. (1999). Viewpoint – Export performance measurement: reflective versus formative indicators. International Marketing Review, 16(6), 444-457. https://doi.org/10.1108/02651339910300422
Eurostat, O.E.C.D. (2007). Eurostat-OECD Manual on Business Demography Statistics. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
Falk, R., & Miller, N. (1992). A primer for soft modeling. University of Akron Press.
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of marketing research, 18(1), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104
Geisser, S. (1975). The predictive sample reuse method with applications. Journal of the American statistical Association, 70(350), 320-328. https://doi.org/10.1080/01621459.1975.10479865
Glaeser, E., Kerr, W., & Ponzetto, G. (2010). Clusters of entrepreneurship. Journal of Urban Economics, 67(1), 150-168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jue.2009.09.008
Gordon, R., & Sarada. (2018). How should taxes be designed to encourage entrepreneurship? Journal of Public Economics, 166, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2018.08.003
Guo, Z., Wilson, N., & Rahbee, A. (2007). Impact of weather on transit ridership in Chicago, Illinois. Transportation Research Record, 2034(1), 3-10. https://doi.org/10.3141/2034-01
Hair , J., Hult, G., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2014). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Hair, J., & Alamer, A. (2022). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in second language and education research: Guidelines using an applied example. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 1(3), 100027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmal.2022.100027
Hair, J., Hollingsworth, C., Randolph, A., & Loong Chong, A. (2017). An updated and expanded assessment of PLS-SEM in information systems research. Industrial management & data systems, 117(3), 442-458. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-04-2016-0130
Hair, J., Hult, G., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). Mirror, mirror on the wall: a comparative evaluation of composite-based structural equation modeling methods. Journal of the academy of marketing science, 45(5), 616-632. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-017-0517-x
Hair, J., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing theory and Practice, 19(2), 139-152. https://doi.org/10.2753/MTP1069-6679190202
Hair, J., Risher, J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European business review, 31(1), 2-24. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203
Hanafiah, M. (2020). Formative Vs. Reflective Measurement Model: Guidelines for Structural Equation Modeling Research. International Journal of Analysis and Applications, 18, 876-889. https://doi.org/10.28924/2291-8639-18-2020-876
Henseler, J., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the academy of marketing science, 43(1), 115-135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions and organizations across nations. London: Sage publications.
Hosseini, S., Peluffo, D., Okoye, K., & Nganji, J. (2021). The Impact of Technological Advancements on Educational Innovation (VSI-tei). Computers & Electrical Engineering, 93, 107333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compeleceng.2021.107333
Isenberg, D., & Onyemah, V. (2016). Fostering scale up ecosystems for regional economic growth. In Global Entrepreneurship Congress. 71-97. https://doi.org/10.1162/inov_a_00248
Jafari‐Sadegh, V., Kimiagari, S., & Biancone, P. (2019). Level of education and knowledge, foresight competency and international entrepreneurship. European Business Review(32), 46-68. https://doi.org/10.1108/ebr-05-2018-0098
Jiang, S., & Cai, C. (2023). The impacts of weather conditions on metro ridership: An empirical study from three mega cities in China. Travel Behaviour and Society, 31, 166-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2022.12.003
Jiménez, A., Palmero-Cámara, C., González-Santos, M., Gonzáez-Bernal, J., & Jiménez-Eguizábal, J. (2015). The impact of educational levels on formal and informal entrepreneurship. BRQ Business Research Quarterly, 18(3), 204-212.
Jo, Y., & Lee, C.-Y. (2014). Technological capability, agglomeration economies and firm location choice. Regional Studies, 48(8), 1337-1352. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2012.711946
Jöreskog, K. (1970). A general method for estimating a linear structural equation system. ETS Research Bulletin Series, 2, i-41. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2333-8504.1970.tb00783.x
Kerr, W., & Nanda, R. (2009). Democratizing entry: Banking deregulations, financing constraints, and entrepreneurship. Journal of Financial Economics, 94(1), 124-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2008.12.003
Kline, R. (2011). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
Lafuente, E., Vaillant, Y., & Serarols, C. (2010). Location decisions of knowledge-based entrepreneurs: why some Catalan KISAs choose to be rural? Technovation, 30(11-12), 590-600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2010.07.004
Lee, N., & Clarke, S. (2019). Do low-skilled workers gain from high-tech employment growth? High-technology multipliers, employment and wages in Britain. Research Policy, 48(9), 103803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2019.05.012
Lee, N., & Rodríguez-Pose, A. (2016). Is there trickle-down from tech? Poverty, employment, and the high-technology multiplier in US cities. Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 106(5), 1114-1134. https://doi.org/10.1080/24694452.2016.1184081
Leendertse, J., Schrijvers, M., & Stam, E. (2022). Measure Twice, Cut Once: Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Metrics. Research Policy, 51(9), 104336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2021.104336
Li, M., Goetz, S., Partridge, M., & Fleming, D. (2016). Location determinants of high-growth firms. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 28(1-2), 97-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2015.1109003
Luo, Q., Hu, H., Feng, D., & He, X. (2022). How does broadband infrastructure promote entrepreneurship in China: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment. Telecommunications Policy, 46(10), 102440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2022.102440
Malecki, E. (1985). Industrial location and corporate organization in high technology industries. Economic Geography. Economic Geography, 61(4), 345-369. https://doi.org/10.2307/144054
Malecki, E. (2018). Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Geography Compass, 12(3), e12359. https://doi.org/10.1111/gec3.12359
Marchesani, F., Masciarelli, F., & Doan, H. (2022). Innovation in cities a driving force for knowledge flows: Exploring the relationship between high-tech firms, student mobility, and the role of youth entrepreneurship. Cities, 130, 103852. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2022.103852
Mason, C., & Brown, R. (2014). Entrepreneurial ecosystems and growth oriented entrepreneurship. Final report to OECD, 30(1), 77-102.
Mind the Bridge. (2018). StartupCity Hubs in Europe. Brussels. Retrieved from https://mindthebridge.com/startupcity-hubs-in-europe/
Moore, G. (1991). Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream. New York: NY: Harper Business Essentials.
Morgado, S. (2021). Urban rehabilitation, social innovation, and new working spaces in Lisbon. Sustainability, 13(21), 11925.
Napier, G., & Hansen, C. (2011). Ecosystems for young scalable firms. FORA Group, 190-208.
Neidell, M., Zivin, J., Sheahan, M., & Willwerth, J. (2021). Temperature and work: Time allocated to work under varying climate and labor market conditions. PLoS ONE, 16(8). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254224
Nickell, S., Nicolitsas, D., & Dryden, N. (1997). What makes firms perform well? European economic review, 41(3-5), 783-796.
Nightingale, P., & Coad, A. (2014). Muppets and gazelles: political and methodological biases in entrepreneurship research. Industrial and corporate change, 23(1), 113-143.
Nunnally, J., & Bernstein, I. (1994). Psychometric Theory (3 ed.). New York, USA: McGraw Hill.
Nyström, K. (2008). The institutions of economic freedom and entrepreneurship: evidence from panel data. Public choice, 136, 269-282.
OECD. (2018). Rethinking Urban Sprawl: Moving Towards Sustainable Cities. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264189881-en.
Onetti, A. (2014, 07 29). Scaleups. When does a Startup turn into a Scaleup. Startup Europe Partnership. Retrieved from http://startupeuropepartnership.eu/scaleups-when-does-a-startup-turn-into-a-scaleup/#
Parteka, A., Wolszczak-Derlacz, J., & Nikulin, D. (2024). How digital technology affects working conditions in globally fragmented production chains: Evidence from Europe. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 198, 122998. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122998
Piacentino, D., Bono, F., Cracolici, M., & Giuliani, D. (2017). A spatial analysis of new business formation: Replicative vs innovative behaviour. Spatial Statistics, 21, 390-405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spasta.2017.02.004
Qian, H., Acs, Z., & Stough, R. (2013). Regional systems of entrepreneurship: the nexus of human capital, knowledge and new firm formation. Journal of economic geography, 13(4), 559-587. https://doi.org/10.1093/jeg/lbs009
QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited 1994 - 2022. (n.d.). QS Top universities. Retrieved from QS Top universities: https://www.topuniversities.com/
Ribeiro-Soriano, D., & Huarng, K.-H. (2013). Innovation and entrepreneurship in knowledge industries. Journal of Business Research, 66(10), 1964-1969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.02.019
Ringle, C., Wende, S., & Becker, J.-M. (2015). SmartPLS 3. Boenningstedt: SmartPLS GmbH, 584. Retrieved from https://www.smartpls.com
Rosol, M., & Blue, G. (2022). From the smart city to urban justice in a digital age. City, 26(4), 684-705. https://doi.org/10.1080/13604813.2022.2079881
Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C., & Hair, J. (2021). Partial least squares structural equation modeling. In Handbook of market research (pp. 587-632). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57413-4_15
Shane, S. (2009). Why encouraging more people to become entrepreneurs is bad public policy. Small Business Economics, 33(2), 141-149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-009-9215-5
Simón-Moya, V., Revuelto-Taboada, L., & Guerrero, R. (2014). Institutional and economic drivers of entrepreneurship: An international perspective. Journal of Business Research, 67(5), 715-721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.11.033
Skans, O. (2004). The impact of working-time reductions on actual hours and wages: evidence from Swedish register-data. Labour Economics, 11(5), 647-665. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2003.06.002
Soler, I., Gémar, G., & Correia, M. (2020). The climate index-length of stay nexus. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 28(9), 1272-1289. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1734603
Sosik, J., Kahai, S., & Piovoso, M. (2009). Silver bullet or voodoo statistics? A primer for using the partial least squares data analytic technique in group and organization research. Group & Organization Management, 34(1), 5-36. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601108329198
Soumitra Dutta, B. L., & Wunsch-Vincent, S. (2020). The Global Innovation Index. World Intellectual Property Organization, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, INSEAD.
Spencer, N., & Urquhart, M.-A. (2021). The impact of extreme weather on temporary work absence. Geneva: ILO Working Paper 30.
Stam, E. (2015). Entrepreneurial ecosystems and regional policy: A sympathetic critique. European Planning Studies, 23, 1759-1769. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2015.1061484
Stel, A., Carre, M., & Thurik, R. (2005). The Effect of Entrepreneurial Activity on National Economic Growth. Small Business Economics, 24(3), 311-321. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-005-1996-6
Stephens, H. M., Mack, E. A., & Mann, J. (2022). Broadband and entrepreneurship: An empirical assessment of the connection between broadband availability and new business activity across the United States. Telematics and Informatics, 74, 101873. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2022.101873
Stone, M. (1974). Cross‐validatory choice and assessment of statistical predictions. Journal of the royal statistical society: Series B (Methodological), 36(2), 111-133. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2517-6161.1974.tb00994.x
Theofilatos, A., & Yannis, G. (2014). A review of the effect of traffic and weather characteristics on road safety. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 72, 244-256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2014.06.017
Tomaz, E., & Henriques, C. (2023). The evolution and spatial dynamics of coworking spaces in Lisbon: a qualitative analysis. Cidades(46), 18-30.
Valliere, D., & Peterson, R. (2009). Entrepreneurship and economic growth: Evidence from emerging and developed countries. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 21(5-6), 459-480. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985620802332723
Vargas-Montoya, L., Gimenez, G., & Fernández-Gutiérrez, M. (2023). ICT use for learning and students’ outcomes: Does the country’s development level matter? Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 87, 101550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seps.2023.101550
Vázquez-Cano, E., Parra-González, M., & López-Meneses, E. (2022). The Negative Effects of Technology on Education: A Bibliometric and Topic Modeling Mapping Analysis (2008-2019). International Journal of Instruction, 15(2), 37–60, 15(2), 37-60. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2022.1523a
Vital, T., Dall’erba, S., Ridley, W., & Wang, X. (2022). What do the 235 estimates from the literature tell us about the impact of weather on agricultural and food trade flows? Global Food Security, 35, 100654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2022.100654
Weber, A. (1929). Theory of the Location of Industries. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Wold, H. (1982). Soft modelling: the basic design and some extensions. Systems under indirect observation, 2, 36-37. Retrieved from https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1571980074376633216.bib?lang=ja
World Bank. (2020). Doing Business. Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1440-2
World Tourism Organization. (2019). International Tourism Highlights: 2019 Edition. Madrid: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
World Wide Web Foundation. (2014). WebIndex Report 2014-15. Washington DC.
Xavier, S., Kelley, D., Kew, J., Herrington, M., & Vorderwülbecke, A. (2012). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2012 Global Report. London: Global Entrepreneurship Research Association. Retrieved from https://www.gemconsortium.org/report/48545
Zhao, Y., Liang, D., Li, J.-Y., Kehan, Y., & Zhang, N. (2023). High temperatures and urban entrepreneurship levels: Evidence from China. Science of The Total Environment, 166636-166636. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166636
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Virginia Pérez-Benítez, Pablo Gemar, German Gemar

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- Authors maintain the copyright, but they guarantee the journal its right for publication, that is under Creative Commons Licence, permitting others share the work, whereas clearly indicating the author and the first publication of the journal.
- Authors could adopt non-exclusive licence agreements for delivering the published version, whereas clearly indicating the first publishing in Revista de Estudios Empresariales. Second Era.
- Authors are encouraged to spread their works through Internet before and during the sending process, in order to make interesting scientific discussions that could increase the cites of the published work (Open Citation Project).
Revista de Estudios Empresariales. Second Era, uses PKP Preservation Network (PN).






















