4th International Conference on Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2025 & 2nd International Congress on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
August 19-20, 2025 | Toronto, Canada
Kristopher Fleckenstein
Heriot-Watt University, Canada
Entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth, yet much remains to be understood about what distinguishes successful entrepreneurs from those who are not. While incubators are often seen as solutions to start-up failure by addressing funding and support gaps, mixed outcomes suggest deeper variables at play. Building on the framework of previous work related to Entrepreneurial Intuition (Fleckenstein, 2021; Fleckenstein & Smith, 2023), this presentation leverages life story interviews with nine entrepreneurs to investigate formative experiences that contribute to Entrepreneurial Confidence and how they manifest as a core knowledge area for entrepreneurs.
Kristopher Fleckenstein, is currently completing his PhD at Heriot-Watt while working as the Head of Product Enablement & Pricing for ATB Financial, a thriving regional bank. Kristopher holds an MBA and is a PMP® , having earned these credentials while completing 21 acquisitions and successfully navigating entrepreneurial life for nearly 20 years. Kristopher has a keen interest in entrepreneurial development and supporting such an ecosystem efficiently and practically.