Dr Saurabh Lall
- Senior Lecturer in International Business (Management)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8130-5137Biography
Saurabh Lall is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow’s Adam Smith Business School. His research agenda focuses on entrepreneurship and society and follows two broad tracks: entrepreneurship in developing and emerging economies; and social entrepreneurship (including related concepts such as impact investing and venture philanthropy). His research includes issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion by focusing on traditionally overlooked entrepreneurs, underdeveloped regions and countries, and challenging institutional environments. He works closely with practitioner organizations to systematically collect data and test interventions to stimulate entrepreneurial growth. Saurabh was previously on the faculty of the University of Oregon’s School of Planning, Public Policy and Management. Prior to that, he was Research Director of the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) at the Aspen Institute, where he co-founded the Global Accelerator Learning Initiative. This unique public-private partnership has aggregated data from over 23,000 ventures that applied to over 370 accelerator programs around the world.
Saurabh is co-author of the book Observing Acceleration: Uncovering the Effects of Accelerators on Impact-Oriented Entrepreneurs and has also published research in journals like World Development, Business & Society, Small Business Economics, Public Administration Review, Public Management Review, British Journal of Management, and Voluntas. He serves as Associate Editor for Social Enterprise Journal and is on the editorial board of Public Administration Review and Voluntas. His research has been covered in Forbes and TechCrunch.
Saurabh received his PhD in Public Policy and Administration from the George Washington University's (GWU) Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration in 2015. Originally from Mumbai, Saurabh has a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering from the University of Mumbai.
Research interests
Saurabh is a member of the School's International Business and Enterprise research cluster.
Areas of expertise:
- Entrepreneurship in emerging markets
- Comparative international entrepreneurship
- Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Investing
- Accelerators
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Entrepreneurship
Publications
2024
Sahasranamam, S. , Lall, S. , Nicolopoulou, K. and Shaw, E. (2024) Founding team entrepreneurial experience, external financing and social enterprise performance. British Journal of Management, 35(1), pp. 519-536. (doi: 10.1111/1467-8551.12726)
Schmid, C., Roper, S., Shaw, E., Sahasranamam, S. , Lall, S. , Mwaura, S., Ates, A., Lassalle, P., Henley, A. and Hewitt-Dundas, N. (2024) The Gender Index Report 2024. [Research Reports or Papers]
2023
Miller, A., Lall, S. A. , Goldstein, M. and Montalvao, J. (2023) Asking Better Questions : The Effect of Changing Investment Organizations’ Evaluation Practices on Gender Disparities in Funding Innovation. [Research Reports or Papers]
Lall, S. and Miller, A. (2023) Laying the groundwork for an equitable startup ecosystem: Improving the accuracy of evaluation processes for greater gender equity. [Research Reports or Papers]
Miller, A. and Lall, S. (2023) Smarter Systems: How Tweaking Your Diligence Process Can Unlock Overlooked Opportunities – Key Insights Report. [Research Reports or Papers]
Miller, A. and Lall, S. (2023) Smarter Systems: How Tweaking Your Diligence Process Can Unlock Overlooked opportunities - Accelerator Implementation Guide. [Research Reports or Papers]
Miller, A. and Lall, S. (2023) Smarter Systems: How Tweaking Your Diligence Process Can Unlock Overlooked Opportunities - Investor Implementation Guide. [Research Reports or Papers]
Miller, A. and Lall, S. (2023) Smarter Systems: How Tweaking Your Diligence Process Can Unlock Overlooked Opportunities - Research Methodology. [Research Reports or Papers]
2022
Lall, S. A. , Chen, L.-W. and Mason, D. (2022) Digital platforms and entrepreneurial support: a field experiment in online mentoring. Small Business Economics, (doi: 10.1007/s11187-022-00704-8) (Early Online Publication)
Mason, D. P., Chen, L.-W. and Lall, S. A. (2022) Can institutional support improve volunteer quality? An analysis of online volunteer mentors. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 33(3), pp. 641-655. (doi: 10.1007/s11266-021-00351-9)
Lall, S. A. and Park, J. (2022) How social ventures grow: understanding the role of philanthropic grants in scaling social entrepreneurship. Business and Society, 61(1), pp. 3-44. (doi: 10.1177/0007650320973434)
2021
Chowdhury, R., Siedler, B. and Lall, S. (2021) Entrepreneurship under extreme constraints: evidence of micro-bricolage from Rohingya refugee camps. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2021(1), 15152. (doi: 10.5465/ambpp.2021.30)
Kerlin, J. A., Lall, S. A. , Peng, S. and Cui, T. S. (2021) Institutional intermediaries as legitimizing agents for social enterprise in China and India. Public Management Review, 23(5), pp. 731-753. (doi: 10.1080/14719037.2020.1865441)
2020
Lall, S. A. , Chen, L.-W. and Roberts, P. W. (2020) Are we accelerating equity investment into impact-oriented ventures? World Development, 131, 104952. (doi: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.104952)
2019
Lall, S. A. , Chen, L.-W. and Davidson, A. (2019) The expat gap: are local-born entrepreneurs in developing countries at a disadvantage when seeking grant funding? Public Administration Review, 79(6), pp. 880-894. (doi: 10.1111/puar.13076)
Guttentag, M. and Lall, S. A. (2019) Accelerating entrepreneurship: Why business accelerators are good investments for global development. Impact Alpha,
Lall, S. A. (2019) From legitimacy to learning: how impact measurement perceptions and practices evolve in social enterprise–social finance organization relationships. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 30(3), pp. 562-577. (doi: 10.1007/s11266-018-00081-5)
2018
Roberts, P. W. and Lall, S. A. (2018) Observing Acceleration: Uncovering the Effects of Accelerators on Impact-Oriented Entrepreneurs. Palgrave Macmillan: Cham. ISBN 9783030000417 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-00042-4)
Roberts, P., Davidson, A., Edens, G. and Lall, S. (2018) Accelerating the Flow of Funds into Early-Stage Ventures: An Initial Look at Program Differences and Design Choices. [Research Reports or Papers]
Lall, S. , Mason, D., Chen, L.-W., Joy, E. and Wandke, P. (2018) Insights into Online Mentoring & Matchmaking - MicroMentor Toolkit Series: Part One. [Research Reports or Papers]
2017
Lall, S. (2017) Measuring to improve versus measuring to prove: understanding the adoption of social performance measurement practices in nascent social enterprises. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 28, pp. 2633-2657. (doi: 10.1007/s11266-017-9898-1)
Davidson, A., Edens, G., Rocha, R., Parkinson, R., Lall, S. , Costa, T., Bombardi, F. and Hamra, S. (2017) Landscape Study of Accelerators and Incubators in Brazil. [Research Reports or Papers]
Pandey, S., Lall, S. , Pandey, S. K. and Ahlawat, S. (2017) The appeal of social accelerators: what do social entrepreneurs value? Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 8(1), pp. 88-109. (doi: 10.1080/19420676.2017.1299035)
2016
Roberts, P., Lall, S. , Baird, R., Eastman, E., Davidson, A. and Jacobson, A. (2016) What’s Working in Startup Acceleration: Insights from Fifteen Village Capital Programs. [Research Reports or Papers]
2014
Edens, G. and Lall, S. (2014) The State of Measurement Practice in the SGB Sector. [Research Reports or Papers]
2013
, (2013) ANDE Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Diagnostic Toolkit. [Research Reports or Papers]
Lall, S. , Bowles, L. and Baird, R. (2013) Bridging the “pioneer gap”: the role of accelerators in launching high-impact enterprises. Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, 8(3-4), pp. 105-137. (doi: 10.1162/inov_a_00191)
2012
, (2012) Small and Growing Businesses: Investing in the Missing Middle for Poverty Alleviation. Literature review March 2012. [Research Reports or Papers]
2010
Bairiganjan, S., Cheung, R., Delio, E. A., Fuente, D., Lall, S. and Singh, S. (2010) Power to the People: Investing in Clean Energy for the Base of the Pyramid in India. [Research Reports or Papers]
2009
Delio, E. A., Lall, S. A. and Singh, C. (2009) Powering Up: The Investment Potential of Energy Service Companies in India. [Research Reports or Papers]
Articles
Sahasranamam, S. , Lall, S. , Nicolopoulou, K. and Shaw, E. (2024) Founding team entrepreneurial experience, external financing and social enterprise performance. British Journal of Management, 35(1), pp. 519-536. (doi: 10.1111/1467-8551.12726)
Lall, S. A. , Chen, L.-W. and Mason, D. (2022) Digital platforms and entrepreneurial support: a field experiment in online mentoring. Small Business Economics, (doi: 10.1007/s11187-022-00704-8) (Early Online Publication)
Mason, D. P., Chen, L.-W. and Lall, S. A. (2022) Can institutional support improve volunteer quality? An analysis of online volunteer mentors. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 33(3), pp. 641-655. (doi: 10.1007/s11266-021-00351-9)
Lall, S. A. and Park, J. (2022) How social ventures grow: understanding the role of philanthropic grants in scaling social entrepreneurship. Business and Society, 61(1), pp. 3-44. (doi: 10.1177/0007650320973434)
Chowdhury, R., Siedler, B. and Lall, S. (2021) Entrepreneurship under extreme constraints: evidence of micro-bricolage from Rohingya refugee camps. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2021(1), 15152. (doi: 10.5465/ambpp.2021.30)
Kerlin, J. A., Lall, S. A. , Peng, S. and Cui, T. S. (2021) Institutional intermediaries as legitimizing agents for social enterprise in China and India. Public Management Review, 23(5), pp. 731-753. (doi: 10.1080/14719037.2020.1865441)
Lall, S. A. , Chen, L.-W. and Roberts, P. W. (2020) Are we accelerating equity investment into impact-oriented ventures? World Development, 131, 104952. (doi: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.104952)
Lall, S. A. , Chen, L.-W. and Davidson, A. (2019) The expat gap: are local-born entrepreneurs in developing countries at a disadvantage when seeking grant funding? Public Administration Review, 79(6), pp. 880-894. (doi: 10.1111/puar.13076)
Guttentag, M. and Lall, S. A. (2019) Accelerating entrepreneurship: Why business accelerators are good investments for global development. Impact Alpha,
Lall, S. A. (2019) From legitimacy to learning: how impact measurement perceptions and practices evolve in social enterprise–social finance organization relationships. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 30(3), pp. 562-577. (doi: 10.1007/s11266-018-00081-5)
Lall, S. (2017) Measuring to improve versus measuring to prove: understanding the adoption of social performance measurement practices in nascent social enterprises. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 28, pp. 2633-2657. (doi: 10.1007/s11266-017-9898-1)
Pandey, S., Lall, S. , Pandey, S. K. and Ahlawat, S. (2017) The appeal of social accelerators: what do social entrepreneurs value? Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 8(1), pp. 88-109. (doi: 10.1080/19420676.2017.1299035)
Lall, S. , Bowles, L. and Baird, R. (2013) Bridging the “pioneer gap”: the role of accelerators in launching high-impact enterprises. Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, 8(3-4), pp. 105-137. (doi: 10.1162/inov_a_00191)
Books
Roberts, P. W. and Lall, S. A. (2018) Observing Acceleration: Uncovering the Effects of Accelerators on Impact-Oriented Entrepreneurs. Palgrave Macmillan: Cham. ISBN 9783030000417 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-00042-4)
Research Reports or Papers
Schmid, C., Roper, S., Shaw, E., Sahasranamam, S. , Lall, S. , Mwaura, S., Ates, A., Lassalle, P., Henley, A. and Hewitt-Dundas, N. (2024) The Gender Index Report 2024. [Research Reports or Papers]
Miller, A., Lall, S. A. , Goldstein, M. and Montalvao, J. (2023) Asking Better Questions : The Effect of Changing Investment Organizations’ Evaluation Practices on Gender Disparities in Funding Innovation. [Research Reports or Papers]
Lall, S. and Miller, A. (2023) Laying the groundwork for an equitable startup ecosystem: Improving the accuracy of evaluation processes for greater gender equity. [Research Reports or Papers]
Miller, A. and Lall, S. (2023) Smarter Systems: How Tweaking Your Diligence Process Can Unlock Overlooked Opportunities – Key Insights Report. [Research Reports or Papers]
Miller, A. and Lall, S. (2023) Smarter Systems: How Tweaking Your Diligence Process Can Unlock Overlooked opportunities - Accelerator Implementation Guide. [Research Reports or Papers]
Miller, A. and Lall, S. (2023) Smarter Systems: How Tweaking Your Diligence Process Can Unlock Overlooked Opportunities - Investor Implementation Guide. [Research Reports or Papers]
Miller, A. and Lall, S. (2023) Smarter Systems: How Tweaking Your Diligence Process Can Unlock Overlooked Opportunities - Research Methodology. [Research Reports or Papers]
Roberts, P., Davidson, A., Edens, G. and Lall, S. (2018) Accelerating the Flow of Funds into Early-Stage Ventures: An Initial Look at Program Differences and Design Choices. [Research Reports or Papers]
Lall, S. , Mason, D., Chen, L.-W., Joy, E. and Wandke, P. (2018) Insights into Online Mentoring & Matchmaking - MicroMentor Toolkit Series: Part One. [Research Reports or Papers]
Davidson, A., Edens, G., Rocha, R., Parkinson, R., Lall, S. , Costa, T., Bombardi, F. and Hamra, S. (2017) Landscape Study of Accelerators and Incubators in Brazil. [Research Reports or Papers]
Roberts, P., Lall, S. , Baird, R., Eastman, E., Davidson, A. and Jacobson, A. (2016) What’s Working in Startup Acceleration: Insights from Fifteen Village Capital Programs. [Research Reports or Papers]
Edens, G. and Lall, S. (2014) The State of Measurement Practice in the SGB Sector. [Research Reports or Papers]
, (2013) ANDE Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Diagnostic Toolkit. [Research Reports or Papers]
, (2012) Small and Growing Businesses: Investing in the Missing Middle for Poverty Alleviation. Literature review March 2012. [Research Reports or Papers]
Bairiganjan, S., Cheung, R., Delio, E. A., Fuente, D., Lall, S. and Singh, S. (2010) Power to the People: Investing in Clean Energy for the Base of the Pyramid in India. [Research Reports or Papers]
Delio, E. A., Lall, S. A. and Singh, C. (2009) Powering Up: The Investment Potential of Energy Service Companies in India. [Research Reports or Papers]
Grants
- 2020 - £67,000 (US$84,000) for conducting a randomized-controlled trial implemented in collaboration with the World Bank Gender Innovation Lab, International Finance Corporation, and Village Capital on accelerating investment into women-led startups from the International Growth Centre (London School of Economics & University of Oxford, financed by the UK Department for International Development) (co-Principal Investigator, with Amisha Miller, PhD Candidate at Boston University).
- 2018 - £169,000 (US$201,359) for conducting a randomized-controlled trial on access to entrepreneurial mentorship from the Innovation Growth Lab (IGL) Grants Programme (NESTA, The Argidius Foundation, The Kauffman Foundation) (Principal Investigator).
- 2015 - £1.92 million (US$2.3 million) to study the effectiveness of impact accelerators, funded by the Argidius Foundation, Doen Foundation, Kauffman Foundation, Lemelson Foundation, Omidyar Networks, and USAID (www.galidata.org) (co-Principal Investigator, with Peter Roberts at Emory University).
Supervision
Saurabh welcomes applications from promising PhD students on the following topics. Applicants should have some training in econometric methods and software, and an interest in quantitative research.
- Social entrepreneurship
- Accelerators and innovation
- Entrepreneurship in emerging markets
- Entrepreneurship and gender
- Entrepreneurial Resource Constraints in Emerging Economies
- Gender and Access to Equity Finance
- Entrepreneurial Resource Constraints in Emerging Economies
Professional activities & recognition
Prizes, awards & distinctions
- 2022: Best Paper Award (Business & Society Journal)
- 2022: Responsible Research in Management Award (Academy of Management)
- 2021: Best Paper Award (Academy of Management Entrepreneurship Division)
Grant committees & research advisory boards
- 2017 - 2021: The Kauffman Foundation, Evaluation Advisory Committee
- 2020: MicroMentor, Advisory Board
Editorial boards
- 2020: Social Enterprise Journal
- 2021: Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations
- 2023: Public Administration Review
Selected international presentations
- 2022: London School of Economics - Colloquium on the Multi-dimensional Impacts of Business Accelerators (London)
- 2019: The Omidyar Network - Presentation on "Observing Acceleration" (Bengaluru, India)
- 2016: Global Entrepreneurship Congress (Medellin)
Additional information
Media coverage
- Forbes (2024), "Consistent Questions from Investors Minimize Gender Bias"
- Forbes (2019), “Social Impact Accelerators Drive Revenue Growth Among Just a Small Portion of Ventures.”
External knowledge exchange activities
- Evaluation Advisor, Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative - Inclusive Entrepreneurship Program
- Member, The Kauffman Foundation Evaluation Advisory Committee (2017 - 2021)
- Research network member, Innovation Growth Lab
- Advisory Board Member, MicroMentor Program, Mercy Corps
- Academic Working Group Member, United Nations Development Programme Impact Measurement and Management
Saurabh looks forward to developing partnerships with organisations working in the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation, and impact investing.
