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Lehigh University and Technische Universität (TU) Dortmund have enjoyed a long history of global partnership and collaboration. Now, researchers from both institutions are teaming up on a project aimed at maintaining and enhancing the well-being of entrepreneurs.

Daniela Gimenez Jimenez, Junior Professor of Entrepreneurship at TU Dortmund, is visiting Lehigh to collaborate with Willy Das, Senior Research Scientist and Curriculum Innovation Manager at Lehigh@NasdaqCenter, an exclusive academic-industry partnership between Lehigh University and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center.

Their project aims to develop sustainable solutions for entrepreneurs' mental, physical, and emotional well-being, while also studying how negative stressors impact their intention to continue in business. Das and Gimenez Jimenez noted that this aspect of entrepreneurship is often overlooked.

“The role models in entrepreneurship tend to be people who are non-stop, very independent, focus-oriented people who work constantly and don’t sleep,” Gimenez Jimenez said. “We need to challenge this assumption that all entrepreneurs have to work at this same kind of pace.”

Entrepreneurs often equate business failure with personal failure, and their startups or ventures lack the HR structure that larger businesses have to support wellness. This research aims to redefine entrepreneurial success to include individual well-being and happiness, not just financial or business metrics.

“One of the outcomes for us is to have a paradigm shift,” Das said. “When you talk about entrepreneurial success, there should be a component of individual success and well-being as well. Asking ‘am I happy being an entrepreneur?’ should be seen as a parameter when we talk about entrepreneurial success.”

The project will identify factors that negatively impact the mental, physical, and emotional health of entrepreneurs, and design interventions to improve well-being. The research focuses not just on job creation, but on well-being and job satisfaction as factors crucial for community and organizational success.

“It’s a more human-centered approach,” Gimenez Jimenez said.

Lehigh and TU Dortmund have enjoyed an active and highly successful institutional partnership since 1998, making it one of the longest-running global collaborations at Lehigh. The success of the partnership stems in part from the similarity between the two regions and the close alignment on similar issues at the universities.

The Ruhr area was once a coal-mining region that was forced to diversify its economy once that production ceased, similar to how the Lehigh Valley economy changed after Bethlehem Steel shut down. This shift sparked a greater focus on entrepreneurship and innovation in both regions and at both universities.

Gimenez Jimenez believes this research project will assist in regional development by enhancing entrepreneurs' understanding of their contexts and roles, fostering job creation and better-quality jobs.

Gimenez Jimenez has extensive expertise in sustainability and women entrepreneurs, with work on the long-term sustainability of businesses and entrepreneurs. This background aligns well with Das’ work at Lehigh@NasdaqCenter focusing on the sustainability of entrepreneurs and their holistic well-being.

“Daniela’s expertise and contributions to the entrepreneurship field makes her an ideal partner for this research,” Lehigh@NasdaqCenter Managing Director Samantha Dewalt said. “Her involvement brings great value to our faculty and further strengthens the bonds between Lehigh University and TU Dortmund."

Gimenez Jimenez arrived at Lehigh in early August and will stay through October, but the project began shortly after an October symposium both institutions held at Lehigh, which focused on “empowering regional impact through entrepreneurship.” Roundtable discussions after that event led the creation of several initiatives and projects, including this one.

The research includes feedback from various stakeholders including ecosystem builders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to ensure relevance and practical value. The search methods include a mixed-methods approach using surveys, interviews, and focus groups to collect data, with both qualitative and quantitative analysis.

A roundtable/panel conversation is planned for Oct. 8 with various stakeholders to share the findings and discuss community well-being and economic development. The panel will include Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds, and Nicola Corzine, Executive Director of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center.

Das and Gimenez Jimenez also plan to attend conferences and submit the research findings to journals and other publications.