Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Program & Conference (BCERC)
Key Dates for 2026 BCERC
Early September - Abstract Submission and Doctoral Consortium Application Sites Open
October 15, 2025 - Submit Abstracts by 11:59 pm EST
December 7, 2025 - Doctoral Consortium Application Due by 11:59 pm EST
Mid-December, 2025 - Notification of Acceptance Sent to Authors
January 31 - March 5, 2026 - Registration is Open for BCERC 2026 (Conference Fee: $950)
March 11, 2026 - Summary Due from Accepted Authors by 11:59 pm EST
April 15, 2026 - 6-Page Abridged Paper Due from Accepted Authors by 11:59 pm EST
June 3-6, 2026 - 2026 BCERC at The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
About BCERC
Founded by Babson College in 1981, BCERC is considered by many to be the premier entrepreneurship research conference in the world. It was established to provide a dynamic venue where academics and real-world practitioners, through spirited dialogue, could link theory and practice. Each year, the conference attracts more than 350 entrepreneurial scholars who come to hear the presentation of more than 220 papers.
BCERC Doctoral Consortium
A Doctoral Consortium is held in conjunction with the Conference and was created as a means to unite future entrepreneurship educators and scholars with established leaders and researchers in the field. One of the most exciting products to come out of the Doctoral Consortium is their Research Translation Showcase where they have translated their research into practice, policy, or further research. Check out their work»
2026 BCERC at The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
BCERC is celebrating its 46th year at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa June 3–6, 2026. The conference fee is $950. The submission sites for abstracts and the doctoral consortium will open in early September 2025. Learn more about the 2026 BCERC »
2026 BCERC Conference Sponsors
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2025 Best Paper Award Sponsors to be presented at the 2026 BCERC Awards Night
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Award for best paper in the general category – $3,000
The Tariq Farid Franchise Institute Award (Babson College) for the best paper on franchising – $3,000
The Institute for Social Innovation Award (Babson College) for the best paper on social impact – $3,000
The Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies Award (Illinois State) for best paper on social entrepreneurship – $2,500
The Bertarelli Institute for Family Entrepreneurship Award (Babson College) for best paper on family business – $1,000
The Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Award (Babson College) for best paper on the MENA region – $3,000
The G. Dale Meyer Iconoclast Award for a doctoral student who is the lead author on a paper and has demonstrated they pushed the boundaries of existing knowledge in entrepreneurship research – $3,000
Director Andrew Zacharakis celebrates 20 years as BCERC Director
Andrew "Zach" Zacharakis, was celebrated at this year's BCERC for his dedication as the director of the conference for 20 years. At the conference’s celebration dinner, Andrew Corbett, and Candida Brush P’14, took to the stage to honor Zach with a tribute video (see below) and a special award, commemorating his 20 years of service to BCERC. Read the article here»
Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research
Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research (FER) contains the BCERC Proceedings of the conference and is the most comprehensive collection of empirical research papers on entrepreneurship. Order recent copies of the publication, or view the online archives.