Ben Spigel
@benspigel.bsky.social
He/him. Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Babson College. I study entrepreneurial ecosystems, how firms grow, and why kittens are the best form of cat.
Reposted by Ben Spigel
the Spectator accidentally recycled a subhed from a previous day’s article about Tehran
February 6, 2026 at 6:07 PM
the Spectator accidentally recycled a subhed from a previous day’s article about Tehran
Reposted by Ben Spigel
Thanks to @mitpress.bsky.social for providing this entire book open source -- "Let #Geography Die" tells the sad story of how #Harvard dissolved its department because of errant leadership decisions and prejudice cc: @geographers.bsky.social direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...
Let Geography Die: Chasing Derwent’s Ghost at Harvard
An investigative history of the closure of Harvard University's geography program in the mid-twentieth century due to homophobia and wider institutional po
direct.mit.edu
February 6, 2026 at 1:18 AM
Thanks to @mitpress.bsky.social for providing this entire book open source -- "Let #Geography Die" tells the sad story of how #Harvard dissolved its department because of errant leadership decisions and prejudice cc: @geographers.bsky.social direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...
New paper! I forced made 7 researchers (and myself) to independently code 229 interviews to figure out who actually pivoted their business model during COVID vs. who just said they did.
Spoiler: Most companies did NOT pivot. Paper is here: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Spoiler: Most companies did NOT pivot. Paper is here: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Business model innovation in the context of crisis: a qualitative longitudinal analysis - The Journal of Technology Transfer
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the challenges firms face in engaging in business model innovation (BMI) during a crisis. To better understand how and why entrepreneurial firms undertake BMI during ...
link.springer.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:22 PM
New paper! I forced made 7 researchers (and myself) to independently code 229 interviews to figure out who actually pivoted their business model during COVID vs. who just said they did.
Spoiler: Most companies did NOT pivot. Paper is here: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Spoiler: Most companies did NOT pivot. Paper is here: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
This is amazing Outsider Art. When is there going to be a gallery show for this?
January 28, 2026 at 2:47 PM
This is amazing Outsider Art. When is there going to be a gallery show for this?
Reposted by Ben Spigel
Reposted by Ben Spigel
Please help spread the word on this, especially to those who may be feeling cold winds towards their research.
We’ve opened the call for our International Fellowships, enabling early career researchers to work for two years at a UK research institution
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
We’ve opened the call for our International Fellowships, enabling early career researchers to work for two years at a UK research institution
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
January 15, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Please help spread the word on this, especially to those who may be feeling cold winds towards their research.
We’ve opened the call for our International Fellowships, enabling early career researchers to work for two years at a UK research institution
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
We’ve opened the call for our International Fellowships, enabling early career researchers to work for two years at a UK research institution
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
Reposted by Ben Spigel
🌟 New RSA blog:
The Human Flourishing Geographic Index (HFGI) offers a new way to study regions—tracking happiness, belonging, purpose, and well-being at fine spatial and temporal scales across the U.S.
By Stefano Iacus & Devika Jain
🔗 www.regionalstudies.org/rsa-blog/202...
The Human Flourishing Geographic Index (HFGI) offers a new way to study regions—tracking happiness, belonging, purpose, and well-being at fine spatial and temporal scales across the U.S.
By Stefano Iacus & Devika Jain
🔗 www.regionalstudies.org/rsa-blog/202...
Human Flourishing Geographic Index (HFGI): A County-level Dataset for Measuring Regional Flourishing in the United States - RSA Main
Policymakers often rely on familiar indicators such as GDP, employment rates, and education levels to assess regional well-being. Yet these metrics tell only part of the story. Human flourishing, enco...
www.regionalstudies.org
January 5, 2026 at 10:45 PM
🌟 New RSA blog:
The Human Flourishing Geographic Index (HFGI) offers a new way to study regions—tracking happiness, belonging, purpose, and well-being at fine spatial and temporal scales across the U.S.
By Stefano Iacus & Devika Jain
🔗 www.regionalstudies.org/rsa-blog/202...
The Human Flourishing Geographic Index (HFGI) offers a new way to study regions—tracking happiness, belonging, purpose, and well-being at fine spatial and temporal scales across the U.S.
By Stefano Iacus & Devika Jain
🔗 www.regionalstudies.org/rsa-blog/202...
In writing up my annual review I've looked at 8 different bibliometric analyses of the entrepreneurial ecosystems liturature. Please stop writing these for the next decade. We have enough.
January 7, 2026 at 4:37 PM
In writing up my annual review I've looked at 8 different bibliometric analyses of the entrepreneurial ecosystems liturature. Please stop writing these for the next decade. We have enough.
Reposted by Ben Spigel
The first two hours this morning
January 5, 2026 at 11:21 AM
The first two hours this morning
Reposted by Ben Spigel
My university, Queen's in Kingston, Canada, has announced its portion of the Canadian government's 'poach American scholars' program if anyone is interested.
www.queensu.ca/vpr/sites/vp...
www.queensu.ca/vpr/sites/vp...
December 19, 2025 at 11:16 PM
My university, Queen's in Kingston, Canada, has announced its portion of the Canadian government's 'poach American scholars' program if anyone is interested.
www.queensu.ca/vpr/sites/vp...
www.queensu.ca/vpr/sites/vp...
Reposted by Ben Spigel
‘Tis the season.
December 17, 2025 at 7:07 PM
‘Tis the season.
Ahh, the hype cycle.
*There must be somebody somewhere who is actually doing this every day
December 12, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Ahh, the hype cycle.
Finally, someone doing the important research on entrepreneurial personality! Full study at link.springer.com/article/10.1...
December 9, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Finally, someone doing the important research on entrepreneurial personality! Full study at link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Ben Spigel
The workshop began by tackling less fraught issues: How founders look and smell. Each attendee received a gift bag containing a comb, 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, mouth wash, a lint roller and a discount card to Wilkes Bashford, a local high-end clothing boutique.”
Tech bros head to etiquette camp as Silicon Valley levels up its style
As Silicon Valley grows in power and prominence, some insiders say it’s time for the tech industry to remake its slobby image. An etiquette camp for founders showed how.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 7, 2025 at 2:51 PM
The workshop began by tackling less fraught issues: How founders look and smell. Each attendee received a gift bag containing a comb, 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, mouth wash, a lint roller and a discount card to Wilkes Bashford, a local high-end clothing boutique.”
Love this edition of God Emperor of Dune
December 2, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Love this edition of God Emperor of Dune
I'm doing page proofs for a paper that just got accepted, and the copy editor only found 4 errors. That means I worked way to hard proof reading it. Should have just shoved it out the door earlier.
November 24, 2025 at 9:28 PM
I'm doing page proofs for a paper that just got accepted, and the copy editor only found 4 errors. That means I worked way to hard proof reading it. Should have just shoved it out the door earlier.
I was afraid of getting a job. So I kept on going to school till they started to pay me.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 PM
I was afraid of getting a job. So I kept on going to school till they started to pay me.
Reposted by Ben Spigel
"Before I left the NYC Conflicts of Interest Board back in 2022, I created (along with Dan Iwrey and Rob Casimir) what might be the greatest municipal ethics-law-based D&D one-shot module ever conceived… or at the very least the ONLY municipal ethics-law-based D&D one-shot module ever conceived."
www.nyc.gov
November 21, 2025 at 5:09 AM
"Before I left the NYC Conflicts of Interest Board back in 2022, I created (along with Dan Iwrey and Rob Casimir) what might be the greatest municipal ethics-law-based D&D one-shot module ever conceived… or at the very least the ONLY municipal ethics-law-based D&D one-shot module ever conceived."
Reposted by Ben Spigel
The edge we had relative to China on research was free and open inquiry—fewer resources and a surveillance state will be toxic for US science.
Message to all faculty: your expertise is no longer trusted or valued at this so-called “university.”
November 14, 2025 at 1:39 PM
The edge we had relative to China on research was free and open inquiry—fewer resources and a surveillance state will be toxic for US science.
Christaller's Central Place Theory finally getting its due! I mean, sure it was used to plan Generalplan Ost, but who keeps track of those things. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central...
November 13, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Christaller's Central Place Theory finally getting its due! I mean, sure it was used to plan Generalplan Ost, but who keeps track of those things. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central...
Reposted by Ben Spigel
Joyce Carol Oates sitting across a desk from Kendrick Lamar:
"So I'm putting a team together..."
Isaac Chotiner knocks on the open door.
"So I'm putting a team together..."
Isaac Chotiner knocks on the open door.
Personally, I will be trying to avoid the notice of Joyce Carol Oates and Kendrick Lamar for the rest of my natural life
I need Joyce Carol Oates to be mean to me online so I can get my life together
November 11, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Joyce Carol Oates sitting across a desk from Kendrick Lamar:
"So I'm putting a team together..."
Isaac Chotiner knocks on the open door.
"So I'm putting a team together..."
Isaac Chotiner knocks on the open door.
Reposted by Ben Spigel
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
November 3, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
Reposted by Ben Spigel
