10th Effectuation Conference:

Effectual Impact: The Entrepreneurial Role in Connecting Society

Twente, Netherlands

November 17th-18th, 2025

The 10th Effectuation Conference theme is “Effectual Impact: The Entrepreneurial Role in Connecting Society”.  Effectuation has inspired a generation of researchers and practitioners to see entrepreneurship through a different lens. By focusing on means at hand, letting go of preconceived plans, building through collaboration, and embracing uncertainty, aspiring entrepreneurs have earned a toolbox that catalyzed the design of more creative and durable businesses. 

Each year, our community expands through the valuable exchanges that occur at our conference. These include the design of new research projects, the development of educational tools, and critical debates on the far-reaching impact of effectual thinking. This year, we will dedicate the 10th Effectuation Conference to “The Entrepreneurial Role in Connecting Society”.  We invite researchers, authors, educators, policy makers and other persons of interest to submit their work.  Come to the conference to engage in a discussion about how effectuation can be practiced in the real world! 

During our two days together, we will explore:

• How can effectuation be practiced by entrepreneurs and managers? 
• What other disciplines can benefit from effectuation theory? And how?
• What is the value of effectuation when uncertainty is low(er)?

Effectuation is at the vanguard of entrepreneurship research and practice as a scientifically validated method that arms aspiring entrepreneurs with a toolkit to design bold, creative, and unexpected solutions. In our post-pandemic world where global challenges threaten to upend our lives with unprecedented crises, teaching effectuation as means to forge better futures was never this urgent.

Co-branded with ECSB and scheduled in tandem with the RENT Conference, the 2025 Effectuation Conference will take place in Twente, City of Enschede, Netherlands. We provide a description of each of the elements of this conference, followed by a daily agenda, with updates available on the conference website: http://www.effectuation.org

In the tradition of Effectuation Conference in past years, the format will offer plenary sessions as well as small group research and practice “pods” where your submissions can be developed into full-fledged research articles and teaching materials. We will, of course, also enjoy the “effectual” dinner and debrief as usual.

Conference Venue:

The conference will take place at the Enschede Campus of Saxion University located at Van Galenstraat 20, 7511 JL Enschede, Netherlands.  Travel instructions will be provided. 

For more information about Enschede, click here. 

For more information about the Twente region, click here.

Accommodation and Transportation Information:

Information about lodging near the RENT conference or with conference rates available and specific information about transit and accomodations for Effectuation 2025 (coming)

Program:

The conference will consist of two full days scheduled for November 17th-18th, 2024 (09h00-17h00). We will have an informal reception on Sunday November 16th 17h00 and a conference dinner on Monday November 17th. Please make travel travel and accommodation arrangements accordingly. A detailed program will be published this summer.

Keynote Speaker information here.

Call For Papers/Submissions:

Access the call for papers announcement here

Registration for Accepted Submissions

Scholars and teachers with accepted submissions will be sent links to register and to pay for the conference.

Registration fee (accepted authors and persons of interest) = 250 EUR (to cover costs of certain meals and venues); ECSB members enjoy a reduced rate (220 EUR); (presenting or non-presenting) doctoral students = 150 EUR.
Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. To keep the interactive and community atmosphere of the previous conference, acceptances will be limited to 50 participants.

If you have been accepted to the conference you will be provided with a registration link.

Refund Policy:

100% up to one month before the conference.
50% up to two weeks before the conference.
No refunds provided less than two weeks from the conference.

Important Deadlines:

Paper submission:    May 15, 2025
Author notification:     July 31, 2025
Registration opens:    August 15, 2025
Registration closes:    September 30, 2025

Conference logistics coming soon. We hope our intense, but rewarding program encourages you to come join us. We look forward to seeing you in Twente!

The Organizing Committee 

Tiago Ratinho, IESEG School of Management, France

Katrin Smolka, Warwick Business School, UK

Saras Sarasvathy, UVA Darden School of Business, USA

Jim Zuffoletti, UVA Darden School of Business, USA

Martin Stienstra, University of Twente, Netherlands

Inge Elsman- Loeffen, Saxion University, Netherlands

Ruud Koopman, Saxion University, Netherlands