Technological entrepreneurship in University tourism: A cross - sectional analysis of the performance maturity of startups

Abstract

Universities are pivotal in driving technological entrepreneurship; however, in the tourism sector, they represent a strategic opportunity to catalyze regional innovation. Despite this potential, empirical evidence regarding the maturity of university-born startups in Latin American public contexts remains scarce. This research analyzes the readiness of techno-tourism startups emerged from a competitive pre-incubation program in Peru. Using a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design, the study focused on the entrepreneurial team as the unit of analysis. Twenty-one finalist teams (N=60) were assessed by external experts using an analytical rubric across five dimensions: innovation, team potential, user validation, business model, and SDG alignment, measured on a 5-point Likert scale. Reliability was confirmed via Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC=0.83) and dimensional synergy through Spearman’s Rho. Results indicate high performance in team capabilities and social commitment, whereas business models showed lower maturity. Significant correlations were identified between team talent and user validation (ρ=0.75), and between validation and commercial viability (ρ=0.71). These findings suggest that early-stage maturity depends more on market interaction than on technological sophistication. Consequently, incubators must prioritize human capital and market immersion over purely technical metrics to ensure project scalability.