Founders’ Social Class Origin,Risk-Taking,and Venture Performance: A Bourdieusian Lens

Abstract

This study adopts a Bourdieusian lens to examine how founders’ social class origin influences venture performance through a central aspect of entrepreneurial habitus—risk-taking. In Study 1, we find that risk-taking mediates the relationship between social class origin and venture performance, advantaging those from higher social class origins. In an archival dataset, we show that an alternative measure of childhood social class similarly predicts risk-taking among self-employed individuals. In Study 2, we investigate how field-specific social capital moderates this pathway through founders’ social networks. These findings advance understanding of how early-life social class conditions shape entrepreneurial behavior and performance and imply the need for more nuanced and class-inclusive support within entrepreneurial ecosystems.