This book demonstrates how political entrepreneurs - entrepreneurially minded citizens who launch innovative political start-ups - can drive political change. Building on unique insights, rich examples and personal stories of centrist political entrepreneurs distilled from 40 in-depth interviews, the author guides readers through key stages of political entrepreneurship, and shows how to master them. By equally highlighting successes and failures, the book reveals how political entrepreneurs actually go about producing transformative political change. In light of the populist challenge and the decline of traditional political parties, the book also offers an entertaining backstage view and first-hand insights into the successes of En Marche in France, Ciudadanos in Spain, NEOS in Austria and other centrist political startups. It provides practical advice on how to learn from and replicate their successes. Political practitioners and other politically interested readers will find a useful theory of Political Entrepreneurship - what it is, how it works, and what its role is in 21st century democracies. Most of all, they will find essential, reproducible tools and methods. "You have read a lot about startups in business, but if you want to know how Silicon Valley style startups look in politics, read this. Its author is not only writing about political entrepreneurs, he is one of them."

Ivan Krastev (Chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, and permanent Fellow at the Institute of Human Sciences in Vienna)

"No one understands better what it takes to take a political start up from ideation to the parliament better than Josef Lentsch. In 'Political Entrepreneurship' he combines first-hand experience with a thoughtful review of what we know about entrepreneurship in the interest of society."

Johanna Mair (Professor of Organization, Strategy and Leadership at the Hertie Schoolof Governance, and Co-Director Global Innovation for Impact Lab at Stanford University)

Autorentext
Josef Lentsch is Founding Director of NEOS Lab, the party academy of NEOS in Vienna, Austria. He was a founding board member of NEOS.

Prior to that, he was the International Director for the Royal Society of Arts in London. He co-founded, managed and sold UNIPORT, Austria's largest careers service for students and graduates.
He holds an MSc in Psychology from the University of Vienna, and an MPA in Public Administration from Harvard University. 

Klappentext
This book demonstrates how political entrepreneurs entrepreneurially minded citizens who launch innovative political start-ups can drive political change. Building on unique insights, rich examples and personal stories of centrist political entrepreneurs distilled from 40 in-depth interviews, the author guides readers through key stages of political entrepreneurship, and shows how to master them. By equally highlighting successes and failures, the book reveals how political entrepreneurs actually go about producing transformative political change. In light of the populist challenge and the decline of traditional political parties, the book also offers an entertaining backstage view and first-hand insights into the successes of En Marche in France, Ciudadanos in Spain, NEOS in Austria and other centrist political startups. It provides practical advice on how to learn from and replicate their successes. Political practitioners and other politically interested readers will find a useful theory of Political Entrepreneurship what it is, how it works, and what its role is in 21st century democracies. Most of all, they will find essential, reproducible tools and methods.

You have read a lot about startups in business, but if you want to know how Silicon Valley style startups look in politics, read this. Its author is not only writing about political entrepreneurs, he is one of them.

Ivan Krastev (Chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, and permanent Fellow at the Institute of Human Sciences in Vienna)

No one understands better what it takes to take a political start up from ideation to the parliament better than Josef Lentsch. In 'Political Entrepreneurship' he combines first-hand experience with a thoughtful review of what we know about entrepreneurship in the interest of society.

Johanna Mair (Professor of Organization, Strategy and Leadership at the Hertie School of Governance, and Co-Director Global Innovation for Impact Lab at Stanford University)

Inhalt
PrefaceIntroduction1.Introducing Political Entrepreneurship1.1.Entrepreneurship1.2.Social Entrepreneurship1.3.Civic Entrepreneurship1.4.Political Entrepreneurship1.4.1.The centrist Spring: Introducing the Political Start-ups1.5.Conceptual distinctions1.5.1.Insiders versus Outsiders1.5.2.Rooted versus Entrepreneurial1.5.3.Media Access1.6.Congratulations, It's a Start-Up!1.7.The Central Challenge2.Liberal Democracies in Crisis2.1.Realignment Instead of Disintegration2.2.Reclaiming Democracy2.3.Resourceful Revolutionaries2.4.The Importance of Roots3.Leadership3.1.Without Power3.2.In Uncertainty3.3.For the Greater Good3.4.Without Clients3.5.From the Future3.6.Leading political entrepreneurs3.7.In Times of Crisis3.8.Leading to Transform4.Understanding Political Systems4.1.Envisioning a New Politics4.2.The power of the pen4.3.Discussion and debate5.Building Models for Political Change5.1.Prepare5.1.1.Individual Level5.1.2.Organisational Level5.2.Assemble6.(Co)-Design6.1.Continuous Learning and Transformation6.2.Fundraising6.2.1.Incentivise Party Members6.2.2.High-Net-Worth Individuals6.2.3.Relations with Pollsters6.2.4.Incentivise Regional Organisations6.3.Openness and Transparency6.3.1.Openness6.3.2.Transparency6.4.Unity in Diversity6.5.Controlling6.6.Exponential Growth6.7.Brand Differentiation6.8.Cutting-edge Communication6.9.Reasoned Arguments6.10.Looking Beyond National Borders6.11.Resilience7.Getting Competitive7.1.Critical mass7.2.Found/Launch7.3.The story of La Grande Marche8.Ready, Steady, Go8.1.Run9.Enter9.1.Re-integrating9.2.Re-engaging9.3.Consolidating9.4.Offboarding people (the right way)9.5.Re-focusing9.6.Rookie mistakes10.Growing Up and Handing Over10.1.Top-Down10.2.Bottom-up10.3.Scaling Strategy10.4.In Opposition10.5.Develop an Ecosystem10.6.Re-Enter10.7.Getting into Government10.7.1.Talking Coalition10.8.Challenges Ahead10.9.Passing the baton11.Political Entrepreneurs and the Evolution of Democracy11.1.Political Intrapreneurship11.2.Political Entrepreneurship in the UK and the US11.3.The Trouble with Democracy11.4.The Future of Political EntrepreneurshipEpilogueBibliographyAppendixAcknowledgementsAbout the Author