Education

2007 Ohio University, B.S.
2012 University of Denver, M.B.A.
2017 Kent State University, Ph.D.

Courses Taught

Business Mosel Development
Creativity & Innovation
Entrepreneurship Marketing
Introduction to Entrepreneurship/Feasibilty

Career Specialties

Kostas Alexiou teaches a variety of entrepreneurship courses at the University of Tampa and coordinates the undergraduate senior capstone Business Model Development experience. Kostas has a reputation for inspiring and empowering students to test the limits of what they are capable of - both as students and future business leaders. As an academic, his award-winning research integrates theoretical perspectives from social psychology and sociology to investigate the perceived legitimacy of innovative new venture concepts.

Professional and Community Activities

Alexiou is a well published and recognized scholar in the field of entrepreneurship. Kosta's primary area of expertise involves the perception of legitimacy - especially the legitimacy of new organizations - under highly ambiguous circumstances, such as when they're being created in new/hybrid industry or market contexts. His doctoral work on measuring legitimacy perceptions, published in 2019, was the recipient of the 2024 SO! What Best Paper Award for the most impactful manuscript published five years prior based on citations and downloads. He has published in leading academic journals in the fields of entrepreneurship (Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Small Business Strategy), strategic management (Strategic Organization, Organizational Dynamics), and nonprofit/fine art management (Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Quarterly, International Journal of Fine Art Management).

Alexiou serves as faculty co-advisor for the UT Entrepreneurships Club and an advisor & mentor to entrepreneurship students in the undergraduate, graduate, accelerator, and incubator programs. He has collaborated with Amazon and the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) as an educational consultant in the development of the Amazon Small Business Academy, served as track chair for the United States Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship (USASBE) conference, provided peer reviews for prestigious academic journals including Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, Applied Psychology, Entrepreneurship Education & Pedagogy, the International Journal of Small Business management, and the International Journal of Art Management. He has coached numerous student teams through pitch competitions, and advised numerous alumni through seed funding negotiations.

Alexiou has served as chair of The University of Tampa Salary & Benefits Committee from 2021-2023. Kostas is also a faculty liason forthe Lowth Center Advisory Board and has served on the Sykes College of Business Assurance of Learning committee since 2019.

Honors and Awards

2024 So! What Award - Best Paper (5-year impact)
2021 Researcher of the Year, Sykes College of Business
2016 Academy of Management Entrepreneurship Doctoral Consortium Fellow
2016 Kauffman Foundation Fellowship Recipient
2015 Kent State University Dean's Best Paper Award Finalist 
2014 Falcone Center/Syracuse University Scholarship recipient, Social Entrepreneurship PhD Seminar