Organizational Readiness for AI: Assessing Cultural, Leadership, and Structural Factors That Influence Successful AI Integration Within Non-profit Venture Development Organizations

Abstract

This study investigates artificial intelligence (AI) adoption within Rev1 Ventures, a nonprofit venture development organization and technology incubator that supports early-stage startups and the commercialization of institutional research. The purpose of the study was to examine the organizational, cultural, and leadership barriers that constrain effective AI integration within a knowledge-intensive innovation intermediary. Guided by Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) and informed by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Team Climate Inventory (TCI), the study employed a mixed-methods case study design incorporating survey data, semi-structured interviews, a leadership focus group, document analysis, and field observations. Findings indicate that barriers to AI adoption were primarily social and organizational rather than technical, including fragmented individual use, unclear leadership expectations, uneven AI literacy, and concerns related to professional identity. Managerial leadership and team climate were found to significantly shape adoption patterns, with supportive and psychologically safe environments fostering greater engagement. The study concludes that AI integration in nonprofit venture development organizations is fundamentally a socio-organizational process requiring leadership clarity, shared learning structures, and collaborative experimentation.