Struggling with entrepreneurial ecosystems

Custom Field Value: October 31, 2025

I am delighted to announce that my paper, ‚Struggling with Entrepreneurial Ecosystems‘, has just been published online in the Journal of Technology Transfer. You can access it at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-025-10280-0  

In this article, I discuss the notion of entrepreneurial ecosystems and propose directions for further developing the concept. As a result of this discussion, I formulate four conceptual requirements.

First, as the primary objective of this approach is to explain and promote regional development, it is essential to implement a metric that quantifies the impact of entrepreneurial activity on regional performance.

Second, an analysis of the role of entrepreneurship in regional development should consider the full spectrum of entrepreneurship in a region, including firms that may not appear promising in their earl stages.

Third, the analysis should not only consider start-ups, but also the innovation and entrepreneurial activity of older firms, as they are a key part of the regional context.

Fourth, Entrepreneurial Ecosystems should be considered part of the regional innovation system, given the close link between entrepreneurship and innovation.

The key challenge in developing a valid EE theory that could provide appropriate policy guidance is to explore the main causal relationships. A useful EE theory should identify market or system failure configurations that make public intervention desirable.