Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Builders: Understudied Contexts and Concepts

Abstract

The fundamental objective of this chapter is to delineate the unexplored research areas within the study of entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs), detail the various theoretical and practical approaches used to analyze EE builders, and provide a complete overview of the central topics addressed throughout the rest of the book. The main findings indicate that the field of EEs remains significantly understudied, especially regarding the necessary mechanisms for building sustainable EEs and establishing effective governance structures for these environments. This chapter acknowledges the vast and diverse landscape of key actors in ecosystem construction, which includes governments, business incubators, accelerators, venture studios, venture capital firms, angel investors, banks, universities, research institutions, and corporations, among many other stakeholders. Furthermore, this chapter serves as a concise summary of the entire book, introducing important but often uncommon concepts, such as the role of “middle-out” builders, the essential values for ecosystem construction, and the key functions of buffering, bridging, and curating activities within an EE. Finally, the book explores EE in unconventional geographic and industry-specific contexts, covering case studies in Latino communities in the United States, the creative industries, and emerging nations like Oman, Tunisia, Senegal, Ecuador, and Costa Rica.