How Inclusive Are Entrepreneurial Ecosystems of Marginalized Business Owners?
摘要
Entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) are networks of interconnected actors and resources—such as businesses, institutions, and support organizations—designed to foster innovation and economic growth, primarily for locally based entrepreneurs in venture development. However, their inclusivity for diverse entrepreneurs, particularly transnational immigrant entrepreneurs (TIEs), remains limited. TIEs navigate dual embeddedness in both home and host countries but often find traditional EEs ill-suited to their needs. Despite an ideological commitment to inclusivity, EEs are typically structured around the experiences of native-born entrepreneurs, prioritizing rapid returns on investment. This focus marginalizes immigrant entrepreneurs, who are pushed to regularly draw on transnational networks, ethnic enclaves, and culturally aligned community organizations for support. These parallel systems provide crucial resources that mainstream EEs overlook. As global migration increases, driven by conflict, economic instability, and environmental crises, the need for EEs to adapt and provide culturally appropriate support for all actors becomes urgent. This chapter advocates for a paradigm shift, calling for the recognition and integration of alternative networks and non-mainstream contributors within EEs. By promoting diversity and offering tailored transnational support, EEs can move beyond local biases to create genuinely inclusive environments that enable entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds to succeed.