How to erase gender differences in entrepreneurial success? Look at the ecosystem

Entrepreneurial ecosystemshave become a popular concept within research and practitioner contexts. Yet, while bothliterature streams have produced relevant eco-factors, no clear empirical evidence has emerged on their impact. This study addresses the following question: in impoverished areas, to what extent does the business ecosystem reduce gender differences in entrepreneurial success (controlling ownership and business longevity)? Our framework distinguishes three levels—cultural, social, and material—in the four major regions of the Indian ecosystem. Our results show that family support is most important in reducing the gender gap in the success of entrepreneurs. Weestablish the importance of social network support. We find no evidence that capital funding influences the gender gap in entrepreneurial success. Last, our study suggests that the more female entrepreneurs are exposed to local markets at the beginning of their enterprise, the more entrepreneurially successful they are than male entrepreneurs. Implications are discussed.