Reimagining entrepreneurial ecosystems for sustainable development

Entrepreneurial ecosystems are widely recognized for fostering innovation, job creation, and economic growth. However, increasing attention is being paid to the negative externalities they may produce, including environmental degradation, social inequality, and reduced well-being. In response, the concept of sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems has emerged, aiming to align entrepreneurship with broader social and environmental goals. This paper presents an empirically grounded conceptual elaboration of sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems by building on the notion of ecosystem well-being from social-ecological research and incorporating insights from institutional theory. We identify four well-being dimensions—diversity, quality, resilience, opportunity and choice provision—that ecosystems must cultivate to support sustainable development. Drawing on case studies from Stockholm, Berlin, Tel Aviv, and Silicon Valley, we show how actors engage in enabling, framing, and boundary-spanning work to shape their ecosystems. Our study advances the theoretical foundation of sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems by offering insights into how they can support societal well-being.