RISE Model: A Bottom-Up Framework for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems

Entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) research has traditionally emphasized top-down, institution-driven models (e.g., Stam, 2005), which prioritize formal structures, policy interventions, and financial access as the key enablers of entrepreneurship. However, these approaches often overlook the emergent, self-organizing mechanisms that shape ecosystems from the ground up (Aldrich & Ruef, 2006). This research introduces the RISE Model (Resilient, Interactive, Self-organizing, and Emergent Ecosystem) to explain how entrepreneurial networks evolve through peer interactions, informal collaboration, and regulatory adaptation (De Soto, 2000; Welter, 2016). Using the French ride-hailing industry as a case study, this research employs auto-ethnography to examine how drivers navigate platform constraints, form alternative economic networks, and foster entrepreneurial resilience (Roundy et al., 2018). The study integrates Grounded Theory and thematic analysis to identify the processes by which these informal networks evolve into structured ecosystems, influencing both market dynamics and regulatory frameworks (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). The findings contribute to a bottom-up theoretical model of EE formation, offering insights applicable to gig economies, digital entrepreneurship, and decentralized business models. By shifting the focus from institutional actors to entrepreneurs' self-organizing behaviors, this study advances a new paradigm for understanding adaptive, resilient, and emergent entrepreneurial ecosystems in the digital age (Sarasvathy, 2008).