Beyond Growth: Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Transition toward Sustainable Regional Futures

Regional business ecosystems are increasingly recognized as key drivers of sustainable development, enabling collaboration among firms, public institutions, academia, and civil society. Within these ecosystems, universities play a pivotal role as knowledge-intensive hubs that stimulate innovation and cross-sectoral partnerships.

This minitrack explores how the emergence of neo-entrepreneurship—understood as purpose-driven, digitally enabled, and sustainability-oriented forms of venture creation—is reshaping regional development pathways. The discussion addresses the complexities of ecosystem coordination, including leadership for systemic change, governance structures, and alternative approaches such as the circular economy and industrial symbiosis.

Furthermore, we invite contributions investigating the role of digitalization, simulation tools, and scenario planning in supporting ecosystem resilience. Issues such as greenwashing, impact assessment, and the development of sustainability indicators are central to understanding how actors manage transformation processes.