No 2021/10 Comparative Analysis of Five Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Life Sciences

Abstract

Entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) is a popular concept in entrepreneurship studies that describes all actors and the interaction between actors in a specific geographical area. While studies have focused on a single case, this paper explores and compares the nature of five EEs in Life Sciences in Sweden and the US, based on own data collection in all five areas. The paper outlines commonalities and differences between how EEs operate and function in different territorial contexts. It also explores how national and local factors influence the rate and nature of entrepreneurship at the regional level. The paper shows how important it is to take a territorial perspective on EE, because EEs look different in distinct geographical and institutional contexts.