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Introduction

The growth of new information and communication technologies are triggering disruptive technological changes, paving the way for digital innovation and new digital entrepreneurial ecosystems. This interconnected web of technology and entrepreneurship has become indispensable for economic growth, job creation, and societal transformation. The rapidly evolving digital innovation landscape is prompting the need for adaptive policy frameworks, and simultaneously, public policies are equally influencing entrepreneurial ecosystems. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, new startups are increasingly investing in sectors such as EdTech (educational technologies), FinTech (financial technologies), HealthTech (health technologies), e-commerce, and the entertainment sector. However, there is limited empirical evidence on digital entrepreneurs and innovation models from the Global South as to how they tap into markets in underserved populations. Similarly, are there any specific demographic trends observed among digital entrepreneurs, and what innovative digital solutions are emerging to address the needs of vulnerable demographics, such as minorities and female entrepreneurs? This special issue aims to investigate the multifaceted landscape of digital entrepreneurship in relation to new technologies. It seeks to gather interdisciplinary contributions to explore methodological trends in assessing platform economies and the implications of digital entrepreneurship in urban and rural contexts. Additionally, the issue aims to examine the transformative roles of incubators and accelerators in redefining entrepreneurial ecosystems, understand challenges faced by small businesses in non-digital industries, and explore responses of social entrepreneurs to digitalization. Moreover, it also aims to look into the demographic trends to document empirical evidence available for female digital entrepreneurs. This special issue will make a significant contribution by providing a platform for in-depth exploration of the intersection between digital entrepreneurship, new technologies, and public policy. It will offer novel insights into the evolving digital innovation landscape, the impact of regulatory policies on entrepreneurial ecosystems, and the transformative potential of digital entrepreneurship in diverse settings. It aims to provide comprehensive evidence about the experiences of the digital entrepreneurs particularly in the Global South context, their struggles, and their aspirations in solving and meeting the needs of their local communities. The submission can address the following but is not limited to the following questions: 

• To what extent do regulatory policies shape the dynamics of digital entrepreneurial ecosystems, and conversely, how does the evolving innovative landscape prompt the adaptation and evolution of policy frameworks?
• What emerging methodological trends shape the assessment practices within digital entrepreneurship and platform economies?
• How do the implications of digital entrepreneurship vary in the context of urban and rural environments, and what factors contribute to the differential impact on economic, social, and technological landscapes in these diverse settings?
• What are the demographic trends, in digital entrepreneurship? Is there empirical evidence available for female digital entrepreneurs?
• How do incubators contribute to reshaping entrepreneurial ecosystems, and how do their support structures and initiatives foster innovation in (emerging) startups? 
• What specific challenges confront small businesses operating in non-digital industries as they strive to bridge the digital divide?
• In the face of rapid digitalization, what innovative approaches are social entrepreneurs employing to leverage digital technologies for social impact?
• How does digital entrepreneurship influence social and structural change, and how do these impacts manifest across diverse societal dimensions, including economic, cultural, and organizational transformations?
• To what extent and through what mechanisms are digital entrepreneurs in HealthTech, EdTech, FinTech, and AgriTech disrupting traditional norms, reshaping their industries, and fostering innovation within their respective sectors?

 

List of topic areas

• Digital Entrepreneurship Process;
• Digital Business Models;
• Digital Ecosystem;
• Social Digital Entrepreneurship;
• Regulatory Policies and Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystems;
• Artificial Intelligence and Digital Startups;
• Urban-Rural Dynamics in Digital Entrepreneurship;
• Demographic Trends in Digital Entrepreneurship: A Focus on Gender;
• Incubators and Accelerators Catalysts for Innovation and Growth;
• Digital Entrepreneurship and Digital Divide Challenge;
• Disruption in the fields of HealthTech, EdTech, FinTech, and AgriTech;
• Digital Entrepreneurship and Societal Transformations;
• Innovative Approaches in Social Entrepreneurship and Digitalization;
• Digital Entrepreneurship and Sharing Economy

 

Guest Editors

Hasnain Bokhari, 
Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, University of Erfurt, Germany, 
[email protected]

Glenn Muschert, 
Khalifa University of Science and Technology, United Arab Emirates
[email protected]

Heike Grimm, 
Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, University of Erfurt, Germany, 
[email protected]
 

 

Submissions Information

Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available at by clicking the button below.
Submit your paper here!
Author guidelines must be strictly followed.
Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to “Please select the issue you are submitting to”. 
Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.

 

Key Deadlines

Opening date for manuscript submissions: 2 September 2024
Closing date for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025

 

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