Early stage entrepreneurial ecosystems: Towards a systematic view of entrepreneurship

The literature on entrepreneurial ecosystems stresses the importance of having a systemic view of entrepreneurship. In an attempt to contribute in this new field, this paper aims to explore how entrepreneurial ecosystems evolve in their early stages of development. To do so, it presents the case of Colombia, the National dimension and four Regional entrepreneurial ecosystems that have evolved different structures depending on their focus and their local governmental support. This paper presents a description and comparison of five entrepreneurial ecosystems. It also considers how one of the regional ecosystems is supporting the establishment and survival of new technology-based firms in a developing country. Interviews were conducted with a total of 32 individuals representing four different types of organisation engaged in the promotion and support of entrepreneurship: governmental, universities, industry and alliances. It presents a comparative analysis, based on a purposive sample, of data derived from interviews which were analysed using NVivo. Data collected were triangulated with secondary information. Findings suggest that national and regional governments can promote the creation and development of entrepreneurial ecosystems supporting new technology-based firms. This research contributes toward furthering our understanding of early-stage entrepreneurial ecosystems, their dynamics and evolution