Redesigning entrepreneurial ecosystems in South Africa: a collaborative approach to inclusion and resilience

Entrepreneurial ecosystem research emphasizes systemic coordination, yet most studies analyze existing systems rather than intentionally redesign them. This gap is critical in emerging economies where coordination failures undermine support. We investigate this paradox in South Africa’s Western Cape, where entrepreneurs struggle to access appropriate support despite numerous programs. Using a design science research approach, we conducted interviews with 13 participants and facilitated two workshops involving 32 stakeholders. Thematic analysis revealed three coordination failures: fragmented service delivery, inaccessible policy processes and exclusionary financing criteria. Through iterative co-creation, we developed four integrated interventions: a centralized digital platform, trust-based financing using community validation, tailored support to help entrepreneurs move from idea to first sales and subsidized consulting for ‘missing middle’ enterprises. The study advances ecosystem scholarship by showing that ecosystems can be intentionally designed through collaborative processes rather than treated only as emergent phenomena. Practically, the framework reorganizes existing resources into coherent systems and offers policymakers an evidence-based path to inclusive ecosystem development. Although grounded in the Western Cape, it addresses exclusion patterns common in many emerging economies, making it transferable to regions facing coordination failures.