How to Measure the Performance of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A Systematic Literature Review

<ns3:p>Background Entrepreneurial ecosystems are becoming increasingly relevant due to their crucial role in boosting economies through business development, although this concept and the measurement of its performance are still subjects of academic debate. Objective This article aims to analyze the metrics proposed in the literature for evaluating entrepreneurship ecosystems. Methods The PRISMA protocol was followed, enabling a systematic and transparent review. A total of 288 records were obtained from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, and after a thorough screening and detailed content review, a final selection of 39 relevant articles was made. Results The main findings identified key thematic lines related to regional entrepreneurship development, the measurement of global entrepreneurship, networks, benchmarking of entrepreneurial ecosystem policies, and metrics on the economic impact of entrepreneurship. The following main methodologies for measuring these ecosystems were identified: composite indices, network analysis, multicriteria analysis, qualitative methods, and mixed-method approaches. Finally, it is proposed that the five categories of metrics most used to measure the performance of entrepreneurship ecosystems are: outcome metrics, ecosystem condition metrics, composite indices, subjective and perception-based metrics, and other metrics. Conclusions This review provides a useful conceptual foundation for decision-makers, serving as rigorous input for future research and the design of public entrepreneurship policies.</ns3:p>