Key factors underlying innovation in the context of female entrepreneurship: Opportunity perceptions, digitalisation, and economic policy

Female entrepreneurship has become increasingly important in recent years in light of its contributions to economic growth, job creation, and the opening of new markets through innovation. This research investigates the innovation and internationalisation processes associated with female entrepreneurship by identifying a set of exogenous variables, including opportunity perceptions, digitalisation, human capital and skills for entrepreneurship, public policies, and access to sources of funding. We conducted an empirical analysis of 13 European countries from 2020 to 2022. An econometric model was employed to verify the relationships among relevant variables. The estimation of this model was performed via the partial least squares (PLS) method. The results of this empirical analysis reveal that, to stimulate innovative entrepreneurial activity among women, European economies must optimise the training provided to women, facilitate the incorporation of digital tools, establish a favourable environment that can enhance opportunity perceptions, and design economic policies that can promote entrepreneurial activity, such as reducing administrative burdens and improving access to various sources of funding.