Evolution of entrepreneurial and social innovation ecosystems across geopolitical, policy and cultural contexts

Purpose This editorial addresses the central question: How do public policy, institutional arrangements and cultural contexts shape the emergence and evolution of social and entrepreneurial innovation ecosystems across geographies? It aims to synthesize insights from a diverse set of studies within the special issue to clarify how contextual dynamics influence the structure, performance and inclusiveness of innovation ecosystems. The purpose is to advance a policy-aware, comparative understanding of how ecosystems function within distinct socio-political and cultural environments and to articulate a justice-oriented research agenda for sustainable ecosystem development. Design/methodology/approach It synthesizes eight peer-reviewed contributions presented at the 2024 International Public Policy Association Workshop TO8W02 in Guadalajara, Mexico. The papers encompass conceptual development, systematic and bibliometric review, discourse analysis and context-rich case studies drawn from Europe and the Global South. Together, they provide multi-level insights into how public policy, institutional arrangements and cultural contexts interact to shape innovation ecosystems. Through comparative synthesis, the editorial integrates theoretical and empirical perspectives to reveal cross-context patterns, divergences and emerging pathways for sustainable and inclusive ecosystem development. Findings Cross-cutting themes include the centrality of networks and hybrid actors, policy as both enabler and gatekeeper, and the need to embed sustainability normatively. Divergences arise in policy translation, ecosystem readiness and cultural embeddedness across places. The issue broadens ecosystem thinking into human security/peacebuilding and charts recent knowledge trajectories. Research limitations/implications As a curated set, findings reflect selected contexts and methods. The editorial calls for comparative, longitudinal and co-produced research, stronger Global South knowledge leadership and frameworks that integrate epistemic diversity and iterative policy learning. Practical implications Invest in cultural infrastructure; design inclusive cross-sector coordination; support translocal/global-local linkages; and institutionalize reflexive, adaptive governance that aligns strategy, implementation and participatory processes with sustainability. Social implications Context-sensitive ecosystems can strengthen state–society relations, advance inclusion, and address complex socio-economic and human-security challenges when sustainability and knowledge justice guide design and evaluation. Originality/value Offers an integrated, policy-aware synthesis across regions and methods; extends ecosystem thinking to security governance; and advances a justice-oriented agenda foregrounding epistemic diversity, sustainability and comparative, context-sensitive scholarship.