Exploring social difference among entrepreneurs in entrepreneurial ecosystems: a systematic review and intersectional framework

Abstract The entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) approach has long been criticized for assuming equal access while overlooking how structural inequalities shape entrepreneurial opportunities. This article proposes a conceptual framework for an intersectional perspective of entrepreneurial ecosystems. Such a framework is necessary because EEs that are more inclusive perform better, foster greater innovation, stronger knowledge spillovers, and show higher adaptability. Based on a review of 111 publications, we systematically examine how social categories and relations of difference shape entrepreneurial experiences and EEs. We identify three main approaches to EEs: a traditional perspective treating entrepreneurs as a homogeneous group; an actor-oriented approach to understanding difference in EEs that emphasizes individual categories of difference (most often gender), and an emerging intersectional approach, which we further develop. In sum, the field has broadened its understanding of entrepreneurial identities by addressing categories such as gender, migration, age, race/ethnicity, socio-economic background, and dis/ability. However, many studies remain focused on single axes, and only a few explore how identities are strategically mobilized. To address this gap, our conceptual framework centers on the entrepreneur as a situated actor embedded in overlapping power relations. By emphasizing lived experiences and the relational dynamics of inclusion, exclusion, and agency, it lays the groundwork for more inclusive, context-sensitive, and equitable entrepreneurial environments.