Intellectual structure of entrepreneurial ecosystem research: a bibliometric and thematic review

Purpose The entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) is a network of interconnected components, such as start-ups, government, financial and educational institutions, and support organizations that hinder or support business growth. This study aim to investigate yearly publication trends, highlight leading journals, authors and institutions, and map out critical thematic clusters within the EE domain. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive bibliometric analysis of EE research from 2010 to 2024 was conducted. The primary data were retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) database, yielding a refined data set of 626 relevant publications. The data set was further analysed using bibliometric tools, such as VOSviewer and Biblioshiny software. Findings The findings show a significant growth in EE research after 2015, with a major publication spike in 2021. Developed economies currently dominate the literature, with the USA emerging as the most productive nation. Sustainability and Indiana University Bloomington are the most prolific journal and institution, respectively. Furthermore, the domain revolves around four main themes, such as entrepreneurial education, digital ecosystems, entrepreneurship and innovation. However, the current research remains heavily urban-centric, suffering from a lack of demographic and policy diversity. Originality/value The study contributes to the field by providing a systematic and bibliometric mapping of EE research. It helps in finding collaboration patterns and emerging trends that have not been synthesized before in previous studies. They also provide policymakers with actionable insights to build more balanced economic ecosystems.