Abstract
This chapter is the first attempt to characterize Balkan entrepreneurial ecosystems that draws on well-recognized secondary sources as well as on primary data from startup applications and interviews with key stakeholders. It also highlights the entrepreneurial success stories that not only inspire but also create templates and offer insights for those interested in building and consolidating entrepreneurial ecosystems in the region and beyond. The strengths of and challenges facing Balkan entrepreneurs have previously been presented via traditional proxies and measures that overwhelmingly fail to reflect the energy, dynamics and prevailing optimism shared by participants in the entrepreneurial ecosystems. The chapter advances that Balkan entrepreneurial ecosystems are genuine and well-grounded and that they are well set to change the political and economic landscape of the region.
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Andonova, V., Nikolova, M.S., Dimitrov, D. (2019). Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in the Balkan Peninsula. In: Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Unexpected Places. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98219-9_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98219-9_2
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