Role of Location-Based Ecofactors in Fostering the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem at the Microgeographical Scale: Evidence from Beijing
Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 151, Issue 1
Abstract
The role of tacit knowledge exchange and spillovers at microgeographical levels is pivotal in determining the performance of entrepreneurial ecosystems. This paper examined the entrepreneurial ecosystem concept at the neighborhood level, shedding light on the intricate relationship between ecosystem factors and entrepreneurial outcomes. Using comprehensive data on a 1-km-resolution grid for Beijing spanning 2011–2015, we investigated how specific entrepreneurial ecosystem factors (ecofactors) influence the inception of startups. Our findings suggest that local ecofactors, such as financial institutions and government bureaus, correlate with heightened startup activities, yet this relationship exhibits considerable variability depending on firm type. Contrary to common belief within the entrepreneurial ecosystem literature, universities and research institutions do not significantly drive the birth of startups at such a scale. However, they play a crucial role in determining the location preferences for collective innovation spaces. This research underscores the importance for urban planners and policymakers to consider location-specific amenities when fostering and nurturing urban entrepreneurial ecosystems.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or codes used during the study were provided by MIT Sustainable Urbanization Lab. Direct requests for these materials may be made to the provider as indicated in the Acknowledgments.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank MIT Sustainable Urbanization Lab for generously sharing data and Siqi Zheng, Rui Du, Michael Oden, Jacob Wegmann, and seminar participants at MIT, the University of Texas at Austin, and the 24th Asian Real Estate Society International Annual Conference. This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 72004199 and 72272158).
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Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 151 • Issue 1 • March 2025
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© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jun 14, 2022
Accepted: Aug 7, 2024
Published online: Oct 18, 2024
Published in print: Mar 1, 2025
Discussion open until: Mar 18, 2025
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