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Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Resilience: Academia’s Critical Role in Education, Research, and Community Engagement

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 14 August 2026 | Viewed by 6344

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Luca Giraldi

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Guest Editor

Department of Law, University of Turin, Lungo Dora Siena, 100, 10153 Turin, Italy
Interests: space economy; entrepreneurial methodologies related to agile organizations; Industry 5.0; tourism; digital marketing and customer experience
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In an increasingly interconnected world, sustainable entrepreneurship has emerged as a critical driver for economic resilience, environmental stewardship, and social well-being, and global challenges underscore the need for entrepreneurial processes that foster economic growth without compromising ecological integrity or equity. Within this context, academia can catalyse local economic sustainability, bringing together multidisciplinary research, education, and community engagement to shape innovative solutions aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This Special Issue aims to investigate the interplay between sustainable entrepreneurial processes, entrepreneurship education, and the role of academia in advancing local economic sustainability systems. In alignment with the transdisciplinary scope of Sustainability, we welcome contributions from the natural and social sciences, engineering, economics, and the humanities. Submissions should present robust methodologies (experimental, computational, theoretical, or mixed-methods) that contribute to the journal’s mission of supporting open science, reproducibility, and disseminating insights for practical implementation.

Suggested Themes

Sustainable Entrepreneurship Processes: Case studies, frameworks, and empirical or theoretical analyses on new business models, stakeholder engagement strategies, and policy mechanisms that drive financial viability and ecological responsibility.
Entrepreneurship Education: Innovative education, curriculum designs, and experiential learning methods that enhance students’ capacity to develop and manage sustainable ventures.
Academic Engagement in Local Economies and Beyond: Research on how universities can actively contribute to community well-being, including industry collaboration, policy advocacy, and public engagement initiatives that foster regional resilience.
Social and Cultural Dimensions of Sustainability: Investigations into how entrepreneurial activities intersect with social equity, cultural identity, and broader sustainability challenges in diverse contexts.

Original research articles and reviews are welcome in this Special Issue, and research areas may include (but are not limited to) the above topics. We encourage the submission of manuscripts that present innovative theories, novel methodological contributions, or up-to-date reviews that push the boundaries of knowledge in this rapidly evolving field.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Luca Giraldi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sustainable entrepreneurship
entrepreneurship education
academic–industry collaboration
business sustainability
technology transfer
sustainable development goals (SDGs)

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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34 pages, 2372 KB

Open AccessArticle

Empowering Local Frugal Edge AI Innovation Based on Participatory Citizen Science in Developing Countries

by Joao Pita Costa, Thomas Basikolo, Marco Zennaro and John Shawe-Taylor

Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 5100; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105100 - 19 May 2026

Viewed by 574

Abstract

With the 2030 deadline for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approaching, there is a growing global urgency to identify innovative, scalable, and inclusive AI-based or AI-enabled solutions capable of accelerating progress across sectors. Yet the benefits of AI remain unevenly distributed, particularly in low-resource settings where limited infrastructure, cost barriers, and unequal access to skills constrain adoption. This paper explores how Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML)—a low-power, low-cost edge AI paradigm—offers a concrete technological pathway aligned with the principles of Frugal AI, providing accessible, energy-efficient, and context-adapted tools for sustainable development. We evaluate how participatory citizen science, when combined with TinyML, enables communities to co-create AI applications that address locally defined challenges in environmental monitoring, agriculture, and public health. Drawing on early outcomes from workshops, collaborative projects, and innovation competitions, the paper examines how TinyML-enabled participatory approaches cultivate technical skills, stimulate grassroots entrepreneurship, and generate prototypes suited to low-resource environments. Using a qualitative multiple-case study of 50 participatory TinyML initiatives across 22 countries, we analyse how frugal edge-AI practices support skills formation, prototype development, and early entrepreneurial engagement. The analysis identifies the pedagogical, technical, and institutional frameworks that support successful participatory AI initiatives, emphasizing open educational resources, cross-sector partnerships, and community-driven problem formulation. We introduce the Frugal Edge AI Lean Canvas to help innovators identify novelty, ethical implications, and measurable impact. TinyML-based participatory innovation offers a promising route for accelerating SDG progress by expanding who can create, deploy, and benefit from AI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Resilience: Academia’s Critical Role in Education, Research, and Community Engagement)

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15 pages, 271 KB

Open AccessArticle

From Standardised Compliance to Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurship

by Luca Giraldi, Luca Olivari and Guido Capanna Piscè

Sustainability 2026, 18(9), 4504; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18094504 - 3 May 2026

Viewed by 786

Abstract

This paper analyses seven project deliverables from the Interreg Euro-MED “MAST” project to examine its sustainability protocol as a sociotechnical boundary object facilitating ISO 21401:2018 adoption among Mediterranean tourism SMEs. Using Science and Technology Studies (STS) and boundary object theory, we conducted qualitative content analysis (QCA) to map how the protocol translates global standards into SME roadmaps addressing implementation costs, skill gaps, and legitimacy barriers. Results reveal a tension between managerial scripting (actionable tables and KPIs) and relational openings (peer learning and stakeholder prompts). While enabling SME access to certification, the protocol risks “smart compliance” by prioritising formal verification over substantive transformation. Universities emerge as key boundary brokers, potentially translating technical standards into entrepreneurial competencies and curricula. Limited to pre-implementation project documents, the analysis identifies discursive conditions under which standardised tools could support regenerative governance. Findings suggest university–SME partnerships as promising mechanisms for aligning certification with Mediterranean socio-ecological priorities, warranting empirical testing through SME implementation studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Resilience: Academia’s Critical Role in Education, Research, and Community Engagement)

14 pages, 812 KB

Open AccessArticle

Regional Ecosystem Quality and University Spin-Off Growth in Internal Areas: Evidence on Territorial Resilience from Italian Academic Entrepreneurship

by Antonio Prencipe and Davis Fioretti

Sustainability 2026, 18(2), 927; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18020927 - 16 Jan 2026

Viewed by 359

Abstract

This study examines how territorial peripherality and regional entrepreneurial ecosystem quality shape the growth trajectories of Italian university spin-offs, with a specific focus on internal areas. Combining firm-level data from NETVAL and AIDA with territorial indicators from the Italian Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI) and ISTAT, we construct a panel of 655 university spin-offs observed between 2018 and 2022. Two composite indicators capture provincial peripherality and regional ecosystem quality. Using mixed-effects models, we analyse their effects on revenue and employment growth. Results show that stronger regional ecosystems support employment growth overall and significantly amplify revenue growth for spin-offs located in internal areas, partially compensating for structural territorial disadvantages. The findings highlight the importance of place-based ecosystem policies and the strategic role of universities in fostering knowledge-based development and proxy indicators of territorial resilience in peripheral regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Resilience: Academia’s Critical Role in Education, Research, and Community Engagement)

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16 pages, 837 KB

Open AccessArticle

Splitting the Pie in Italian Cooperatives: A Comparative Analysis with Panel Data (2014–2023)

by Michele Costa and Flavio Delbono

Sustainability 2025, 17(22), 10354; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172210354 - 19 Nov 2025

Viewed by 813

Abstract

While the crucial role of cooperative enterprises in promoting economic and social sustainability is well established, their capacity to sustain employment and labour remuneration compared with capitalist firms is still largely unexplored. This study addresses this gap by analysing a unique panel of all Italian firms active between 2014 and 2023. We first show that, up to the COVID pandemic, cooperatives exhibit a stronger employment resilience than capitalist firms. However, cooperative resilience declines in later years, suggesting severe challenges in sustaining employment under prolonged stress. Second, using a novel econometric approach that accounts for unobserved heterogeneity and confounding factors, we investigate whether cooperatives display a stronger commitment to labour remuneration. Our findings reveal that cooperatives consistently allocate a higher share of value added to labour than capitalist firms, reflecting a structural commitment to workers’ remuneration. This engagement persists even during downturns, highlighting the important role of cooperatives during economic shocks. Overall, the findings highlight both the contribution and the difficulties of the cooperative model in enhancing inclusive and resilient economic systems, providing insights relevant to public policy in view of the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Resilience: Academia’s Critical Role in Education, Research, and Community Engagement)

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16 pages, 759 KB

Open AccessArticle

Entrepreneurship Education in Fragile Contexts: Bridging the Intention–Action Gap Through Psychological and Contextual Pathways

by Abed Alfattah Albatran and Tolga Atikbay

Sustainability 2025, 17(16), 7447; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17167447 - 18 Aug 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2251

Abstract

In fragile and unstable regions, entrepreneurship education is increasingly viewed as the path to economic resilience and youth empowerment. However, research indicates that there is relatively little empirical evidence on how entrepreneurial education promotes entrepreneurial intention and behavior, especially in situations of uncertainty and a lack of resources. This study explores this relationship based on a sample of 402 Palestinian university students and graduates, applying the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The study concludes that entrepreneurial education has a positive influence on students’ self-efficacy, attitudes toward entrepreneurship, and their perception of the entrepreneurial environment. Self-efficacy was found to be the most potent mediating factor of entrepreneurial intent, closely followed by attitude. Although intention is a good predictor of action, the relationship is modest, which illustrates a clear intention-action gap. The study also reports that entrepreneurial education indirectly affects actions by shaping environmental perception, and that its total influence on entrepreneurial action operates primarily through these psychological and contextual pathways. Furthermore, the availability of resources has a significant moderating effect, as students having strong intentions are more likely to act when there is a strong perception that sufficient support and resources are available to them. The research builds on the Theory of Planned Behavior and complements related work on the intention–action gap, by considering a combination of psychological and contextual influences. Additionally, it offers actionable recommendations for policy-makers, educators, and development practitioners working to realize youth aspiration in fragile economies through integrated, context-appropriate entrepreneurship interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Resilience: Academia’s Critical Role in Education, Research, and Community Engagement)

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21 pages, 433 KB

Open AccessReview

University-Led Entrepreneurial Resilience Networks: An Integrated Developmental Entrepreneurship Resiliency Framework

by Wesley R. Stewart and Bruce E. Winston

Sustainability 2025, 17(24), 10888; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172410888 - 5 Dec 2025

Viewed by 857

Abstract

In this study, we propose the Integrated Developmental Entrepreneurship Resiliency Framework (IDERF), a conceptual model positioning universities as orchestrators of stakeholder networks for entrepreneurial resilience and sustainability. Review and analysis of historical and contemporary research revealed gaps in existing approaches to sustainable entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship education has evolved from isolated curricula to formal programs that incorporate experiential learning and multilateral institutional access, which appreciably enhance entrepreneurial resilience and venture longevity. The integration of resilience theory with entrepreneurship research has identified multi-level sustainment factors across the disciplines of psychology, organizational theory, and structural economic development. The IDERF addresses this limitation by adapting the triple helix model to a quadruple helix framework that encompasses academia, government, industry, and community stakeholders. Our proposed conceptual framework was developed through conceptual synthesis based on a structured literature review of 212 publications on university-led entrepreneurship programs and entrepreneur sustainability and resilience since 1940. Our findings revealed the need for more resiliency-focused entrepreneurship program designs, synthesis between resilience and sustainability education, analysis of educational program impacts on business development sustainability, and practical entrepreneur training in real-world economic contexts. The resulting IDERF encompasses five dimensions of adaptive entrepreneurial capacity, stakeholder governance, economic transformation, social–environmental integration, and institutional reform as novel components of entrepreneurial resilience and sustainability. We propose an integrated mixed-methods research agenda that includes proposed research questions to instigate the development of measurement frameworks and cross-cultural validation to empirically test the IDERF’s effectiveness in fostering entrepreneurial resilience across diverse contexts and economic regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Resilience: Academia’s Critical Role in Education, Research, and Community Engagement)

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