Entrepreneurship and territorial development: toward a co-evolutionary perspective A conceptual review

Abstract

This article offers a conceptual review of the links between entrepreneurship and territorial development. Based on a cross-analysis of several theoretical approaches (entrepreneurship, regional economics, and economic geography), it highlights the co-evolutionary relationship between entrepreneurial action and territorial dynamics. Far from being a mere driver of growth, entrepreneurship transforms territories by mobilizing local resources, creating jobs, and fostering innovations tailored to local contexts. In return, territories influence entrepreneurship through their resources, infrastructures, institutions, and cultures. This dual interaction calls for a systemic perspective based on the notion of localized entrepreneurial ecosystems. The article advocates for a reconfiguration of public policies in favor of more contextualized, embedded, and collaborative support. It also sheds light on the limitations of existing literature and proposes avenues for future research on entrepreneurial trajectories embedded in territorial dynamics.