Social Innovation as a Catalyst for Entrepreneurial Development in India’s Startup Ecosystem​

<title>Abstract</title> <p>The startup ecosystem in India has become one of the fastest growing globally, as the advancement of policies, digital transformation and greater levels of entrepreneurship contributed to this growth. Social innovation has also emerged as a strong contributor to promoting inclusive entrepreneurship where both social and business entrepreneurs are supported by one another. This paper looks at the role of social innovation as an enabler for the development of entrepreneurial activity across the Indian startup ecosystem. The research was conducted using a qualitative research design and is supplemented with a secondary data analysis of the different ways in which social enterprises, grassroots innovation and public policy frameworks can encourage and enable the growth of entrepreneurship. The research shows how social innovation helps to provide access to markets, increase inclusivity and promote the sustainability of the entire ecosystem. There are still many challenges, including funding, regulatory issues, and scalability, that need to be addressed for social innovation to continue to promote innovation and entrepreneurship together. Additionally, this paper provides a conceptual framework connecting social innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems while providing recommendations for the development of policies that support these two areas of focus.</p>