DOI: https://doi.org/10.36719/2663-4619/127/67-86
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems for Post-War Economic Recovery:
The Ukrainian Experience
Abstract
The relevance of this study is determined by the need to reconsider the role of entrepreneurial ecosystems in ensuring regional economic resilience under conditions of prolonged military shock and post-crisis recovery. In Ukraine, regional entrepreneurial ecosystems function not only as generators of employment and investment activity but also as mechanisms supporting socio-economic stability and the resilience of food systems. However, the scientific literature lacks systematic empirical assessments of how the internal relationships between ecosystem components change during structural disruptions. The aim of the study is to identify the nature and magnitude of transformations in the interrelationships between key parameters of Ukrainian regional entrepreneurial ecosystems during the military shock and early recovery period (2018–2024). The methodological framework combines descriptive statistics, interperiod comparison, and correlation analysis based on aggregated “region–year” data. The results show statistically significant declines in the main ecosystem indicators during 2022–2024 compared with 2018–2021: the number of SMEs decreased by 10.4%, employment by 15.3%, capital investment by 42.0%, and innovation activity by 22.5%. Correlation analysis also reveals a weakening of relationships between entrepreneurial activity, employment, and investment, indicating reduced structural coherence of ecosystems. These findings demonstrate that post-war recovery policies should focus not only on restoring quantitative indicators but also on rebuilding systemic connections between ecosystem components in order to ensure long-term regional development and food security.
Keywords: entrepreneurial ecosystem, post-war recovery, regional development, small business, investment activity, innovation activity, food security