ECIE Call for Papers

• Academic Papers
• Case Studies
• Work in-Progress Papers
• PhD Papers
• Masters Papers
• Posters and Presentations
• Non- Academic or Practitioner Contributions
  

Aims and Scope 

The primary aim of ECIE is to foster a comprehensive understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship by bringing together, from around the world, diverse perspectives from academia, industry, and policy-making. The conference seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering insights into the processes that fuel innovation and entrepreneurial ventures. ECIE encourages the exploration of new ideas, the development of innovative business models, and the identification of best practices that can be applied across different sectors and regions. 

The scope of the conference is broad and interdisciplinary, encompassing a wide range of topics related to innovation management, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and the role of technology in driving business growth. ECIE also emphasises the importance of education and training in fostering entrepreneurial skills and mindsets, as well as the role of policy and government in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. 

Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation

• Strategies for creating social value in business.
• Case studies of successful social enterprises.
• The role of entrepreneurship in addressing social and environmental challenges.

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)

• Innovative approaches to integrating NBS in business and urban planning.
• The impact of NBS on community resilience and environmental sustainability.
• Cross-sector collaborations for implementing NBS.

Responsible Business Practices

• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its evolving role.
• Integrating sustainability into core business strategies.
• Balancing profitability with social and environmental impact.

Digital Transformation in Business

• Leveraging digital tools for enhanced innovation and efficiency.
• Digital platforms for scaling social enterprises.
• Opportunities and challenges of digital transformation in traditional industries.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Entrepreneurship

• AI-driven business models and innovation.
• Ethical considerations of AI in society.
• The role of AI in supporting social entrepreneurship and addressing social issues.

Innovation in Sustainable Development

• Entrepreneurship's role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Green technologies and sustainable business practices.
• Fostering a circular economy through innovative ventures.

Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and Social Impact

• Building supportive ecosystems for social entrepreneurs.
• Regional approaches to fostering innovation and social entrepreneurship.
• The impact of universities and research institutions on social innovation.

Public-Private Partnerships and Cross-Sector Collaboration

• The role of government, private sector, and NGOs in fostering innovation.
• Models of collaboration for tackling social and environmental challenges.
• Financing  mechanisms for social enterprises and innovative projects.

Future Trends in Entrepreneurship and Innovation

• Emerging trends shaping the entrepreneurial landscape.
• Technology-driven changes in entrepreneurship.
• Preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs for socially responsible innovation.

Measurement and Evaluation of Social Impact

• Metrics for assessing social and environmental value.
• Tools and methodologies for impact measurement.
• Reporting and accountability in social enterprises.

Mini-Tracks

Experts in the field proposed mini tracks on the following topics. Papers accepted on these topics after the double-blind peer review process were presented as mini tracks at the conference and are also published in these proceedings.

Social Innovation Using AI: Reimagining Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Societal Impact

Mini Track Chair: Dr. Mitt Nowshade Kabir, Ecole de Management Léonard De Vinci.

This mini-track explores the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation in driving social innovation and reshaping the future of entrepreneurship. We examine how emerging AI technologies—particularly large language models and Generative AI—can democratize innovation and empower entrepreneurs to tackle contemporary social and environmental challenges, creating sustainable, scalable solutions that generate lasting positive impact.

We invite scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to participate in a multidisciplinary dialogue on leveraging AI and digital tools to:

• Reimagine Business Models: Explore how AI enables innovative forms of social entrepreneurship, drives the creation of inclusive platforms, and fosters collaborative ecosystems that generate both social impact and sustainable revenue streams.
• Amplify and Measure Social Impact: Examine how AI can optimize the delivery of social services, personalize interventions, and scale impact across sectors like healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability, supported by robust measurement and evaluation frameworks.
• Build Responsible Innovation Ecosystems: Focus on creating sustainable AI innovation ecosystems that promote inclusive growth, with particular attention to Global South perspectives and contextual adaptation.
• Empower Communities: Investigate how AI can be harnessed to empower marginalized communities, promote accessibility, bridge the digital divide, and ensure cultural sensitivity and contextual relevance.

 Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

AI for Social Good

• AI-driven solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Advanced applications of AI in healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation

Digital Transformation in Social Enterprises

• Case studies of social enterprises leveraging AI and digital tools for impact
• Strategies for scaling social innovations through digital platforms and AI automation

Innovation Ecosystems and Implementation

• Building inclusive AI innovation ecosystems
• Technical infrastructure considerations for resource-limited contexts

AI and the Future of Work in the Social Sector

• Impact of AI on workforce dynamics and skill requirements in social enterprises
• Capacity building and training programs for social entrepreneurs

Human-Centered AI for Social Innovation

• Participatory design and co-creation of AI solutions with communities
• Integration of local knowledge and cultural contexts

The Third Mission of Universities: Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Mini Track Chair: Verena Karlsdóttir, Heilbrigðis-, viðskipta- og raunvísindasvið-Viðskiptadeild / School of Health, Business and Natural Sciences-Faculty of Business Administration

Universities have long been seen as centres of education and research, but their role is expanding to include a "third mission": contributing to society through knowledge transfer, innovation, and entrepreneurship. This mini track will focus on the intersection between academia and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, examining how universities can actively foster innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and societal impact. By addressing the third mission, it is explored how universities can bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application, supporting startups, spin-offs, and community development.

• Strategies for knowledge transfer from academia to industry
• Universities as drivers of innovation and entrepreneurship
• Fostering entrepreneurial thinking within academic institutions
• The impact of university spin-offs and startups on community development
• Bridging theoretical knowledge with real-world applications
• University incubators and accelerators for startup support

Innovative Curriculum Design in Entrepreneurship Education Bridging Theory and Practice to Develop Entrepreneurial Competencies and Mindset

Mini Track Chair: Marco Lamas, Polytechnic University of Management and Technology, Porto, Portugal

This Mini-Track seeks to explore and improve existing curriculum structures for the enhancement of core entrepreneurial abilities. Educational communities are more and more requested to create curricular programs of such nature that not only theories relating to entrepreneurship are taught but also the practice and spirit of entrepreneurship are nurtured. This session will focus on learning experiences that are aimed at designing curricula to include experiential and active learning paradigms to enable the practical execution of the learned concepts. In this regard, the focus will be directed to elements of the curriculum which are dynamic and aim at building the entrepreneurial skills of the learners such as opportunity recognition, problem-solving, and making effective decisions based on presented information, through active learning methods such as games, projects and real-life entrepreneurial problems and their solutions. In addition, this mini track will discuss how to encourage the development of an entrepreneurial mindset through curricular aspects that target certain behaviours such as being able to deal with failure, willingness to take risks, and believing in oneself. The presenters will present the data and the recommendations showing the relationship between the curriculum design and ulterior educational goals – how the design of education can bring students both sets of skills and flexibility needed in the constantly changing and unpredictable world. This session focuses on the needs of educators, academic executives and curriculum planners who are interested in creating unique learning opportunities for entrepreneurs of tomorrow and preparing them with the right skill set, attitude and flexibility to thrive in the constantly changing entrepreneurial landscape.

• Active learning methodologies · Curricula design
• Engaging learners · Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Impact of new curriculum on entrepreneurial competencies and mindset
• Technology and entrepreneurship education
• Case studies of successful curriculum models for entrepreneurship education

Gendered Landscapes and Perspectives in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Mini Track Chair: Valerie Priscilla Goby, Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

This mini-track explores the critical intersections of gender, innovation, and entrepreneurship and the challenges and opportunities encountered by women in entrepreneurial ecosystems. Despite growing recognition of the value of diversity, gender disparities persist in areas such as funding access, leadership representation, innovation design, and work-life balance logistics. This track invites researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to share insights into how gender influences entrepreneurial outcomes and the development of innovative products and services. Some of the issues it aims to explore include how entrepreneurship training programmes can be designed to counteract gender norms and stereotypes; the influence of gender on participation, leadership, and collaboration within entrepreneurial networks, accelerators, and innovation hubs; how gender diversity impacts the design, development, and success of innovative products, services, and business models; barriers faced by women entrepreneurs in securing funding and strategies to create more equitable financing opportunities; how women entrepreneurs are leveraging social innovation to address gender-related societal challenges and drive sustainable development; how intersecting identities (age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, etc.) affect the entrepreneurial experiences and innovative capacities of women; the effectiveness of policies, programmes, and institutional initiatives in promoting gender equity in entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems.

• Intersectionality in gender and entrepreneurship
• Addressing stereotypes and gender biases in entrepreneurship training
• Gender dynamics in entrepreneurial ecosystems
• The role of gender in shaping innovation outcomes
• Social entrepreneurship and gender: Innovating for gender-Inclusive Impact
• Policy, institutional support, and funding for gender equity in innovation and entrepreneurship



Important Dates