How Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Take Form: Evidence from Social Impact Initiatives in Seattle

This research uses insights from field theory to explore the early moments of how entrepreneurial ecosystems form through everyday interactions. We examine the cultural-cognitive and material micro-dynamics of activities occurring in support of social impact entrepreneurs and businesses from 2000-2014 in the Seattle WA region, with archival and interview data sources. The pattern of results about what actors do and how interactions change over time supports a model of ecosystem formation where a phase transition occurs from distributed to more integrated activity. The findings point to endogenous sources of structuring, including language and interaction, rather than exogenous factors such as government action or instrumental policy goals.