How Does Sustainable Entrepreneurship Drive the SDGs? A Systematic Literature Review of Strategies, Barriers, and Ecosystem Enablers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65820/ejems-8vol2-issue1-2026Keywords:
sustainable entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial ecosystem, Sustainable Development Goals, systematic literature review, green financeAbstract
Purpose: This study examines how sustainable entrepreneurship drives progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by synthesising contemporary scholarly evidence on key strategies, barriers, and ecosystem enablers that influence sustainable entrepreneurial outcomes.
Methodology: A systematic literature review (SLR) guided by the PRISMA 2020 framework was conducted. Eighty-eight peer-reviewed articles, policy reports, and documented case studies published between 2015 and 2024 were identified from Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and institutional repositories, including UN Data, World Bank, and OECD iLibrary.
Results: The review identifies four dominant strategic pathways underpinning sustainable entrepreneurship: technological innovation, business model transformation, cross-sector collaboration, and inclusive market engagement. Key barriers include limited access to finance, fragmented regulatory frameworks, low consumer awareness, and inadequate technical capacity. Ecosystem enablers such as blended finance, digital technologies, supportive policy instruments, and increasing sustainability-oriented consumer preferences significantly enhance entrepreneurial contributions to the SDGs.
Novelty and Contribution: The study develops an integrative conceptual framework linking entrepreneurial orientation, innovation capability, and strategic collaboration to measurable SDG outcomes while integrating insights from the Resource-Based View, institutional theory, systems theory, and Creating Shared Value perspectives.
Practical and Social Implications: The findings provide actionable insights for entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and development organisations seeking to strengthen sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystems and accelerate progress toward achieving the SDGs.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Temitope Oluwafemi Ademola, Jamiyu Abiodun Ibraheem, Sandra Afriyie Agyemang, Jide Gboyega Okedeji, Leonard Uchechukwu Agu, Felix Eling (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
