Sustai­nab­le En­tre­pre­n­eurs­hip & In­nova­tion Group (SE&I)

The Sustainable Entrepreneurship & Innovation Group focuses on identifying opportunities to achieve the SDGs through new business models that create market disequilibria and contribute to transforming industries towards a sustainable future.

Areas of expertise 

The group’s research focuses on the following core areas:

• Identification of sustainability opportunities: How market failures underlying the SDGs can be turned into business opportunities through new combinations of assets.
• Sustainable business models: How sustainability opportunities become profitable models that drive market transformation and attract other industry players.
• Sustainable and social venturing: The creation of start-ups and new organisational forms – such as benefit corporations or social enterprises—founded to address SDGs.
• Financing sustainable entrepreneurship: The development of impact investing to fund early-stage sustainable and social enterprises.
• Sustainable entrepreneurship intentions and education: The motivations of sustainable entrepreneurs and the role of education in encouraging student engagement.
• Industry sectors: Research covers areas such as circular economy, sustainable fashion, urban planning, work integration social enterprises, and fair trade.

Research 

Members of the group work to:

• Foster collaboration with leading scholars and research environments in sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation
• Promote new PhD and postdoctoral projects in the field
• Co-edit at least one special issue per year (e.g. the Journal of Business Ethics Special Issue on Impact Investing)
• Co-organise one Professional Development Workshop (PDW) each year at the Academy of Management or similar events (e.g. the PDW on impact investing)

Members also collaborate with public and private organisations on research and education activities relevant to theory and practice, following an engaged scholarship and action research approach.