Entrepreneurial activity-particularly that supported by alternative investors-tends to concentrate
in large urban centers due to factors such as founder co-location, access to skilled labor, and the
proximity of venture capital. Yet today's urban entrepreneurial ecosystems face a new generation of
challenges, as they grapple with balancing the often-competing interests of startups, investors, and
local communities under conditions of growing uncertainty. These ecosystems must increasingly
navigate complex trade-offs between rapid growth vs. inclusive development, freedom of
innovation vs. regulation, and private ambitions vs. public responsibilities.
This workshop examines the sustainability of urban entrepreneurial ecosystems through an
interdisciplinary lens, convening researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from the startup and
venture capital sectors.
The event will be held at Bocconi University on November 21, 2025.
We are seeking high-quality submissions employing diverse theoretical perspectives and methods to
deal with these topics:
1. Micro-geography of entrepreneurship
2. Relationship between urban contexts and entrepreneurship
3. Entrepreneurial finance and local impacts
4. Social inequality and entrepreneurship
5. Local public policies and entrepreneurship
6. Sustainability of startup ecosystems
The workshop will include keynote addresses by Scott Stern (MIT) and Mario Small (Columbia
University) as well as an industry panel featuring policymakers, investors, and institutional
stakeholders.
The submission deadline is July 31, 2025. You can submit a full paper or an extended abstract (max
5 pages) via email at: lara.airaghi@unibocconi.it
The organizers will cover accommodation expenses.
Here are the important dates:
1. Submission Deadline: July 31, 2025 (23:59 in your time zone).
2. Acceptance Notification: September 15, 2025
3. Workshop date: November 21, 2025 (full day)
Organizing committee:
Luisa Gagliardi: Bocconi University (luisa.gagliardi@unibocconi.it)
Mario Daniele Amore: Bocconi University, SDA Bocconi, CEPR, ECGI (mario.amore@unibocconi.it)
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Mario Amore
Full Professor
Bocconi University
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