TY - JOUR

T1 - Socio-demographic influences on environmental entrepreneurship: a systematic review

AU - Hörisch, Jacob

AU - Fokuhl, Maren

AU - Behrens, Insa

AU - Hörnstein, Maja C.

AU - Lehmann, Ulrike

PY - 2025/6/24

Y1 - 2025/6/24

N2 - Environmental entrepreneurship can play a key role in facilitating sustainable development. To achieve this potential of environmental entrepreneurship, it is crucial to gain knowledge about the characteristics of individuals pursuing environmentally oriented entrepreneurial activity. Therefore, this study systematically reviews the literature on the influence of socio-demographic variables on environmentally oriented entrepreneurial activity. Inter alia, the paper identifies that environmental entrepreneurs are usually highly educated. Furthermore, the authors show that gender bias in conventional entrepreneurship is reversed in environmental entrepreneurship, as most of the reviewed studies found females to be more active in environmental entrepreneurship than males. Based on these findings, the authors advise entrepreneurship education, as well as political interventions, to concentrate on the identified target groups and highlight the importance of including socio-demographic variables in a potential theory of environmental entrepreneurship.

AB - Environmental entrepreneurship can play a key role in facilitating sustainable development. To achieve this potential of environmental entrepreneurship, it is crucial to gain knowledge about the characteristics of individuals pursuing environmentally oriented entrepreneurial activity. Therefore, this study systematically reviews the literature on the influence of socio-demographic variables on environmentally oriented entrepreneurial activity. Inter alia, the paper identifies that environmental entrepreneurs are usually highly educated. Furthermore, the authors show that gender bias in conventional entrepreneurship is reversed in environmental entrepreneurship, as most of the reviewed studies found females to be more active in environmental entrepreneurship than males. Based on these findings, the authors advise entrepreneurship education, as well as political interventions, to concentrate on the identified target groups and highlight the importance of including socio-demographic variables in a potential theory of environmental entrepreneurship.

KW - Entrepreneurship

KW - environmental entrepreneurship

KW - socio-demographic factors

KW - venturing

KW - entrepreneur

KW - Systematic literature review

KW - age

KW - gender

KW - education

KW - sustainability

KW - sustainable development

U2 - 10.1504/IJEV.2025.146889

DO - 10.1504/IJEV.2025.146889

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 2025

SP - 88

EP - 116

JO - International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing

JF - International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing

SN - 1742-5360

IS - Vol. 17, No. 1

ER -