What Makes Entrepreneurship Special and Different
Entrepreneurship is widely regarded as a fundamental driver of economic growth, innovation, and job creation globally, playing a crucial role in enhancing productivity and structural change (Kritikos, 2024). As of 2026, entrepreneurship is increasingly seen as a mechanism for building resilience in an unpredictable economic landscape, with a significant shift toward AI-native businesses and sustainable, value-driven models.
The Close Connection Between Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurs
The close connection between entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs is fundamentally that of the “actor” and the “action”. An entrepreneur is the person with the vision and drive, while entrepreneurship is the structured process of bringing that vision to life. They are interdependent; entrepreneurship cannot exist without an entrepreneur to initiate it, and an entrepreneur’s vision remains just an idea without the process of entrepreneurship.
An entrepreneur is an individual who identifies a business opportunity, takes on financial risks, and organises resources to create a new, innovative product or service, often with the goal of growth, profit, or social change. Derived from the French “entreprendre” (“to undertake“), they act as catalysts for economic growth and innovation.
According to ESMT Berlin. (2025), “becoming an entrepreneur is both a mindset and a process”, which requires curiosity, resilience, and willingness to embrace uncertainty. They refer to an entrepreneur as an agent of change, “who initiates and operates a business, bearing financial risks in the hope of profit” (ESMT Berlin, 2025).
