The Ecosystem of Women-Led Social Entrepreneurship: A Phenomenological Study in Peru

This study examines how Peruvian women social entrepreneurs navigate and reshape their ecosystems amid gendered, institutional, and cultural constraints. Using a phenomenological approach with 30 founders, we identified key elements—networks, financing, culture, education, research, and innovation—together with facilitators, barriers, and strategic responses. Findings show that women counter weak institutional support, informality, and gendered norms by mobilizing community legitimacy, hybridizing resource channels, and cultivating alliances linking local and global networks. We propose a three-phase framework—Protective, Bridging, and Transformative—where emotional capital becomes social and financial capital. Results advance ecosystem and women’s entrepreneurship debates in Latin America and inform policy.