The Emergence of the Urban Entrepreneur: How the Growth of Cities and the Sharing Economy Are Driving a New Breed of Innovators

Boyd Cohen · Pablo Muñoz

May 2016 · ABC-CLIO

About this ebook

Combining emerging trends in collaboration, democratization, and urbanization, this book examines the emergence of entrepreneurship and innovation as a primarily urban phenomenon, explains why urban environments are rapidly attracting global innovators across three distinct forms of "urbanpreneurship," and lights the path forward for entrepreneurs, innovators, and city governments.

The world is urbanizing rapidly. Currently, 600 cities account for 60 percent of the global economy; by 2025, it is predicted that the top 100 cities will account for 35 percent of the world's economy. Emerging trends in collaboration, the sharing economy, and innovation are opening up new opportunities for entrepreneurs in urban environments—"urbanpreneurs"—to participate in everything from tech startups in cities (instead of suburban tech parks) to makers and on-demand service providers to roles in civic entrepreneurship for those interested in solving the challenges that growing cities are facing.

Readers of this book will understand how the converging trends of collaboration, democratization, and urbanization are rapidly attracting global innovators to cities capable of creating the enabling environment for aspiring innovators. The book discusses how entrepreneurs can best capitalize on the opportunities in urban settings, identifies what large and small cities can do to encourage more urbanpreneurship, and concludes with a consideration of the future of entrepreneurship in urban environments.

Documents how the integration of three converging trends—collaboration, democratization, and urbanization—contribute to what the author calls the "Urbanpreneur Spiral"

Presents eye-opening insights and reflections on the current and future state of entrepreneurship and innovation in society

Explains why today's cities are the primary source of opportunities for new entrepreneurs

Pays much-needed attention to the growing role of local governments in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation

About the author

Boyd Cohen, PhD, is professor of entrepreneurship and sustainability at EADA Business School in Barcelona, Spain, and joint professor at the Universitat de Vic.

Pablo Muñoz, PhD, is lecturer in business and sustainable change at the Sustainability Research Institute, University of Leeds in the United Kingdom.