Developing an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Model for IT Startups (Case Study: South Khorasan)

Entrepreneurship ecosystems are a combination of social, political, economic and cultural elements in a region that support the development and growth of startups, encouraging budding entrepreneurs and other actors to accept the risks of starting and financing a business. It is believed that the entrepreneurial economy, achieved through entrepreneurial ecosystem must replace the entrepreneurial policy, Therefore the regional policies for entrepreneurship are currently transitioning from an increase in the amount of entrepreneurship to an increase in the quality of entrepreneurship. The present study aims to identify the entrepreneurial ecosystem of IT startups in South Khorasan. the research has been done in qualitative method using the theme analysis technique. The data were collected through open and semi- structured interviews conducted with a group of IT workers. Primary and secondary themes were identified through examining data. The result of this study revealed the entrepreneurial ecosystem pattern of the IT startups in South Khorasan. Entrepreneurial culture and risk takin, government, market, new knowledge, the specialist human force, infrastructure, financial services, networking and industry are components of the entrepreneurial ecosystem model of south Khorasan.