Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in accelerating economic growth and development. Economic growth was traditionally attributed to two input factors, namely labour, and capital. Later, the endogenous growth models included technological advancements and knowledge spillovers that enabled innovation and entrepreneurship to be included in the literature on economic growth. Schumpeter (1934) discussed the relationship between entrepreneurship and innovation with an emphasis on the dynamic processes of &ldquocreative destruction&rdquo, which refers to continuous disruption of the old and existing structures and efficiently allocating those resources for new entrepreneurial ventures and boosting innovation. The extant literature provides evidence of entrepreneurship studies in advanced nations, but less is explored from the emerging and developing nations perspective. In recent years, India has witnessed a surge in the number of existing entrepreneurial ventures and newly formed startups. There also exist significant regional variations within the national boundaries which necessitates the need for understanding the geographical characteristics of the entrepreneurial ecosystems and innovation at a regional level. This study contributes to the existing body of literature on entrepreneurship and innovation by delineating the spatial dynamics of the components that comprise the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Furthermore, it underscores their pivotal role in shaping the entrepreneurial landscape of India. Specifically, the study aims to address the following broad questions, i.e., identifying the components of entrepreneurial ecosystems and their influence on regional competitiveness, internal and external factors that drive startup growth and performance, and the role of knowledge spillovers within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Innovation, Economic Growth, Regional Economics