Ireland’s Gen Y female entrepreneurs and the mismatch of the enterprise ecosystem

Cultivating systems offering centres of entrepreneurial activity is one approach available to government to stimulate and sustain an entrepreneurial society. The question is how to ignite an ecosystem that recognizes women entrepreneurs early –in particular, one that helps open doors, provides funding and puts the infrastructure in place to help more women win? The research presented here suggests Gen Y female entrepreneurs represent a new brand of entrepreneur in the entrepreneurial landscape. Gen Y potentially represents an un(der)tapped source of economic growth, vital for future economic growth and sustainability, so understanding how we can better align supports and training to this generation is crucial. The purpose of this chapter is to provide new insights into this cohort of entrepreneurs and uncover implications for the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports and drives forward entrepreneurship among this key cohort.