Post-Pandemic Entrepreneurship and the Role of Delivery Services in Fostering Innovative Business Growth: Evidence from La Libertad, Peru

Abstract

In post-pandemic Peru, delivery platforms have become key market-access infrastructures for microenterprises, yet regional evidence remains limited. This study examines the extent to which—and under what conditions—the adoption of delivery services is associated with innovative business growth in La Libertad (2021–2025). A cross-sectional survey of 200 microentrepreneurs assessed delivery adoption, business model innovation (BMI), digital capabilities, and the institutional environment. Statistical analyses indicate that the use of delivery platforms is positively associated with business growth and that an indirect association operates through BMI. Likewise, higher levels of digital capabilities are associated with a steeper adoption–growth association, while more favorable institutional conditions are associated with higher odds of business formalization. These findings suggest that delivery platforms may function as catalysts for growth and formalization when adoption co-occurs with strategic redesign and digital skill development within supportive local ecosystems. The study contributes to sustainable entrepreneurship scholarship by providing regional-level evidence from a developing economy and underscoring that technological adoption alone is insufficient without complementary innovation and capability building. Although environmental metrics were not included, future research should incorporate verified indicators to assess the environmental dimension of delivery-based entrepreneurship comprehensively.