Envisioning a New Era of Inclusivity in the Digital Entrepreneurial Landscape through Digital Platforms

Abstract

Despite the significant potential of digital entrepreneurship to promote gender equality, women remain underrepresented in this field. This study explores how digital platforms can enable and/or hinder women entrepreneurs. Drawing on post-structural feminist theory and the conceptual framework of external enablers, I examine the experiences of women digital entrepreneurs. Adopting a qualitative and grounded research design, I conduct interviews with participants engaged in Uplevyl, a women-centric digital platform offering leadership, community support, and AI tools. Based on the enabler framework I derive four enablers and three inhibitors in form of aggregate dimensions for women entrepreneurs' participation in digital platforms. Uplevyl enables women through sharing knowledge, community, entrepreneurial identity, in an online environment perceived as safe and trustworthy. However, Uplevyl also inhibits women entrepreneurs in regard to work-life balance, gender equity, and new venture creation. The study underscores the importance of gender-sensitive approaches in digital entrepreneurship in research and practice.