The countries of the Baltic Sea region — Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Sweden — represent different traditions, yet they are united by a shared concern for providing high-quality and accessible services in rural areas. Across the Baltic Sea region, their populations face various challenges, including population ageing and migration to cities or other countries. For this reason, the focus on economic growth is gradually being replaced by alternative approaches. Difficulties in ensuring services and infrastructure for rural communities have increased the importance of social entrepreneurship as a potential solution.

This research article (authors: Judith Alms and Christine Tamásy) analyses the social entrepreneurship ecosystems of six Baltic Sea region countries, including Latvia, and the extent to which rural areas are incorporated within them. The study is based on an in-depth document analysis. It examines how rural areas are represented within these ecosystems and what implications ecosystem structures have for the development of social entrepreneurship in rural regions. The research shows that social entrepreneurship is increasingly recognised as a tool for regional development. However, strategies and related support structures still pay limited attention to the specific opportunities and challenges faced by social entrepreneurship in rural areas.