Adam Smith Business School

           

Entrepreneurship is a powerful driver of development, but its potential is often limited by weak or uneven support systems. Professor Sreevas Sahasranamam’s research focuses on understanding and building entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems that are inclusive, resilient, and locally rooted.

 

 

Much of his current work focuses on India, exploring ways to support entrepreneurs in both rural and urban settings. One major area of research focuses on entrepreneurship in rural regions, where infrastructure and access to networks can be limited. An edited volume on this theme is scheduled for publication later this year.

Another stream examines how to design innovation ecosystems that help tackle grand societal challenges, such as health, sustainability, and inequality. This has involved studying the biomedical innovation ecosystem, digital healthcare ecosystem, and blockchain ecosystem in agriculture in India.

Building Digital Commons-Based Ecosystems in the Global South

One current project within this wider research area is examining how digital public infrastructure, such as shared software, open platforms, and public data, can support inclusive innovation in the Global South. These systems, often referred to as “digital commons”, are designed to be open and interoperable, offering public value rather than private profit. Well-known examples include India Stack, Brazil’s Pix payment platform, and a growing list of projects recognised by the UN’s Digital Public Goods Alliance.

In addition to Professor Sahasranamam, the project team includes Dr Arjunan Subramanian, Dr Bernd Wurth, and Meghana Lakkapragada from the Adam Smith Business School. They are joined by Professor R. Srinivasan and Anuradha Sharma at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, Dr Jess Auerbach and Prof. Alison Gillwald at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and Dr Leonardo Augusto Gomes at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Together, they are exploring how digital commons are being built, adapted, and governed in different Global South contexts.

The research over the past couple of years is grounded in fieldwork in India and Sri Lanka, focusing on examples such as eSamudaay and Good Market, combined with global engagement through events and policy forums. Insights from the project have already informed a policy note for the G20 South Africa Digital Economy Working Group, helping shape international perspectives on digital development. The team has also hosted a roundtable at the Skoll World Forum, shared emerging findings at the Social Enterprise World Forum, and contributed articles to the Stanford Social Innovation Review and the World Economic Forum. One member has taken on an advisory role in a World Economic Forum-led effort aimed at creating a data commons platform for social entrepreneurship and in an initiative exploring impact tokens linked to digital public goods.

The research over the past couple of years is grounded in fieldwork in India and Sri Lanka, focusing on examples such as eSamudaay and Good Market, combined with global engagement through events and policy forums. Insights from the project have already informed a policy note for the G20 South Africa Digital Economy Working Group, helping shape international perspectives on digital development. The team has also hosted a roundtable at the Skoll World Forum, shared emerging findings at the Social Enterprise World Forum, and contributed articles to the Stanford Social Innovation Review and the World Economic Forum. One member has taken on an advisory role in a World Economic Forum-led effort aimed at creating a data commons platform for social entrepreneurship and in an initiative exploring impact tokens linked to digital public goods.

The research over the past couple of years is grounded in fieldwork in India and Sri Lanka, focusing on examples such as eSamudaay and Good Market, combined with global engagement through events and policy forums. Insights from the project have already informed a policy note for the G20 South Africa Digital Economy Working Group, helping shape international perspectives on digital development. The team has also hosted a roundtable at the Skoll World Forum, shared emerging findings at the Social Enterprise World Forum, and contributed articles to the Stanford Social Innovation Review and the World Economic Forum. One member has taken on an advisory role in a World Economic Forum-led effort aimed at creating a data commons platform for social entrepreneurship and in an initiative exploring impact tokens linked to digital public goods.

 

These projects are funded through a range of national and international bodies, including the Government of India, the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust, the British Council, and the ASBS Grand Challenges fund. With the next round of funding, and with additional partners already identified in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, the aim is to develop a Global South-focused Entrepreneurship Research Centre, enabling research-backed evidence and comparative insights across different regions.

This research supports efforts to create environments where entrepreneurs can not only start businesses but also build ventures that are sustainable and impactful. It also offers practical insight into how policy, technology, and community engagement can be combined to support inclusive growth.

 

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For further information, please contact business-school-research@glasgow.ac.uk 

First published: 1 October 2025