FinTech Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Exploring the Interplay between Input and Output

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the interplay between the attributes of the FinTech ecosystem (input) and productive entrepreneurship (output) in Russian regions. A survey was used to gather data from FinTech representatives in ten selected regions located in Russia. The acquired responses allowed measuring the FinTech ecosystem attributes by calculating the FinTech ecosystem index. Correlation analysis was used to analyse the association between the FinTech ecosystem index and productive entrepreneurship, as measured by the number of FinTechs. Data envelopment analysis was used to determine regions with more productive entrepreneurship given the ecosystem attributes. The FinTech ecosystem index defines a similar environment in the analysed regions for financial sector entrepreneurship. The regions have high values of physical infrastructure, demand, and talent, while new knowledge and networks appear as weaknesses. Still, Moscow has the highest and Chelyabinsk the lowest FinTech ecosystem index. There appears a positive link between FinTech ecosystem attributes and productive entrepreneurship. The Moscow and Chelyabinsk regions are also revealed as the regions that effectively create an environment for productive entrepreneurship from the position of the Fintech ecosystem index. This study contributed to the existing literature by measuring FinTech ecosystem attributes and productive entrepreneurship, investigating the relationship between them and determining the territories with productive entrepreneurship. It also contributed to Russian FinTech literature by being the first to measure the environment for financial sector entrepreneurship.