Entrepreneurship Unleashed: Navigating Enablers, Overcoming Obstacles and Scaling New Heights

Abstract

This study aims to explore the complex interplay between enablers and barriers within India’s rapidly growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. With over 128,000 startups by 2024, the paper focuses on identifying key drivers of startup growth, the major hurdlers that entrepreneurs encounter-particularly in scaling operations, and presents a conceptual framework to navigate these dynamics effectively. Adopting a qualitative exploratory methodology, the study utilizes semi-structured interviews with sixty stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors, alongside in-depth case studies of successful Indian startups such as Flipkart, Ola, Paytm, and Razorpay. This multi-source data collection method enabled the extraction of experiential insights and strategic patterns relevant to scaling and sustainability. Key enablers identified include access to diverse funding sources (venture capital, crowdfunding), mentorship networks, technological adoption, and customer-centric innovation. Case studies highlight successful scaling practices such as localization, platform-based scalability, and adaptive leadership. Regulatory complexity, financial constraints, market saturation, and psychological stress emerged as primary barriers. The study proposes a conceptual framework that integrates strategic, financial, and emotional dimensions for navigating the startup landscape effectively. Unlike existing literature that isolates either enablers or challenges, this study integrates both to present a dynamic conceptual model.