AbstractPurpose – Island entrepreneurship is a relatively new research direction within entrepreneurship research. Mostpreviousresearch hasfocused on empiricalstudiesin specific island contexts. The purpose of this article isto (1)investigate how island entrepreneurship has been explored, (2) develop a theoretical foundation forconceptualising island entrepreneurship through the lens of entrepreneurial ecosystems theory and (3)propose a set of future research directions to advance the field

Design/methodology/approach – This article employs a literature review methodology, analysing 89 articlesthrough text analysis. The analysis identified 18 interrelated categories and then organised them into seven overarching themes.

Findings – Many studies highlight the key role of collective action and cooperation as prerequisites forentrepreneurial success. The main finding is that the entrepreneurial ecosystems approach can serve as anumbrella for addressing various research gaps, complex contexts and settings influencing entrepreneurialinteractions, resource use and the type of local institutions that either support or hamper entrepreneurialactivities on islands. This approach generates new knowledge to promote actionable entrepreneurial solutionsand policies for islands.

Originality/value – The paper’s originality lies in applying the entrepreneurial ecosystems approach to thespecific context of island entrepreneurship. It offers a holistic perspective that addresses previouslyunderexplored complexities, such as interactions between entrepreneurs, resource usage and the role of localinstitutions on islands.