Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At CEBII, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are foundational to how we think, research, teach and engage. EDI is not an add-on to our work. It shapes our philosophy, our design choices and our partnerships.

Entrepreneurship does not occur in a vacuum. It is shaped by institutional structures, cultural norms, access to resources and lived experience. If we are serious about understanding entrepreneurial behaviour and fostering innovation, we must also be serious about inclusion.

Our Philosophy

CEBII is committed to:

• Recognising structural barriers that shape entrepreneurial participation.
• Designing research and programmes that are accessible, inclusive and responsive to lived experience.
• Moving beyond one-size-fits-all models of entrepreneurship.
• Co-creating knowledge with, not only about, marginalised communities.

We understand inclusion not only as the active removal of barriers to participation, but as a commitment to examining and transforming the systems that produce those barriers in the first place. This includes addressing physical, digital, financial, cultural and attitudinal structures that shape who can participate in entrepreneurship, and on what terms.

Our work is informed by social model approaches to disability, gender equality frameworks, intersectional analysis and institutional perspectives on inequality. Inclusion is embedded into how we conceptualise entrepreneurial ecosystems, not treated as a niche theme.

EDI in Our Research

Our research agenda critically examines who gets to participate in entrepreneurship, whose ventures are legitimised, and how institutional structures shape entrepreneurial journeys.

We pay particular attention to:

• Women’s entrepreneurship and gendered institutional contexts.
• Disabled entrepreneurs and structural access to enterprise supports.
• Migrant and minority entrepreneurship.
• Underrepresented founders in funding systems and innovation ecosystems.

This approach aligns with TU Dublin’s broader Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and associated Action Plans, including:

• Athena Swan
• Race Equity initiatives
• Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment
• Gender Identity and Gender Expression Policy

We view research as both analytical and practical: it should inform policy, reshape supports and improve institutional practice.

EDI in Our Programmes and Events

In designing courses, workshops and public events, CEBII embeds EDI considerations from the outset rather than retrofitting them at a later stage. Our events are structured to foster inclusive dialogue, diverse representation and meaningful participation across career stages and backgrounds.

In practice, this means:

• Accessible materials.
• Consideration of digital accessibility and hybrid participation formats.
• Inclusive examples and case studies that reflect diverse entrepreneurial identities.
• Flexible engagement formats where feasible.
• Representation of diverse speakers and lived experience voices.

We are attentive to how timing, format, assessment structures and communication channels can either enable or restrict participation.

Our work in entrepreneurship education recognises that standardised models often overlook differences in social capital, financial precarity, health, caregiving responsibilities and systemic bias. We therefore seek to design learning experiences that are strengths-based and context-aware.

Ecosystem and Partnership Approach

CEBII recognises that inclusive entrepreneurship requires coordinated efforts across institutions and sectors. Structural inequalities cannot be addressed through isolated initiatives.

We engage in dialogue and collaboration with:

• Policy actors
• Enterprise agencies
• Community organisations
• Advocacy groups
• Researchers across disciplines
• Entrepreneurs with lived experience

Our aim is to contribute to a more coherent and responsive entrepreneurial ecosystem, one that recognises layered barriers, diverse starting points and different forms of entrepreneurial aspiration.

We support ecosystem mapping and cross-sector engagement to better understand where support pathways exist, where gaps remain and how systems can evolve to become more equitable and accessible.

Inclusion, Innovation and Ongoing Development

At CEBII, EDI is treated as an ongoing practice rather than a completed objective. Inclusion is not static; it requires continuous reflection, adaptation and structural awareness.

We regularly examine:

• How accessible our programmes and events are in practice
• Who participates, and who may be absent
• How our research questions frame inclusion, legitimacy and power
• What feedback reveals about unintended barriers

We recognise that inclusive practice requires both critical self-examination and structural ambition. As our research, partnerships and programmes evolve, so too must our approaches to accessibility, representation and engagement.

We also understand inclusion as integral to innovation. Entrepreneurial systems that exclude talent are economically inefficient and socially unjust. Diverse perspectives expand the range of problems considered worth solving, reshape how value is defined, and strengthen the legitimacy and sustainability of entrepreneurial ecosystems.

CEBII is committed to advancing entrepreneurial knowledge and practice that reflects the complexity, diversity and lived realities of contemporary society.