Erzsi Meerstra-de Haan is an associate professor at the Research Group on Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship and is responsible for the line of research Impact Entrepreneurship. Her research focuses on impact-driven entrepreneurs: companies that, alongside a successful business model, also aim to create social value.
Impact Entrepreneurship
Together with entrepreneurs, lecturers, and students, Erzsi explores how Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME) can increase their social impact. The focus lies on removing obstacles and strengthening the ecosystem around impact-driven entrepreneurs. Key themes include providing entrepreneurs with the space to make their own choices and reducing regulatory pressure.
An example is the research on the Zowerkthet! program by Vanhulley. This project produced practical tools for designing a regional innovation ecosystem that contributes to an inclusive labor market and a circular value chain.
Currently, the line of research is part of SCENTISS, a consortium that develops scaling strategies and strong ecosystems for social and community-focused entrepreneurs. It is also involved in the External Mobility work package within Baanbrekend Perspectief, a project aimed at the sustainable employability of people aged 55 and over.
Background
In 2019, Erzsi Meerstra-de Haan obtained her PhD from the University of Groningen with research on citizen initiatives in shrinking regions in Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe, with particular attention to the relationship between government and initiators. She then completed a postdoc at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Groningen, where she worked on the Innovation Monitor Northern Netherlands.
Contact
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Erzsi Meerstra-de Haan
Associate professor