Integrating support systems for youth social enterprises: multi-scalar insights from Kenya

Youth social enterprises are emerging as key drivers of inclusive development in the Global South, but face persistent challenges from weak institutions and fragmented support systems. This study explores how multi-actor institutional supports influence the sustainability of youth social enterprises through examining three Kenyan cases: UNICAF (education and scholarship provider), the Social Enterprise Society of Kenya (SESOK, advocacy network), and the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF, philanthropic foundation). Findings show that youth social enterprises do not only succeed through market efficiency but through institutional coordination across finance, education, mentorship, and policy. These four interlinked pillars form a multi-scalar support system that bridges institutional voids and stabilises hybrid social-commercial missions. The study conceptualises entrepreneurial ecosystems in developing contexts as institutionally constructed rather than market-evolved, offering practical insights for governments, universities, and philanthropy to strengthen youth-led innovation and advance inclusive development in fragile institutional environments.