From code to startups: the roles of university-based entrepreneurship ecosystems, growth mindset, and software development capabilities

Despite their strong technical foundations, computing students are less likely to pursue entrepreneurship than students from other fields. This gap is particularly relevant in emerging economies, where universities play an important role in translating technical capabilities into entrepreneurial outcomes. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study examines how university-based entrepreneurship ecosystems shape digital entrepreneurial intention through the integration of ecosystem support, growth mindset, and software development capabilities. Survey data from 344 computing students in Indonesia were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings show that university ecosystems strengthen entrepreneurial attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Perceived behavioral control moderates the effects of attitudes and subjective norms on entrepreneurial intention. Growth mindset positively moderates the effect of ecosystem support on perceived behavioral control, while software development capabilities enhance perceived behavioral control. Mediation analysis shows that attitudes and subjective norms transmit the effect of university ecosystems on entrepreneurial intention, whereas perceived behavioral control mediates the effect of software development capabilities. This study extends TPB by integrating institutional support, growth mindset, and technical capability. The findings offer implications for universities, educators, and entrepreneurship support programs seeking to design ecosystem-driven entrepreneurship education for digital startup development in emerging economies.