Ecopreneurs – founders of young start-ups with an ecologically sustainable business model – are seen as the beacons of hope for the sustainable transformation of society. With the combination of idealistic motivation, creative thinking and entrepreneurial drive that is attributed to them in social, political and business discourse, they develop innovative solutions for ecological problems. With sustainable and at the same time profitable business models, they harmonize seemingly conflicting goals of environmental protection and economic growth. As part of this study, 21 ecopreneurs and their start-ups were followed over a period of several years. Eltje Gajewski illustrates the motivational structures, orientations, business practices and ways of thinking with which ecopreneurs approach their start-ups and how these change in the process of dealing with the external framework conditions. This reveals various conflicts with investors, stakeholders, legal requirements and economic policy regulations, which ecopreneurs typically deal with by making compromises to the detriment of the ecological aspects of their ventures in order to save their sustainability ideals. Contrary to common assumptions about the innovative potential of capitalism, it can be seen how ecological disruptions are slowed down on and by the market.

This book is included in DOAB.