Topics & scope

The overarching theme of HERF 2026 is Health in Entrepreneurship, with a special emphasis on intervention research and evidence-based practice. We invite submissions that examine the health and well-being of entrepreneurs, founders, self-employed workers, and entrepreneurial teams, particularly studies that design, evaluate, or critically assess interventions.

Indicative topics include, but are not limited to:

• Design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions (e.g., educational, clinical, organizational, policy, or digital) aimed at supporting entrepreneur health and well-being.
• Stress, burnout, resilience, coping, and work–life balance in entrepreneurial careers, including during periods of crisis or major transition.
• Health risks and resources in startups, SMEs, family businesses, and self-employment, and their implications for performance, growth, and sustainability.
• Mental health, sleep, social isolation, and social support networks as determinants of founder well-being and venture outcomes.
• Entrepreneurial ecosystems and public policy, including the role of incubators, accelerators, business associations, and policymakers in shaping healthy entrepreneurial environments.
• Digital health, artificial intelligence (AI), and technology-enabled interventions for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
• Methodological and identification challenges in health and entrepreneurship research, including intervention designs, experiments, longitudinal studies, qualitative research, mixed methods, and large-scale or consortium-based data collection.
• Interdisciplinary research integrating entrepreneurship, management, psychology, health sciences, public health, sociology, and public policy.