Financing Innovation in the Entrepreneurship High Lands Economies: European Mountain Series Forecasting (7)

This study examines the evolution of mountain entrepreneurship in the financial sector over the period 2021–2028, applying a quantitative approach based on time series analysis across 28 relevant economic indicators. The indicators fall into three major categories: business demography, labor market dynamics, and enterprise sustainability. The developed models underwent validation using statistical parameters such as R-squared, RMSE, MAPE, and normalized BIC. Findings indicate a moderate increase in the number of enterprises and employees, alongside high volatility within the entrepreneurial environment, reflected through elevated churn rates and low survival rates. Despite the observed fragility, signs of economic maturation emerge, particularly among enterprises that manage to persist over the medium term. The study emphasizes the urgent need for public policies aimed at supporting enterprise scaling and strengthening financial infrastructure in mountainous regions, in order to transform current entrepreneurial dynamics into a sustainable driver of economic growth.