Abstract
Purpose This study aims to explore worldwide innovative solutions that have been proposed to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on people's mental health. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology is adopted, which performs an exploratory study considering the innovative projects identified by the Observatory for Public Sector Innovation framework. Additionally, the analysis of the relevance and characteristics of these projects are explored considering a multidimensional framework composed of five dimensions: novelty level; social need; improvement of society; sector neutrality; and level of emergence. Findings The findings reveal that the number of projects in the field of mental health is low, despite their strong relevance to their communities. These projects arise from a strong social need to protect especially the most vulnerable groups in this pandemic and involve a large number of partners in the public sector, business and civil society. The role of volunteering in the revitalization and growth of these initiatives is also recognized. Originality/value This study is relevant in both the theoretical and practical dimensions. It allows the exploration of these projects considering the dimensions of social innovation and offers practical implications that allow these projects to be replicated in other countries and regions.

Abstract
Micro-companies play an extremely important role in the economy being the main driver of economic growth. They contribute decisively for employability, business innovation and in reducing social asymmetries. This role of micro-companies in particular and, small and medium enterprises in general, is widely recognised in the literature. Nevertheless, the number of longitudinal studies that explicitly address the contribution of micro-companies to the European economy is reduced, and most of them are essentially reports produced by European and national agencies that analyse the importance of this phenomenon in their economies. This study intends to characterise the birth, death and survival rate of micro-companies in the European Union. The study adopts a quantitative and statistical approach in data analysis between 2008 and 2016, which allows us to characterise the evolution of these indicators and to understand which countries have the best and the worst performances.

Abstract
The literature reveals that science parks offer numerous benefits and support services to the activity of a technological startup. However, the decision of choosing the best science park for the startup tends to be an informal process, technically not very rigorous and planning, arising essentially by affinities with the research centre and university. In this study, a decision support system is presented to support entrepreneurs in the process of selecting a science park for the implementation of their startup. The AHP method is used to compare the importance of the criteria for selecting a science park, which includes factors such as location, activity sector, infrastructure, cost, and size. The findings reveal that the use of this decision support system helps entrepreneurs to find a science park that is suitable for the needs of their startup and allows them to comparatively identify the most relevant criteria when choosing a science park. © 2024 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Abstract
The adoption of open innovation poses significant challenges that are important to explore. Studies in this field have mainly focused on exploring the causes of the failure of open innovation among large companies. This study addresses this research gap by employing a sample of 297 Portuguese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to explore, through a quantitative study, whether the dimensions and causes of failure differ between large organizations and SMEs. A total of seven dimensions of causes of failure are considered, including strategy-related, organizational structure, organizational culture, knowledge and intellectual property management, management skill and action, resources, and interfirm collaboration. The findings reveal significant differences in four of these seven dimensions: the main causes of failure are related to the resources and management processes of open innovation in SMEs, while large companies face more challenges in the organizational structure and culture components. This study offers theoretical insights into the gaps in the literature to better understand the challenges facing open innovation. Furthermore, this study offers practical guidelines for SMEs to identify and mitigate these main obstacles, promoting better innovation management practices.

Abstract
This study explores the contribution of serious game teaching technology, such as FLIGBY, to the development of entrepreneurial learning outcomes in the context of an entrepreneurship course in higher education. The sample is composed of 551 students through the construction of a randomized pretest-posttest control group. A quantitative methodology is adopted through the development of a structured equation model that seeks to assess the effectiveness of FLIGBY in the development of three constructs related to the development of entrepreneurial skills, reduction in the perception of barriers associated with entrepreneurial activity and increase the entrepreneurial intention. The findings reveal that FLIGBY can effectively contribute to the development of the first two constructs. However, we found that it has no effect on the third construct because it was not possible to identify significant differences in the entrepreneurial intention of FLIGBY students with those of the control group. The results of this study are relevant in extending the understanding of the impact of adopting a serious game in the context of entrepreneurship education and also supports their role in the development of more immersive and student-centered training.

Abstract
Digital transformation in entrepreneurship education is an activity that has been taking place in higher education institutions, namely, through digital access to resources, simulations, and serious games. These activities have contributed to greater student engagement and to fostering personalized learning. Despite the recognized success of these activities, entrepreneurship education is still seen as an isolated and internally implemented activity, with few synergies with other institutions and external stakeholders. This study presents a proposal for an innovative technological platform that enables entrepreneurial projects to include students from various higher education institutions helping to build businesses worldwide. The proposed approach also involves integration with investors who can invest and offer mentoring services. A prototyping methodology was employed which provides benefits in terms of rapid iteration and feedback, enabling early visualization and testing of ideas, leading to improved design, functionality, and alignment with user needs. The results of this study show that the implemented solution addresses the critical success factors (CSFs) in the implementation of a crowdsourcing platform such as usability, scalability, transparency, security, monetary compensation, and social recognition. Finally, this study is mainly relevant for higher education institutions to revolutionize their higher education processes by adopting a collaborative approach that allows them to interact with several players on a global scale. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.