Kansheba, Jonathan MukizaTabas, Abdollah MohammadparastTheodoraki, ChristinaFubah, Clavis Nwehfor2025-07-312025-07-312025Kansheba, J. M., Mohammadparast Tabas, A., Theodoraki, C., & Fubah, C. N. (2025). Innovation newness shaping venture legitimation strategy choices in the entrepreneurial ecosystem: An empirical analysis based on fsQCA. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14657503251330088.1465-7503 (print)2043-6882 (online)10.1177/14657503251330088http://hdl.handle.net/2263/103707Establishing and sustaining the legitimacy of new ventures is a complex endeavour for entrepreneurs. In this article, we draw insights on ecosystem and legitimacy theories, and we employ a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis approach to study effective configurations of (technological and market) innovation newness influencing the new-venture legitimation strategy orientations of 228 startups in Finland. The results reveal that the startups operating in established markets (existing markets) with incremental technology (as essential [core] conditions) are likely to opt for conformance and selection legitimation strategies. However, a firm's radical technology has been revealed as a supplementary (peripheral) condition in this context. Furthermore, the results show that startups are likely to opt for a manipulation strategy when operating in new markets (as a core condition, with incremental technology as a peripheral condition). We further find that startups can opt for a creation strategy when operating in new markets with radical technology (as core conditions). We conclude by offering the implications of our findings and avenues for further research.en© The Author(s) 2025.Liability of newnessLegitimacyInnovation newnessFuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA)Entrepreneurial ecosystemsArticle