Abstract
By incorporating insights from network and institutional theories, this study investigates how female and male frugal-social entrepreneurs create professional networks for innovation development in the context of Bangladesh, an emerging economy in South Asia. We interviewed 15 female and male entrepreneurs from six social ventures and 13 people in their networks. We also conducted focus group discussions with two social incubators. We are analyzing the data using thematic analysis and cross-case synthesis. Preliminary findings show that frugal-social entrepreneurs utilized various sources, including social incubators, for new tie creation. The network composition of female and male entrepreneurs is similar, while females rely more on familial ties and selectively create new professional ties to navigate the sociocultural context. This study offers insights into the process perspective of frugal innovation. It advances the emerging research streams analyzing women as frugal innovators and social entrepreneurs in an underrepresented emerging-economy context.