Abstract
Gig workers in app-based platforms navigate digital and organizational borders shaped by algorithmic control and socio-spatial atomization. While these border-keepers hinder collectivization, they also create a need for solidarity. This study examines entrepreneurial solidarity among Urban Company partners in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, through qualitative interviews of 58 partners, identifying three key processes: individual border-crossing to recognize entrepreneurial solidarity, collective border-crossing via ambient socialities (awareness, co-presence, affiliation), and border-breaking platform control through active resistance. The research highlights the role of ‘phygital’ spaces – unmanaged digital and physical environments – in overcoming isolation and fostering worker mobilization. By framing gig workers as daily border-crossers navigating constraints imposed by platforms, this study contributes to discussions on labour mobility, digital governance, and workplace inequalities. It underscores the challenges and opportunities in organizing gig workers across fragmented labour landscapes, offering insights into how digital labour borders can be contested and reshaped through collective action.