Entrepreneurial Ecosystem of the Magadan Region: Problems and Prospects for the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in the Context of a Single-Industry Economy

The study examines the transformation of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Magadan Region, in the context of transitioning from a resource-dependent economic development model to a diversified one. The authors conducted a series of in-depth interviews with representatives from governmental bodies, scientific organizations, business structures, and educational institutions in the region. This approach aimed to gather a comprehensive set of expert opinions on the current situation and future prospects for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the single-industry economic landscape of the Magadan Region. Based on the analysis of interview materials, gathered during the student expedition “Magadan 360”, key barriers to the region’s development were identified: the monostructural nature of the economy, high logistical costs, a deficit of skilled labor, and the outflow of young people. Concurrently, promising avenues for regional economic diversification were determined: leveraging energy surplus for data processing centers, digitalization of traditional industries, deep processing of bio-resources, and the development of tourism and creative industries.