This open access book addresses the urgent need to redesign entrepreneurship education for a hybrid, physical–digital world. It introduces the concept of phygital hubs—integrated environments combining physical interaction and digital technology—as transformative infrastructures for developing entrepreneurial skills, fostering inclusion, and generating measurable impact. Grounded in ecosystem theory, business model design, and human-centered innovation, the book proposes a scalable framework for inclusive, data-driven education. It explores how AI, immersive learning, and personalization empower disadvantaged groups and enhance engagement. Combining conceptual chapters with practical tools and case studies, the volume offers educators, policymakers, and researchers actionable strategies to bridge skills gaps, democratize access, and promote sustainable regional development in the post-pandemic digital era.

Marco Romano is Full professor of Management at the Department of Economics and Business at the University of Catania. He is an associate research fellow on technology transfer at the National Institute for Nuclear Physics and a board member of Fondazione GRINS. He authored and co-authored numerous publications in international journals on entrepreneurial issues with respect to scientists as principal investigators, entrepreneurial universities, entrepreneurial ecosystems and technology transfer. He serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Intellectual Capital.

Melita Nicotra is Associate Professor and Qualified Full Professor of Management at the University of Catania, Department of Economics and Man-agement, where she teaches Management. She is also member of the teaching staff of the PhD in Economics, Management and Statistics. She is author of numerous international publications on primary management journals. Over the years she has carried out an intense research activity in qualified Italian and foreign institutes on the topics of ecosystems, entrepreneurship and innovation. 

Valentina Mallamaci is Research Fellow at the Department of Economics and Business at the University of Catania, member of GRINS Project re-search team. PhD in Economics and Quantitative Methods. She was visiting PhD in Management of Innovation and New Technologies at the ICRIOS Center of Bocconi University, where she also collaborated on the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions projects “Taltech Industrial” and “CatChain”. She conducted a research period at the Tallinn University of Technology and the United Nations University – Maastricht Economic and Social Re-search Institute on Innovation and Technology in Maastricht. Her research focuses on knowledge management; innovation management; entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems; entrepreneurial education.

Francesco Russo is a PhD in Economics, Management, and Decision Making. He is a Knowledge Transfer Manager for technology scouting and research valorization within R.INN.OVA – UNICT 5.0 project. 
He was a research fellow within GRINS project at the University of Catania (Italy), a visiting doctoral researcher at NEOMA Business School in Reims (France), and worked in the marketing department of Neodata Group, a big data analytics company. His research focuses on entrepreneurship, digital transformation, big data and artificial intelligence, advertising, omnichannel strategy, and customer experience.