Vania Sena

Professor Vania Sena is a Chair in Entrepreneurship and Enterprise at the Management School of the University of Sheffield. She is a leading scholar in innovation, entrepreneurship, big data analytics, and institutional economics, with a strong focus on productivity, SMEs, and collaborative innovation systems. Her work spans finance, public policy, and technology management, often employing advanced econometric and network analysis methods.

Her research interests include big data and performance, open and collaborative innovation, institutional impacts on innovation, entrepreneurship and SMEs, circular economy, and peer-to-peer lending. She has extensively studied the role of human capital, governance, and intellectual property in firm performance and innovation outcomes.

The 15 most recent articles reflect a consistent trajectory in data-driven innovation research, with increasing emphasis on AI, machine learning, resilience in supply chains (notably hydrogen), and the circular economy. Her publications appear in top journals such as Technological Forecasting and Social Change, British Journal of Management, Journal of Banking & Finance, and Journal of Economic Literature, showcasing interdisciplinary reach and methodological rigor.

Her scientific contributions include influential reviews on appropriability mechanisms and innovation, empirical studies on R&D spillovers, and frameworks for evaluating resilience in emerging energy systems. While specific awards are not listed, her publication record indicates significant recognition in the field.

She has supervised doctoral researchers, including recent completions on immigrant entrepreneurship and institutional effects on business survival. Her work is supported by extensive collaborations across Europe and beyond. She is actively involved in PhD supervision and research leadership within the Entrepreneurship, Strategy and International Business group.

Professor Sena has contributed to major research themes such as the impact of big data on SMEs, stakeholder diversity in innovation, and the role of policy in enabling circular economy business models. She is also engaged in policy-relevant research on financial inclusion, data intelligence in local government, and the effects of labor market restructuring.