Proceedings of the International scientific and practical conference ―Science and Innovation Today‖ (January 12-14, 2026) / Publisher website: www.naukainfo.com. – Warsaw, Poland, 2026. – 148 p.

31 Particular attention is paid to the interaction between innovation processes and risk management. The analysis highlights the role of adaptive strategies, dynamic capabilities, open innovation practices, and human capital development in enhancing entrepreneurial performance in unstable environments. The findings may support the design of innovation strategies for enterprises operating under conditions of heightened uncertainty. Keywords: innovation-driven development; entrepreneurship; uncertainty; risk; adaptive strategy; dynamic capabilities. The contemporary entrepreneurial landscape is shaped by rapid technological change, fluctuating market conditions, and continuous institutional transformation. These processes have significantly increased the level of uncertainty faced by firms, making managerial decision-making more complex and less predictable. As a result, entrepreneurship increasingly unfolds in environments where future outcomes cannot be accurately forecast and risks extend beyond traditional financial dimensions. In economic theory, uncertainty has long been recognized as a defining characteristic of entrepreneurial activity. Unlike measurable risk, uncertainty reflects situations in which future events cannot be reliably quantified, thereby influencing strategic behavior and investment decisions. In modern economies, the scale and intensity of uncertainty have expanded due to globalization, digitalization, and structural economic shifts, requiring enterprises to reconsider established approaches to growth and development. Within this context, innovation-driven development has emerged as a critical response to environmental instability. Innovation is no longer viewed solely as a mechanism for expanding markets or improving efficiency; it increasingly functions as a means of organizational adaptation. Firms that systematically invest in innovation tend to demonstrate greater flexibility, resilience, and capacity to respond to external shocks. At the same time, innovation itself involves substantial uncertainty, as its outcomes, timing, and market acceptance remain difficult to predict.