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.

33 emerging signals. This shift underscores the importance of adaptive approaches to development under uncertainty. Innovation-driven development plays a central role in enabling entrepreneurship to function effectively under uncertainty. Classical economic thought conceptualized innovation as the introduction of new combinations of resources that disrupt existing equilibria and generate economic growth. In contemporary interpretations, innovation is increasingly understood as a dynamic process that supports adaptation rather than merely expansion. From this perspective, innovation allows firms to explore new technological solutions, reorganize internal processes, and redefine market positioning. These activities enhance flexibility and enable enterprises to respond to environmental changes more effectively. Innovation thus contributes to reducing long-term vulnerability, even though it may increase short-term uncertainty. The concept of dynamic capabilities provides a useful framework for understanding this adaptive function. Dynamic capabilities refer to firms’ abilities to sense environmental changes, seize emerging opportunities, and transform internal resources accordingly. Innovation processes are closely intertwined with these capabilities, as they facilitate learning, experimentation, and organizational renewal. Importantly, innovation-driven adaptation does not rely exclusively on internal resources. Increasingly, firms engage in open innovation practices, collaborating with external partners, research institutions, and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Such collaboration enables access to diverse knowledge sources and helps distribute innovation-related risks across organizational boundaries. Open innovation has gained prominence as a strategic response to uncertainty in innovation processes. By integrating external knowledge and technologies, firms can reduce dependence on internal capabilities and accelerate innovation cycles. This approach is particularly relevant for small and medium-sized enterprises, which often face resource constraints. Digital transformation further amplifies the adaptive potential of innovation- driven development. Digital platforms, data analytics, and flexible technological