The study population consisted of Physical Education students at Farhangian University who had experience in or interest in entrepreneurial and innovative activities. Participants were selected through purposive sampling using the snowball technique, and theoretical saturation was achieved after 15 semi-structured interviews.

In this study, four categories—environmental and university innovation ecosystem factors, educational and academic factors, entrepreneurial competencies and skills, and cultural transformations—were identified as causal conditions. Contextual conditions included experiential learning platforms in the field of sport, institutional policies and support, university innovation and technological infrastructure, communication networks and professional interactions, and the promotion of social equity. Two categories—structural and institutional barriers within the university and students’ psychosocial barriers—were considered intervening conditions.

The strategies were classified into three levels: short-term (reactive and immediate), medium-term (stabilizing and strengthening), and long-term strategies. The outcomes—namely the sustainability and growth of students’ entrepreneurial activities, the development of innovation in sports services and products, the formation of a university sports entrepreneurship ecosystem, and students’ professional empowerment—can collectively create conditions that foster students’ entrepreneurial resilience within the university innovation ecosystem.