Abstract
Very little is known about entrepreneurship amid ongoing military conflicts, although, entrepreneurial firms and small businesses are the most common form of business activity in the conflict-affected regions. Entrepreneurship can support hope, which is very important in aiding those affected by humanitarian crises, however, extant research on the role of hope in warzone entrepreneurship is scarce. Building on diary data collected from entrepreneurs living and working in Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian war, this research demonstrates how emotional cultures built on hope can motivate socially oriented entrepreneurial action and support entrepreneurial agency in challenging contexts. These findings contribute to the literature on entrepreneurship in war zones and research on emotional cultures.