This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of social entrepreneurship and poverty alleviation, examining 461 articles published between 1998 and 2022. The analysis reveals a significant increase in research activity since 2009, with a 55% surge in research output between 2021 and 2022. The Sustainability Journal is the most productive source, followed by the Journal of Cleaner Production. Key authors include Nina Kolleck, David Littlewood, and Diane Holt. Geographically, the UK, Spain, the USA, and European institutions lead in research output, while South Asian and African countries show lower performance. Co-citation analysis identifies four thematic clusters: (1) dynamics of social entrepreneurship; (2) sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem; (3) social entrepreneurship for social innovation; and (4) integrated sustainable entrepreneurship. Keyword co-occurrence analysis highlights emerging research areas such as entrepreneurial development, higher education, enterprise collaboration, inclusive growth, and socio-economic empowerment. The study contributes to the literature by identifying key research trends, gaps, and future directions in social entrepreneurship and poverty alleviation. It also provides insights into the intellectual structure of the field and the role of social entrepreneurship in sustainable development. The findings suggest that social entrepreneurship is a critical area for addressing poverty and promoting sustainable development, with a growing emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and inclusive growth. The study underscores the importance of interdisciplinary research and international collaboration in advancing social entrepreneurship and achieving sustainable development goals.This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of social entrepreneurship and poverty alleviation, examining 461 articles published between 1998 and 2022. The analysis reveals a significant increase in research activity since 2009, with a 55% surge in research output between 2021 and 2022. The Sustainability Journal is the most productive source, followed by the Journal of Cleaner Production. Key authors include Nina Kolleck, David Littlewood, and Diane Holt. Geographically, the UK, Spain, the USA, and European institutions lead in research output, while South Asian and African countries show lower performance. Co-citation analysis identifies four thematic clusters: (1) dynamics of social entrepreneurship; (2) sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem; (3) social entrepreneurship for social innovation; and (4) integrated sustainable entrepreneurship. Keyword co-occurrence analysis highlights emerging research areas such as entrepreneurial development, higher education, enterprise collaboration, inclusive growth, and socio-economic empowerment. The study contributes to the literature by identifying key research trends, gaps, and future directions in social entrepreneurship and poverty alleviation. It also provides insights into the intellectual structure of the field and the role of social entrepreneurship in sustainable development. The findings suggest that social entrepreneurship is a critical area for addressing poverty and promoting sustainable development, with a growing emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and inclusive growth. The study underscores the importance of interdisciplinary research and international collaboration in advancing social entrepreneurship and achieving sustainable development goals.