Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic affected societies worldwide, compromising socio-technical systems across geographical, judicial, and administrative borders. It therefore a cross-border, transboundary crisis. It also exposed the global medical supply chain's vulnerability. Authorities' inability to restore it quickly caused serious problems in crisis response, but private initiatives provided unexpected bottom-up solutions. How social entrepreneurs respond to a crisis alongside the formal crisis governance system and generate resources related to product development and logistics deserves more attention. We therefore present a case study about a Dutch social enterprise (Refugee Company) engaged with the cross-border dimension of the COVID-19 crisis. We show it is possible to establish a supply chain and domestically produce personal protection equipment using a bottom-up approach. Policy and crisis governance should not overlook the potential of entrepreneurial activities to strengthen supply chains during crises, as they make supply chains more sustainable and crisis-resilient.