Drivers and barriers for enabling novel business in ecosystems

This paper explores how theoretically distancing ecosystem types such as innovation and business ecosystems are in practice interrelated through co-evolution. The aim is to explore different paths for creating novel business in an innovation ecosystem and identify related drivers and barriers. The research methodology is a qualitative case study. The case consisted of 21 partners in an innovation ecosystem for smart water network management. Data was gathered in workshops and in-depth interviews. The analysis followed three paths from innovation to business ecosystems 1) Building joint offering for customers 2) Scaling-up to new markets or industries 3) Shaping actively (novel) markets and business opportunities. The findings indicate that barriers are linked to the actors’ various, often conflicting, expectations on ecosystem collaboration and to the compatibility of different technological solutions. The drivers include understanding market dynamics and acknowledging dependencies on other stakeholders. The conceptual framework will help scholars in understanding the scattered field, and practitioners in designing more efficient mechanisms for boosting novel business opportunities in their ecosystem work.