Insights

How to co-create and collaborate in complex and continuously changing environments? What are the cornerstones on which successful innovation ecosystems are built on? How can design thinking help to facilitate effective cooperation in an open innovation ecosystem?

We at Spinverse have been working on open innovation with the most innovative companies and organisations throughout our 15-year history. A few years ago, Spinverse started a research project on leadership of open innovation ecosystems. After diving deep into the subject by going through numerous studies, attending seminars and conferences as well as interviewing experts and stakeholders, we are now happy to share our key learnings with you in a series of whitepapers on the topic.

Disruption is one of today’s hottest buzzwords. Disruption and continuous renewal are the norm, and changes are occurring at increasing speed. At the same time, technology or products are no longer the sole basis of competitive advantage. Rather, companies are looking into a future where customer experience is king, and technology is its subordinate.

What does an open innovation ecosystem mean?
When and why is an open innovation ecosystem an effective way to cooperate and create something new?
What kind of leadership makes an open innovation ecosystem successful?

Today’s business environment is changing rapidly. Industry boundaries are blurring, and digitalization is enabling new business models. In the rapidly changing environment innovation is increasingly open, companies are actively seeking to collaboration and forming ecosystem partnerships in order to renew themselves and sustain competitiveness.

The term “Open Innovation” was originally coined in 2003, and refers to the paradigm where ideas pass between different organisations to create value. Since the 2010s innovation efforts have moved towards Open Innovation 2.0, where shared added value is created together with different actors in an ecosystem. According to Spinverse's latest CTO Survey, Finnish companies have acknowledged Open Innovation 2.0 and there is a willingness for its implementation. In practice the innovation efforts are still closer to the original principles of open innovation, rather than OI 2.0.