Innovation processes in and across organizations are often facilitated and optimized through platform-based ecosystems, where ideas, knowledge, and resources can more or less openly be shared and combined with others. With increased attention to platform-based competition entering and disrupting industries, there is more pressure on established firms to chart routes towards engaging in such ecosystems. However, how this is done, or how companies can think about doing this is far from clear-cut.

Too often, companies adopt a “hub and spoke” view, placing themselves as owners in control of the ecosystems, and so far research and the current hype provide only two options: are you a platform owner, or a contributor?. Are these the only opportunities? We would say no: emphasizing that there is a need for more possibilities, more nuances, and more creativity in approaching the current challenges.

Based on ongoing research at the SSE House of Innovation, and on experiences from early-stage efforts to engage in shaping platform-based ecosystems, discussed conditions for, and approaches to pursuing this journey. What are the strategic choices, roles, and paths involved? How can we broaden our ways of thinking about platform-based collaboration, and of competition? At the seminar, leading practitioners shared and discussed insights and experiences in light of the latest academic research.

Speakers: 

• Anna Essén, Assistant professor at SSE House of Innovation
• Claire Ingram Bogusz, Affiliated research fellow, SSE House of Innovation 
• Jan Abrahamsson, VP and Head of Strategic Customer Engagements at Ericsson
• Anna-Karin Lindblom, Director Accelerated Innovation at Husqvarna Group
• Håkan Schildt, VP Autonomous Solutions at Scania

After the presentations, a roundtable discussion was held, facilitated by Magnus Mähring, SSE House of Innovation. 

This online seminar is organized in collaboration with the Swedish Center for Digital Innovation, and as part of the outreach program of the Jacob and Marcus Wallenberg Center for Innovative and Sustainable Business Development, and the Scania Center of Innovation and Operational Excellence, at the SSE House of Innovation.