Ecosystem Enabling – Mapping & Connecting

Strategic Planning and Execution

Why It Matters

Innovation in science happens in ecosystems.¹ Corporates, startups, investors, and academia must work together to accelerate the adoption of new technologies. According to PwC, open innovation partnerships can significantly reduce time-to-market.² A 2023 PwC study noted that companies with a strategic approach to partnerships were 1.6 to 2.4 times more likely to be faster to market and more innovative, respectively, than those focused only on cost savings.³ However, most ecosystems remain fragmented. Connecting clusters and enabling cross-border collaboration unlocks faster growth for everyone involved. .

The Challenge in Ecosystems

Despite strong activity, most innovation ecosystems are disconnected and inefficient:

• Startups lack visibility: Many innovative companies and their technologies remain hidden from potential corporate partners.
• Corporates can't identify partners: It's difficult for large companies to effectively filter and identify credible startups from the vast number of new ventures.
• Investors face noise: Investors are often flooded with a high volume of deals but lack a curated, qualified deal flow.
• Clusters are siloed: Regional initiatives often focus inward without a global reach, limiting their potential for international collaboration.

How I Help

I help make ecosystems work by mapping, curating, and connecting the right players:

• Ecosystem Mapping: I create structured maps of startups, corporates, and investors to provide a clear overview of the landscape.
• Curated Introductions: I facilitate warm connections that lead to genuine collaborations and partnerships.
• Community Building: I design and manage programs and events that showcase innovation and foster a collaborative environment.
• Cross-Cluster Partnerships: I work to connect different innovation hubs, such as London, Basel, Boston, and Singapore, to enable cross-border collaboration and knowledge sharing.

My Experience

Through the Science Entrepreneur Club, we have built one of the strongest deeptech ecosystems in Europe, linking founders (+515 members), corporates, and investors (+470 members). We design and hosting summits, creating deal pipelines, and enabling collaborations that shorten adoption cycles and drive tangible results.

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Sources:

• PwC: The claim about open innovation partnerships is supported by PwC research, which highlights the correlation between strategic managed services partnerships and increased speed to market and innovation.⁴

• Ecosystem Challenges: The challenges of fragmentation, lack of visibility, and siloed clusters are well-documented in research from organizations like BCG, which emphasize the importance of building and curating effective innovation ecosystems.
• Operational Efficiency: The principles of operational efficiency—identifying bottlenecks, leveraging technology, and continuous improvement—are foundational concepts in business management and are widely supported by business publications and consulting firms like IBM and Document360.