Weaving the entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem on a shoestring

Most weavers I know have full-time jobs that do not involve building networks or encouraging others to innovate in ecosystems. Instead, they manage projects or resources to achieve specific outcomes tied to a particular ecosystem actor, service, or outcome. Weaving networks or building entrepreneurial innovation ecosystems that help innovators thrive over the long haul is often an unfunded mandate. 

We believe that weaving ecosystems need not always be expensive, nor do they require full-time ecosystem management, in-depth technical analysis, or intervention management. Recognising the constraints weavers or ecosystems face to become more innovative could be valuable to help the ecosystem learn how to be more energy and resource efficient with what they have at their disposal. Also, limited resources mean you will have fewer opportunists knocking on your door. Here are some ideas that you can try to bootstrap more dynamism in your entrepreneurial ecosystem on a shoestring. 

Focus your weaving effort on activating the champions and other weavers 

Identify a small group of current and potential champions or weavers in the ecosystem and call them together. Make sure to identify people who understand the different functions in the ecosystem. Now work with this group to explore what can be done next, starting with the ecosystem's strengths and then figuring out how these actions can be leveraged to activate more people to innovate, solve problems, and explore new opportunities. 

Learn what is possible from where the stakeholders are

To build your ecosystem's capacity to innovate despite the challenges, you must start with where people are and what they know. You must resist the temptation to solve problems on behalf of the ecosystem. Encourage the ecosystem members to become more aware of the context's unique strengths, competencies, understandings or configurations. Now, find ways to reduce the risks for individuals or networks to explore how these local assets can be combined or reimagined to attract more revenue, talent, resources, investment or knowledge into the ecosystem.  

Focus your innovative efforts on changing how people make sense and solve problems together

Assess your understanding of the functions of the ecosystem to identify opportunities where existing stakeholders can work together in new configurations. It is not necessary to diagnose or map the ecosystem. Instead, work from known strengths towards gaps. Focus your weaving on innovating in how people make sense and work together. 

Cast your gaze to the future ecosystem

If many stakeholders are stuck, focus on finding the younger, second-in-line generation of problem solvers in the public, private, and civil sectors. Focus on building their capacity to reframe problems, explore innovations, pilot innovations, and communicate about the ecosystem's potential. Let them find their place, and in doing so, shape the trajectory of the ecosystem. 

Acknowledge the limited resources and celebrate thrift! 

The creative process often starts by recognising some constraints. Set a maximum time or resource budget and encourage the ecosystem to prototype solutions that remain within these budgets. Celebrate those who can repurpose what already exists in better ways. How can events, resources or existing processes be used to achieve their original intent while strengthening the competitiveness of the ecosystem? 

When it feels like nothing moves unless you move it

Does it feel like you must carry the whole ecosystem? Is there a lack of initiative from others, so you do all the work? We suggest you return to your core focus for which you have resources. Now identify the ecosystem functions that help you achieve your objectives. Are there any collaborators with competencies with whom to nurture a more innovative ecosystem? Alternatively, are there other people facing the same challenges as you? Perhaps you should team up with them and weave an ecosystem about improving ecosystems. The main thing is that you cannot be dynamic or innovative on behalf of an ecosystem. Focus your weaving on the spaces where people depend on each other and strengthen the dynamism in these relationships. 

Label your ecosystem to make it inviting and different

What we call our ecosystem could result in our hard work being undermined by factors beyond our control. Or the description has too many nouns that describe where we are from, but not where we are going. One way to create a new identity is to frame the label of the ecosystem in the direction we are heading towards, or the quest we are on. This invites the curious and future-oriented to invest, while it may be unattractive to those searching for handouts. The label must not be too narrow or specific, as it may make it harder to attract complementary services or investments.  

Attract people who are different

It is almost impossible to get people to think differently when there are widely held views of what is happening, what should be done and who should do it. Unfortunately, people don’t only learn from the good ideas of others; they also feel affirmed when others think like they do. One way to increase the dynamism in the ecosystem is to draw in people who are different intentionally. They could be from another industry or area of expertise. Or it could be an organisation or a service provider that has never been near your ecosystem. Make it possible for “outsiders” to become “insiders”, for buyers, suppliers and strangers to become investors, service providers or learning partners. Try to make it as easy as possible for the ecosystem to learn from worlds, views and models different from what they experience in their regular operations. This is how we can infuse new ideas and bridges to alternative futures into an ecosystem that has become inward-looking. 

In closing 

Remember, you do not have to work with all the “beneficiaries”, enterprises or stakeholders in a sector, a place or a theme. We leverage the fact that people quickly pick up the ideas that save energy and time from others. In ecosystem weaving, we focus on the “entrepreneurs” willing to innovate, collaborate and learn about what is possible with others who have different competencies or knowledge as they have. Our role is to reduce the risk for people to work with others who may be different from them and to minimise the risks for people to try new configurations of knowledge, resources, competencies, and energies.