ITUInnovation FACTSHEET

ITUInnovation
#rediscoverinnovation Rev1.1 - For review
FACTSHEET
#rediscoverinnovation Rev1.1 - For review

Ecosystem
Ecosystem Assessment Assessment
Canvas
canvas
Enabling a conducive environment
Enabling a condusive environment
Section
Section A:
A:
The
The Ecosystem
Ecosystem Assessment Canvas
Assessment Canvas
Many innovators struggle to leverage tech- who come together and address the problems
Many innovators struggle to leverage tech- who come together and address the problems
nological changes to address the problems people are facing within their communities.
nological changes to address the problems people are facing within their communities.”
that they are facing in their community. The
that they are facing in their community. The Traditionally, there are three ecosystems that
key challenge is the inability of their ecosys- Traditionally, there are three ecosystems that
key challenge is the inability of their ecosys- are the critical growth engines responsible for
tems to absorb technology. are the critical growth engines responsible for
tems to absorb technology. nurturing ICT innovation from idea to market:
nurturing ICT innovation from idea to market:
An ecosystem refers to a system or network the ICT ecosystem, the innovation ecosys-
An ecosystem refers to a “system or network the ICT ecosystem, the innovation ecosys-
of interconnecting and interacting organiza- tem, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
of interconnecting and interacting organiza- tem, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
tions, and stakeholders from multiple sectors,
tions, and stakeholders from multiple sectors,

ITU Innovation Ecosystem Canvas

Policy & Regulation

Capital
Resources Market

Networks
Talent Champions
Vision
Communities & Strategy

Programmes Culture
Infrastructure

VISION & STRATEGY: TALENT & CHAMPIONS: INFRASTRUCTURE & PROGRAMS: CAPITAL & RESOURCES: MARKET & NETWORKS: CULTURE & COMMUNITIES: POLICY & REGULATION: CENTRAL SPACE
PILLARS

Need for one shared vision

Technical skills Domestic markets
This Ecosystem Canvas
Agreement on issues is an at-a-glance Hard
Soft skills Soft
Infrastructure
overview of (Knowledge)
Infrastructure
Availability of investment
the key components in the innovation
Resources for research Ability to export
Attitudes towards risk
& entrepreneurship
Public sector engage-
ment with innovation
Connections be-
tween: Resources,
Innovation networks
ecosystem. Scores Skills
are
Ecosystem working together
Support for shared vision;
based on combined
moving to innovation
Champions leading &
target
Distribution
Competitiveness
stakeholder interviews
investment on a 0-10 scale.
Possibility for trade & for-
eign Formal associations
Communities & events
Spread of entrepre-
Public sector connec-
tions to ecosystem
Networks, Champi-
ons, Programs,
being recognized; Programs to sup- Government & Inter- Ecosystem mapping neurial culture Intellectual Property and R&D & Communities
port innovators; national funding & collaborations; Diversity & equali- ICTs Collaborative & Com-
Resources to build eco- ty within ecosystem; SMEs munity Driven
system supports; Trade Dedicated elements specifically
Finance for fostering innovation.

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At the nexus of these three growth engines is The ICT-centric ecosystem. It refers to an ecosystem
that encompasses:
• The ICT sector,
• The cross-cutting role of ICT innovation, and
• The way innovation nurtures the evolution of other sectors in the economy.

Unfortunately, there is a lack of synergies between the three critical engines of growth; ecosystem
stakeholders operate in silos, without aligning their initiatives and building a common vision. As a
consequence, not all ecosystems are mature.

The lack of a nurturing environment is a significant challenge to achieve digital transformation. By

understanding and assessing the ecosystem, it becomes possible to identify the enablers needed
to achieve the vision. Enablers can be programs, policies and initiatives that are in place to foster
digital transformation in the ecosystem.

The Ecosystem Assesment Canvas

Since each enabler is one part of a whole, and the function of each enabler is needed to have
successful innovation activities, the combined efficiency of the enablers can be taken together to
give a sense of the overall efficiency of the ecosystem.

Environments can be assessed by seven key enablers that reflect on the state of an innovation
ecosystem.

Vision and strategy: Infrastructure and

________________________________________
Scope and Objectives,
and Aligned digital strategies
Identifying the current and future states of
the ecosystem is a critical component of the
environment review. This is because creat-
ing a shared vision helps all ecosystem
players to rally around a common goal.
Setting forth an accompanying strategy
helps stakeholders understand their roles,
the ones of others and how their activities
support the common vision. Often these
are laid out in government reports, but the
vision for the ecosystem can also come
from other sources, such as the private sec-
tor or academic networks.
Given that a vision and strategy are co-cre-
ated, it is critical that they are exhaustive
and inclusive of all stakeholder input across
sectors.
programmes:
___________________________________
Inclusive digital infrastructure,
resilience and secure broadband
infrastructure, and soft infrastructure
These are the building blocks of an
innovation ecosystem. Infrastructure
is often categorised as hard or soft.
• Hard infrastructure includes con-
nectivity, roads, electricity and pub-
lic transportation
• Soft infrastructure includes shar-
ing knowledge such as tech hubs,
training resources and research
institutions.
Programmes take advantage of this
infrastructure, especially the soft infra-
structure, to support the ecosystem.

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Talent and champions:
______________________________________
Talent appropriateness
Talent refers to the human capital that
powers the ecosystem and the resources
that enhance that capital.
It encompasses:
• Hard skills such as engineering and
programming.
• Soft skills such as management, com-
munications and administration.
In addition to a broad talent pool, every
ecosystem needs specific champions
to thrive. A champion is a person who
plays a leadership role in the ecosystem
by initiating change, building corner-
stone institutions, and encouraging the
contributions of new actors.
Markets and
networks:
______________________________________
Integration of economic sectors
and market access domestic
and international
Start-ups require markets to serve, which
is why it is essential to understand the
depth of the market and access it lo-
cally, regionally, and internationally.
Additionally, the government is often a
significant purchaser of products and ser-
vices and a source of contracts for bud-
ding enterprises. As a result, an efficient
and transparent public procurement pro-
cess is useful for start-ups. Networks and
clusters are also needed in ecosystems
to ensure that innovators have access to
all of the resources and connections they
need.
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Capital and resources:
______________________________________
Appropriate demand side resources
and continuum of supply side resources
Start-ups need capital to grow and thrive.
In the early stages, risk capital, such as
from angel investors, is required.
As companies mature and expand, fund-
ing from larger investors such as venture
capitalists (VCs) and private equity funds
can help drive growth.
Some of this can come from the govern-
ment or civil society, but ultimately the
majority should come from private inves-
tors. To complement the work of financing
start-ups directly, support networks and
other ecosystem-building programmes
need resources to operate successfully.
Culture and
communities:
______________________________________
Sustainable culture of entrepreneurship
and innovation,
and communities
Cultivating an innovative, entrepreneurial
culture involves sharing fundamental val-
ues such as risk-taking, an appreciation
for failure, and a willingness to iterate and
learn. These values create a blueprint for
behaviour across the ecosystem, shared
by communities of innovators and cham-
pions through events and activities.
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Regulation and policy: Central elements

___________________________________________ _____________________________
Comprehensive and grassroots innovation
Amongst the other enablers
policies and programmes
there is a central space.
and legal frameworks
This space encompasses activ-
Supportive policies and regulations can provide
ities focused on advancing the
fertile ground for the efforts of entrepreneurs and
work of stakeholders in the eco-
innovators.
system specifically, such as com-
Poorly developed policies can stifle innovation. munities sharing entrepreneur-
ial culture, rather than actions
There are many areas of policy and regulation that that broadly support the econo-
are critical to the success of the innovation ecosys- my, such as influencing national
tem, including taxation, trade policy, intellectual culture.
property law, financial regulation and business
regulation, among others.

Infobox

Understanding Digital Transformation Capabilities

PILLARS

Vision &
Capital Market Infrastructure Talent Culture Policy
Strategy

Scope and Appropriate Integration Inclusive Talent Sustainable Compre-

objectives Demand of digital appropriate- culture of hensive and
side economic infrastructure ness entrepre- grassroots
resources sectors neurship and innovation
Resilient innovation policies &
ISSUES

& secure programs

Aligned Continuum Market broadband Champions
Digital of Supply access do- Infrastructure Communities Legal
strategies side mestic and frameworks
resources international Soft
infrastructure

Digital transformation is what happens when innovation is applied to solve problems

through the use of ICT/Telecommunication. The benefits to a country and its people
are immense – significantly increased productivity, economic growth and increased em-
ployment opportunity. The degree to which these benefits are within reach depends
on the vibrancy of the ICT-centric ecosystem and a corresponding long-term vision and
strategy that supports it.

All stakeholders in the ecosystem need to understand their potential for making a dif-
ference, as well as their very real capabilities – as they engage in transformation. The
ITU Digital Innovation Framework not only helps transfer this understanding but also
clearly sets out what enablers can achieve – as well as identifying the barriers they will
encounter along the journey of change. Key factors and components that enhance, fos-
ter and facilitate digital transformation are clearly clustered and helpfully organized in
the diagram above.

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Section B:
Time

How to use the Ecosystem Assessment

Group

Canvas
Time
Stationary

Time
Time
Up to 4 hours
Group
Knowledge wall

Group
What you will need
Stationary
Guidelines
A3 paper
Stationary
Sticky notes (red, yellow and blue)
Knowledge wall
Outcome
Markers (assorted colours)
Knowledge wall

Steps
Guidelines
Steps

Guidelines

Outcome
Access to browser
Infobox
Outcome
Analytical framework
Steps

Steps
mendations an
ecom
Access to browser
R dP
s & rog
Access to browser ne ra
i

CHALLENGE
idl

m
me
Gu

CHALLENGE CHALLENGE
s

CURRENT FUTURE
STATE STATE
GAP
A gap between the current and future states can be closed by
eliminating the relevant challenges through good practices.

Agree upon a desired future. The primary stakeholders in the innovation eco-
system—innovators, investors, academicians, policy-makers, etc.—come together
to decide how the ecosystem should evolve.

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Understand the current state. Stakeholders engage in identifying the strengths

and weaknesses of their ecosystem.

Analyse gaps. Based on the current situation and the desired future state, stake-
holders identify key needs that should be prioritized in developing the ecosystem.

Good practices. Irrespective of where the gaps and opportunities are, key actors
in an ecosystem discover good practices that should be shared and replicated, and
look for international good practices which may serve as a model for addressing
the issues. ITU is continuously developing a database of good practices for use in
this process.

Identify challenges. Specific areas of action and good practices to be amplified

are laid out to become the basis of recommendations for activities going forward.

Develop guidelines and recommendations. Based on a shared vision and under-

standing of the current landscape, recommendations for how to address challeng-
es and exploit opportunities can be produced.

Build programmes. In order to advance meaningful change in the ecosystem, rec-

ommendations and policies must be translated into programmes.

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1 Future State Analysis

Brainstorm the future state of each pillar on the tool, using the key elements of the
EXPLORING AREA
corresponding pillars (see I N G info box on page 8).CGo
ONthrough each one of the pillars
I N K VE
and get the participants
TH to describe it. RG
N T EN
G E TT
E R HIN
DI V KIN
G
Tip 1 – Divergent and Convergent Thinking

It is recommended to use divergent and convergent thinking to gather the neces-

sary information.
• GeneratesThe thinking mode
Alternatives is the
• Struggle toway the •participants
Narrow downare encouraged to
options
• Open Discussion integrate ideas • Decision making
reflect throughout the process. Divergent thinking is similar to ‘brainstorming’, ex-
• Brainstorm • Emerging of new • Categorization
ploring•as many ideas
Diverse Perspectivesas possible without shutting •them
ideas down.
Finding Convergent think-
Conclusions
ing is when • Build of mutual
• Full thinking is narrowed down
Participation to a few answers.
understanding • Shared understanding

EXPLORING AREA
G CO
INKIN NV
ER
TH GE
ENT NT
RG TH
E IN
DIV KIN
G

• Generates Alternatives • Struggle to • Narrow down options

• Open Discussion
• Brainstorm
• Diverse Perspectives
• Full Participation
integrate ideas • Decision making
• Emerging of new • Categorization
ideas
• Finding Conclusions
• Build of mutual
understanding • Shared understanding

Participants must write down one idea per yellow sticky note and each group has
to place their idea on the tool.
Enable an open discussion, get one of the groups to share their ideas, and com-
pare them with the other groups. Reduce the number of ideas and place them on
the knowledge wall. Do this through affinity groups and similarity; the participants
can create new ones consolidating the information from before.

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 Communities & Strategy
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Culture
Infobox

Key Elements of the 7 pillars

VISION & STRATEGY: TALENT & CHAMPIONS: INFRASTRUCTURE & PROGRAMS: CAPITAL & RESOURCES: MARKET & NETWORKS
Need for one shared vision Technical skills Hard Infrastructure Availability of investment Domestic markets
This Ecosystem Canvas is an at-a-glance overview of the key components in the innovation
Agreement on issues Soft skills Soft Infrastructure (Knowledge) Resources for research Ability to export
Ecosystem working together Skills moving to innovation Distribution Possibility for trade & for- Innovation network
ecosystem. Scores are based on combined target stakeholder interviews on a 0-10 scale.

PILLARS
Support for shared vision; Champions leading & Competitiveness eign investment Formal associations
being recognized; Programs to sup- Government & Inter- Ecosystem mappin
port innovators; national funding & collaborations;
Resources to build eco-
system supports;

MARKET & NETWORKS: CULTURE & COMMUNITIES: POLICY & REGULATION: CENTRAL SPACE
ent Domestic markets Attitudes towards risk Public sector engage- Connections be-
the
h innovationAbility to export & entrepreneurship ment with innovation tween: Resources,
for- Innovation networks Communities & events Public sector connec- Networks, Champi-
a 0-10 scale. Formal associations Spread of entrepre- tions to ecosystem ons, Programs,
Ecosystem mapping neurial culture Intellectual Property and R&D & Communities
& collaborations; Diversity & equali- ICTs Collaborative & Com-
o- ty within ecosystem; SMEs munity Driven
Trade Dedicated elements specifically
INNOVATION.ITU.INT
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ITUInnovation Ecosystem
Ecosystem Assessment Assessment FACTSHEET

canvas
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canvas
Enabling a conducive environment
Enabling a condusive environment
Tip 2 – Large group structure and knowledge wall
Section
Section A:A:
The
In a knowledge wall, Ecosystem
Theconsolidate
Ecosystem Assessment
Assessment
one common Canvas
Canvas
Ecosystem Assessment Canvas between
all group. It is recommended that large group are split in manageable size, but the facilita-
Many innovators struggle to leverage tech-
tor will need to consolidate all groups
Many innovators struggle
nological changes to address
information
to leverage tech-
the problems
into facing
who come one within
people aretogether
canvas
and addressthrough
the problemsactive moder-
who come together and address the problems
their communities.
nological changes to address the problems people are facing within their communities.”
ation when all groups
that they finish their
are facing work.
in their Note
community.
that they are facing in their community. The
The that correct representation of all stakeholders
Traditionally, there are three ecosystems that
key challenge is the inability of their ecosys- Traditionally, there are three ecosystems that
groups are needed tems toto brinig empathy in the
key challenge is the inability of their ecosys-
absorb technology.
tems to absorb technology.
exercise because
are the critical they
growth engines can more
responsible for
are the critical growth engines responsible for
accurately
nurturing ICT innovation from idea to market:
share the statusAn of each
ecosystem indicator.
refers to a system or network
An ecosystem refers to a “system or network
nurturing ICT innovation from idea to
the ICT ecosystem, the innovation ecosys-
the ICT ecosystem, the innovation ecosys-
market:
of interconnecting and interacting organiza- tem, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
of interconnecting and interacting organiza- tem, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
tions, and stakeholders from multiple sectors,
tions, and stakeholders from multiple sectors,

ITU Innovation Ecosystem Canvas

Policy & Regulation

Capital
Resources Market

Networks
Talent Champions
Vision
Communities & Strategy

Programmes Culture
Infrastructure

VISION & STRATEGY: TALENT & CHAMPIONS: INFRASTRUCTURE & PROGRAMS: CAPITAL & RESOURCES: MARKET & NETWORKS: CULTURE & COMMUNITIES: POLICY & REGULATION: CENTRAL SPACE
PILLARS

Need for one shared vision

Technical skills Hard Infrastructure Availability of investment Domestic markets Attitudes towards risk Public sector engage- Connections be-
This Ecosystem Canvas
Agreement on issues is an at-a-glance Soft
Soft skills overview of (Knowledge)
Infrastructure the key components in the innovation
Resources for research Ability to export & entrepreneurship ment with innovation tween: Resources,
Innovation networks
ecosystem. Scores Skills
are moving
Ecosystem working together
Support for shared vision;
basedto innovation
on combined
Champions leading &
target stakeholder Possibility
Distribution
Competitiveness
interviews
eign investment on a 0-10 scale.
for trade & for-
Formal associations
Communities & events
Spread of entrepre-
Public sector connec-
tions to ecosystem
Networks, Champi-
ons, Programs,
being recognized; Programs to sup- Government & Inter- Ecosystem mapping neurial culture Intellectual Property and R&D & Communities
port innovators; national funding & collaborations; Diversity & equali- ICTs Collaborative & Com-
Resources to build eco- ty within ecosystem; SMEs munity Driven
system supports; Trade Dedicated elements specifically
Finance for fostering innovation.

INNOVATION.ITU.INT
INNOVATION.ITU.INT I1I

This can be turned into a manifesto of the ecosystem

2 Current State analysis

Brainstorm the future state of each pillar on the tool, using the key elements of
the corresponding pillars (see info box on page 8).

Go through each one of the pillars and get the participants to describe it.

Participants must write down one idea per yellow sticky note and each group has
to place their idea on the tool.

Enable an open discussion, get one of the groups to share their ideas, and com-
pare them with the other groups. Reduce the number of ideas and place them
on the knowledge wall. Do this through affinity groups and similarity; the partici-
pants can create new ones consolidating the information from before.

*Tip 1 and 2 may come in handy, for this exercise

3 Gap

Based on the information gathered from the future and current states, identify the
“jobs-to be-done” so as to close the gap and realize the desired future.

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Stationary
Guidelines FACTSHEET
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Outcome
Knowledge wall
Outcome

An assessment of a current ecosystem’s situation and indentification of

gaps/jobs-to be-done to realize the desired future state.
Guidelines
Steps

Key takeaways
Access
Outcometo browser

• Through this tool, stakeholders will have a better comprehension of the prob-
lems they are facing and the solutions to address their challenges.
Steps

• The Ecosystem Assessment Canvas will give an overview of the future of the
ecosystem and act as an enabler by offering the required resources to its success.
Access to browser

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