Opportunity Mapping in future market ecosystems
Step 2 – Ecosystemize
From Strategy to Scale
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Hundredfold proven procedure
We help companies identify and prioritise a portfolio of opportunities that can drive new revenue and cost savings.
In today’s rapidly evolving market landscape, characterized by unparalleled levels of uncertainty and change, the need for innovative platform ventures has never been more critical. This climate presents not only significant challenges for corporations but also unique opportunities to pioneer platform-based solutions and business models that redefine industries.
For many executives, the critical dilemma lies in discerning the most strategic areas for innovation investment, especially within the realm of platform ecosystems.
At our venture studio, we specialize in navigating this complex terrain. Our approach, named Ecosystemize, is meticulously designed to illuminate the path for corporate innovation, with a special focus on platform ventures. Leveraging a data-driven methodology, Compass taps into a wealth of information from current and adjacent markets, the vibrant startup ecosystem, cutting-edge technologies, and the competitive landscape to uncover and evaluate new business opportunities.
Our expertise enables us to craft a tailored innovation thesis for each corporate partner, pinpointing specific business cases that align with strategic growth objectives. The result is a finely tuned portfolio of platform innovation initiatives, poised to capture value in an ever-changing market and drive sustained growth.
Through Ecosystemize, we empower corporations to not only navigate but also lead in the creation and scaling of platform ventures, ensuring they are at the forefront of digital transformation and industry evolution.
In 12 weeks to a portfolio of validated platform opportunities
in future market ecosystems
The Opportunity Mapping (Ecosystemize) Process
Ecosystemize aims to de-risk your innovation strategy using VC & startup data to identify, assess and select the opportunity spaces that can drive significant growth (on average €500m+) for the company. Once we have established a portfolio of opportunities, we can develop a clear and defendable innovation thesis. Enabling us to build business cases along with an actionable roadmap to start developing the required capabilities.
1. Identify future customer needs
The first step in our platform innovation process, “Identifying Future Market Needs,” is crucial for setting the foundation for successful platform ventures. This step involves:
Scoping the Future Ecosystem: We map out the anticipated user journey, focusing on how users and stakeholders will interact with the platform, identifying key touchpoints and opportunities for innovation.
Understanding Needs: We delve deep into the needs of consumers and key stakeholders to ensure our platform solutions are highly relevant and valuable.
Analyzing Market Trends: By examining key market trends and forces, we position our platforms to be ahead of technological and consumer behavior shifts.
Evaluating Competition: A thorough competitive analysis helps us find unique positioning for our platform in the marketplace, ensuring it stands out.
This streamlined approach allows us to precisely align our platform ventures with future market needs, paving the way for their success.
Result:
Deepen your understanding of future user needs and market transformations
2. Create Ecosystem Vision
The second step in our process, “Create Ecosystem Vision,” involves refining our strategic focus and setting a clear direction for the platform venture. This step includes:
Locating Value Pools & Innovation Whitespaces: We identify areas within the ecosystem where unmet needs create opportunities for innovation, focusing on where value can be created or captured most effectively.
Locating Critical Control Points: Understanding where control points exist in the ecosystem allows us to strategize on how to influence or manage these areas to our advantage.
Defining an Integrated Ecosystem Vision: We craft a cohesive vision for the ecosystem that aligns with identified opportunities and control points, ensuring it serves as a comprehensive guide for development.
Evaluating & Selecting Strategic Ecosystem Moves: Finally, we assess potential strategies for entering or enhancing our position within the ecosystem, selecting the moves that align best with our vision and goals.
This phase is about shaping a clear and actionable vision for the ecosystem, guiding strategic decisions and ensuring alignment with market opportunities and ecosystem dynamics.
Result:
Aligned vision of the future ecosystem and strategic plays
3. Create an Ecosystem Offering Portfolio
The third step, “Creating an Ecosystem Offering Portfolio,” is pivotal in translating our ecosystem vision into a tangible set of offerings. This phase involves:
Creating an Integrated Ecosystem Offering Portfolio: We develop a comprehensive portfolio of offerings that are synergistic and reinforce the overall value proposition of the ecosystem. This portfolio is designed to meet the diverse needs of our users and stakeholders, ensuring a robust and attractive platform.
Defining Required Capabilities: Identifying the capabilities necessary to deliver on our portfolio is crucial. This includes both technical and organizational competencies that enable the creation, delivery, and scaling of our ecosystem offerings.
Understanding Existing Assets & Capabilities: A thorough analysis of our current assets and capabilities helps us leverage what we already have and identify gaps that need filling. This ensures efficient use of resources and informs our strategy for capability development.
Defining a 3 Horizon Roadmap: We outline a strategic roadmap that spans three horizons, from immediate wins to long-term transformative goals. This roadmap guides the development and scaling of our ecosystem offerings, ensuring alignment with our vision and the evolving market landscape.
By meticulously crafting an offering portfolio and aligning capabilities with strategic goals, this step ensures that our ecosystem is poised for sustainable growth and market leadership.
Result:
Define your future offerings in the ecosystem and understand required capabilities / moves
4. Venture Validation & Definition
In the fourth step, “Venture Validation & Definition,” we move into the critical phase of validating and defining the specifics of our venture initiatives within the ecosystem. This step includes:
Defining Portfolio of Projects Including Platform Plays: We curate a portfolio of projects that encompasses platform-centric initiatives. Each project is assessed for its potential to drive ecosystem growth and enhance the platform’s value proposition.
Defining Platform Business Model(s): Key to this phase is establishing the business models for our platform ventures. This involves identifying revenue streams, value exchange mechanisms, and scalability factors to ensure financial viability and market competitiveness.
Evaluating & Prioritizing Projects (Buy, Build, Partner, Join): A strategic evaluation of how to best execute each project is conducted. Decisions on whether to buy, build, partner, or join forces with other entities are made to optimize resources, accelerate time to market, and leverage external expertise or technology.
Creating an Integrated Roadmap: An overarching roadmap integrates the timelines, milestones, and dependencies of all projects within the portfolio. This roadmap is designed to ensure cohesive progress across the venture initiatives, aligning execution with strategic objectives and market readiness.
This step solidifies the strategic direction for our ecosystem ventures, transitioning from planning to actionable projects with defined business models, prioritized for maximum impact and success.
Result:
Define & select platform opportunities to accelerate transition from as-is to future positioning
5. Initiate Ecosystem Strategy
The fifth step, “Initiate Ecosystem Strategy,” marks the transition from strategic planning to execution, setting in motion the mechanisms to drive the ecosystem strategy forward. This phase encompasses:
Initiating Supervisory Board: Establishing a Supervisory Board is critical at this juncture. This board is composed of key stakeholders and experts who oversee the ecosystem’s strategic direction, ensuring alignment with the overarching vision and objectives. Their guidance is invaluable in navigating challenges and seizing opportunities as they arise.
Communicating Vision: Effective communication of the ecosystem vision to all stakeholders, including partners, investors, employees, and potential platform users, is vital. This ensures everyone is aligned, motivated, and understands their role within the ecosystem. Transparent and inspiring communication fosters a shared commitment to the vision and goals.
Initiating First Projects: With the strategy and supervisory structure in place, the first set of projects within the ecosystem portfolio is launched. These projects are selected based on their strategic importance, potential impact, and readiness for execution. Initiating these projects sets the pace for the ecosystem’s development and operationalizes the strategy.
Sourcing Required Resources: Identifying and securing the resources needed for the execution of projects is a crucial step. This includes financial investment, talent, technology, and any other necessary assets or capabilities. Efficient resource allocation ensures that projects are not only initiated but also supported adequately to achieve success.
By actively initiating the ecosystem strategy through these steps, the venture moves from the conceptual phase to tangible action, laying the groundwork for a thriving and dynamic ecosystem.
Result:
Initiate first projects and implement right operating model
Excerpt of corporates we supported in the last years
Change isn't made by watching from the sidelines.
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