What Are ‘Innovation Ecosystems’? An initial reflection rooted in our context, and an invitation to explore further 

Blog post written by the Innovation Ecosystems group within the Co-creation Ecosystem.

2025 has been a fruitful year for the Innovation Ecosystems group in the Co-creation Ecosystem. Over the past months, we have gathered knowledge related to the topic in a shared document, and we have outlined several questions and lines of inquiry to continu deepening in the future. The outcome of this reflection has been captured in a visual document, whose main aim is to present the collective exploration we wish to undertake on this subject.

The document is neither a closed guide nor a proposal for a formal conceptual framework. Rather, it aims to foster an open reflection on the opportunities to design, promote and implement innovation ecosystems for transformation. The text has been written with an open mindset and a genuine curiosity for learning.

The document develops the following sections: introduction; definition; principles; initial conditions; elements of innovation ecosystems; and next steps. 

What do Innovation Ecosystems mean to the members of the group? 

Initially, we have defined them as follows: 
“An innovation ecosystem is a group of actors that collaborate deepening in their connections and experimentation actions. It brings together diverse people, organisations and spaces. This heterogeneous group collaborates to respond to social challenges by designing, experimenting with, and promoting innovative solutions. To do so, they foster open infrastructures, collaborative governance models and democratic culture, placing common wellbeing and shared learning at the centre”.

The definition captures several key ideas: deep relationships, social aims, diversity, innovation and transformation. Building on this initial conceptualisation, the text explains the principles that guide us in fostering innovation ecosystems and the conditions that must be taken into account. We also propose useful elements for designing and launching such ecosystems, as well as questions to fuel reflection processes. 

References from our context and the international sphere

This reflection does not start from scratch, as the concept is not new in our context. There is a considerable body of research both in the Basque Country and internationally. Particularly noteworthy are:

  • Innobasque’s report on “Open innovation and innovation ecosystems”.
  • The guide shared by Arantzazulab in the Ezagutza Ataria (Knowledge Portal). 
  • Internationally, the work of Tatiana Fraser and Rachel Sinha. 
  • And, from another perspective, the research of Mariana Mazzucato. 

It is also worth noting the work of the Agirre Lehendakaria Center team, which analyses the historical trajectory of innovation ecosystems in the Basque Country. In the text, we explicitly highlight that when new concepts emerge in the field of innovation, they do not arise from nothing. In the Basque Country, practices and experiences related to innovation ecosystems are deeply rooted in our tradition and culture. 

Outcomes of the 2025 work and looking ahead to 2026 

Thanks to the work carried out in 2025, we have begun laying the foundations for a shared vision within the group. We are shaping a common space for understanding these concepts, building shared language and strengthening our willingness to learn from one another. The path we have embarked upon will continue in 2026.

We want to gather, connect and share the knowledge that exists in our context to design and promote innovation ecosystems. We do not wish to adopt a top-down approach; instead, we understand that these spaces emerge from coexistence, collaboration and shared intention. For this reason, we consider it essential to approach collaborative spaces and capture first-hand the knowledge generated within them. Numerous actors and organisations in our environment are also working in this field; we want to connect, enrich and co-create knowledge with them.

In 2026 we will contrast and enrich the contents of this document. To do so, we will move forward along four main paths: 

  1. Open conversations with other groups and actors in the co-creation ecosystem, sharing questions and nurturing collective knowledge. 
  2. Identifying and analysing ongoing projects, research and practices in our environment, to gain a better understanding of how transformation-oriented innovation ecosystems function and to collect their characteristics. 
  3. Conversations with local actors to contrast and enrich the document’s initial ideas, as well as to generate new questions. 
  4. Enrich our reflection with international knowledge and perspectives.  

    You can download the document here. And if you would like to take part in the conversations, do get in touch with us!