"Platform Thinking within the Third Generation

Science Park Concept"

Ilkka KakkoUNESCO – WTA International Training Workshop, Daejeon, 22.9.2015

Content

Big Shift towards the Postnormal EraVital elements and features of 3GSPPlatform classificationPlatform thinkingCompetence platformsCase Urban MillCase MeetberlageCompetence platform case:Part-up

The Big Shift towards Postnormal Era

•  The “Big Shift” -  The useful information is flowing-  The most dynamic way to motivate is “the movement”-  The driving force is passion-  The most effective way to organize resources is using platforms -  The potential for new ventures is measured by their social capital-  The competitive edge comes from understanding serendipity

•  Pull society -  To attract - pull instead of push-  Platforms (virtual and physical) --- to share, to co-create, to generate value

*) Ref: “Postnormal era” was coined by Stowe Boyd, Big Shift is a term by John Hagel et al from the book “The Power of Pull”

3GSP concept – the main features The competitive edge of 3GSP consists of following elements:•  Focus on individuals and dynamic community building

•  Pre-incubation is strongly supported

•  Platform thinking is fundamental for the sustainable ecosystem building

•  Healthy balance between effectual entrepreneurship, start-ups, SMEs and established companies, also social entrepreneurship and virtual teams/organizations are supported

•  Geographically dispersed locations – like having a node (coworking space) in a downtown location – and the main activities in the university campus area

•  The design of physical premises (layout and interior design) and the implementation of competence platform both support open innovation activities and community building

•  Understanding the importance of ”sticky knowledge” in regional development context

•  Serendipity management methodologies are widely used: in team building, in the design of the physical space and the embedded competence platform

(”Serendipity= the art of benefiting from unexpected”) 

3GSP is gaining momentum in Finland

Traditional STPs are loosing edge in Finland

Technopolis Ltd focusing only on real estate and facility managementInnovation activities moved to separate public organizations in eight Finnish cities In Lahti the local STP, regional development organization and new business center mergered

New platforms emergingCoworking -> maker spaces, hacker spaces, Fab-Labs, Open Innovation House, Design Factory,Start-up Sauna, Urban Mill, VerticalCommunity building -> Aalto ES, Hobbyist communities, Lead user communities….Start up scene -> Summer Schools, SLUSH, Protomo/Demola Effectual entrepreneurship -> 3GSP, Urban Mill, Malski in Lahti

Espoo Innovation Garden is a great example for this approach

The definition of a platform

“A platform is a plug-and-play business model that allows multiple participants (producers and consumers) to connect to it, interact with each other and create and exchange value.”*

In many cases we want to add that the roles of producers/consumers or co-creators/consumers may swap freely and without friction.

       

   

*    Defini(on  by  Sangheet  Paul  Choudary  h7p://pla;ormed.info/pla;orm-­‐stack/    

Platform classification

© Ilkka Kakko 2015

Competence platform

Competence platform is the fundamental tool for business creation:

1)  Team building and competence sharing according to the serendipity management approach

= > New and unexpected combinations of competences2)  Idea sharing and co-creation (swarms, part-ups, virtual teams etc)3)  Combined idea and business proposal elaboration

=> Networked business models widely used4)  Embedded business model canvas5)  Full integration with project management tools

=> The whole value added process in the same platform

Pipeline thinking vs. platform thinking

© Lee Fleming 2004 /HBR November 2004

© Ilkka Kakko 2015

Meetberlage - case

Competence platform in Amsterdam, Netherlands-  Great downtown location in an historical building, unique ambience-  Enough critical mass for community building and serendipity management-  Very motivated and inspired management teamA vital part of Seats2Meet global chain of platforms:

> Long experience of real estate business and co-creation processes> Real ambitions to become global> Supportive elements well designed (for operators as well as customers)> The concept is following Society 3.0 thinking of the S2M founders

Platform thinking highlighted operationally:> Hybrid solution, physical and virtual environments in balance> Global focus to attract talent > Easy to enter as a new operator

Urban Mill - case

Part of Espoo Innovation Garden ecosystem in Helsinki metropolitan area-  Novel solution, started 2013 January-  Coworking space, innovation community, change orchestration tool-  Focus on sustainable urban innovations

-  Challenge: How to enhance the quality of urban life and services through ICT and built environment development and how to orhestrate and energize urban ecosystem development

Urban Mill’s main principles:-  Joint development work guided by co-created vision rather than by strictly pre-planned

processes-  Community building in focus, engagement through ”pull” factors-  Open innovation principles widely used-  New orchestration methods piloted-  Connectivity (local and global) supported-  All types of entrepreneurships are attracted – effectual entrepreneurs especially-  Sustainability --- walk your talk, old VTT building renovated almost without any

investments

Urban Wheel ™ - Urban Innovation Accelerator Platform

Competence platform case: Part-Up

•  A new competence platform initiative from Netherlands•  Beta version was tested during the summer 2015, the launch was on 18th

of September•  Ambitious plans, a great and inspired team working hard•  Most of the other competence platforms listed in my paper have some

similar features, the best solution for any customer case depends on the requirements:•  Skillhive•  Seats2Meet Connect•  Focal Shift•  Babele•  …. and all those projects already in the pipeline, which I am not even aware

of….

Functionalities of Part-Up comptence platform

Ø  Find great part-ups (called also swarms and pop-up challenges)Ø  Get attracted into those part-ups that may need youØ  Start your own part-upØ  Find the perfect combination of competencesØ  Co-create and enable action, facilitate the processØ  Timeline collaboration within part-upsØ  Evaluate contributions on personal and team levelØ  Secure the performance indicators for coming challenges (inheritance)Ø  Organize using Collaborative Networked Organization theoretical reference model (CNO /

ECOLEAD)Ø  Encourage the use of networked business models

Keep it simple and fun!

Conclusions

1)  The global innovation landscape is transforming rapidly

2)  The once successful Triple Helix model is becoming outdated – it follows push principles

3)  Platform thinking fits for the VUCA business environment of today

4)  Global talent can be engaged by competence platforms (Note: WTA!)

5)  Practical solutions are at the moment only at piloting phase

6)  The quick adopters will lead the disruption!

The benefits of coworking

© Lee Fleming 2004 /HBR November 2004

Yogi  Berra  

”The future ain’t what it used to be”

Thank you!

For further information: Ilkka Kakko

+ 358 50 536 2941

Twitter: @Serendipitor

ilkka.kakko@karostech.fi

www.karostech.fi

www.respectserendipity.com