The emergence of ecosystems driven by a social purpose

Research posits that innovation ecosystems emerge around a focal value proposition that generates economic benefits for the participants. Emergence is regularly propelled by a focal firm that assumes ecosystem management responsibilities. However, recent studies describe innovation ecosystems managed by multiple actors and based on a social purpose rather than a focal value proposition. We draw on a case study of a French innovation ecosystem to analyze how it emerged around a social purpose. Our findings reveal that the ecosystem emerged through an integrative ambition among an established social community of actors. Furthermore, we found that the social purpose influenced ecosystem management because it required a collaborative management approach among multiple actors. Our findings contribute to the burgeoning ecosystem literature by uncovering the specificities of an ecosystem driven by a social purpose in a community, rather than a focal value proposition around a focal actor as the literature dominantly assumed. We also highlight the role of an integrative ambition, the importance of an established social community, and the specific management structure associated with such an ecosystem.