{"id":11737,"date":"2022-03-11T20:18:43","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T19:18:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/?p=11737"},"modified":"2022-10-22T11:08:45","modified_gmt":"2022-10-22T09:08:45","slug":"gli-attori-a-supporto-dellinnovazione-lungo-il-ciclo-di-vita-dellimpresa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/invest-in-africa\/the-actors-supporting-innovation-along-the-business-lifecycle\/","title":{"rendered":"Actors supporting innovation throughout the enterprise life cycle"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Which actors support an innovation phase for your company? First of all, we need to define an innovation ecosystem even more precisely, referring to the main actors that make it up. The innovation ecosystem is a system of&nbsp;<strong>policies<\/strong>&nbsp;e&nbsp;<strong>regulations<\/strong>&nbsp;enablers, accessibility to&nbsp;<strong>financial capital<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>human capital<\/strong>&nbsp;informed, supportive markets,&nbsp;<strong>infrastructure<\/strong>, one&nbsp;<strong>culture<\/strong>&nbsp;innovation and entrepreneurship and resources of&nbsp;<strong>network<\/strong>which all together support productive relationships between different actors and other parts of the ecosystem.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Index<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1e73be;color:#1e73be\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1e73be;color:#1e73be\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/invest-in-africa\/the-actors-supporting-innovation-along-the-business-lifecycle\/#Gli_attori_dellecosistema_e_fasi_del_ciclo_di_vita_di_unimpresa\" >Ecosystem actors and stages in the life cycle of a company<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/invest-in-africa\/the-actors-supporting-innovation-along-the-business-lifecycle\/#Fasi_iniziali\" >Initial stages<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/invest-in-africa\/the-actors-supporting-innovation-along-the-business-lifecycle\/#Fase_centrale\" >Central phase<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/invest-in-africa\/the-actors-supporting-innovation-along-the-business-lifecycle\/#Verso_la_scalabilita\" >Towards scalability<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/invest-in-africa\/the-actors-supporting-innovation-along-the-business-lifecycle\/#Figure_trasversali\" >Transversal figures<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/invest-in-africa\/the-actors-supporting-innovation-along-the-business-lifecycle\/#La_Tripla_Elica\" >The Triple Helix<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/ecosistema-gli-attori.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11742\" width=\"1113\" height=\"821\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/ecosistema-gli-attori.jpeg 690w, https:\/\/aedic.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/ecosistema-gli-attori-300x221.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1113px) 100vw, 1113px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gli_attori_dellecosistema_e_fasi_del_ciclo_di_vita_di_unimpresa\"><\/span>Ecosystem actors and stages in the life cycle of a company<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every innovative enterprise follows a&nbsp;<strong>life cycle<\/strong>&nbsp;cadenced by <a href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/business-in-africa\/joint-venture-jv-business-africa\/\" >a succession of phases that<\/a> take it from the discovery, to the validation of the innovative idea, to the achievement of efficiency to the growth and scalability phase of the business. During the life cycle, businesses need different resources to grow.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An ecosystem capable of supporting the growth of innovative companies must therefore be able to provide the&nbsp;<strong>adequate resources at the appropriate time<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fasi_iniziali\"><\/span>Initial stages<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The initial phase of the life cycle of an innovative enterprise (<strong>discovery and conception<\/strong>) sees the definition and analysis of the market problem to be addressed and potential solutions are generated by scanning existing alternative solutions and new innovative ideas. A fundamental role is played by the<strong>&nbsp;research institutions<\/strong>&nbsp;through their contribution in the creation and dissemination of knowledge and the generation of entrepreneurial spirit among entrepreneurial students that will contribute to the future human capital of innovators and inventors. From a financial point of view, given the embryonic and uncertain nature of the innovative idea, traditional investors are almost absent. Consequently, the circle of supportive friends and family (<strong>Friends &amp; Family<\/strong>) will often be crucial in helping entrepreneurs take their idea forward.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next phase of&nbsp;<strong>research and development<\/strong>innovation in its more technical aspects. is generally supported by<strong>&nbsp;incubators and accelerators&nbsp;<\/strong>for the business part and by development agencies for the financial part.<br>Incubators and accelerators play an important role in the innovation ecosystem in providing a favourable environment for start-ups and early-stage companies. This typically includes a physical space where innovators can gather and share ideas while taking advantage of shared infrastructure and technology equipment. They also often provide innovators with access to a network of business and technical advisors\/mentors who can provide guidance and assistance in the <a href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/invest-in-africa\/north-cameroon-seeking-investors-for-the-development-of-rice-growing\/\" >development of the<\/a> product, finance, business planning, marketing, legal advice, production, and all aspects of business development.<br>Most of the&nbsp;<strong>development agencies<\/strong>&nbsp;tends to focus on supporting early-stage innovators, helping them with relatively small amounts of funding&nbsp;<em>seed<\/em>often as competitive challenge prizes ('Challenge Prizes'). In recent years, however, such actors are expanding their financial instruments and taking on roles more similar to those of traditional investors (Venture Capitalists) albeit with smaller amounts of capital.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fase_centrale\"><\/span>Central phase<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the phase of<strong>&nbsp;proof of concept<\/strong>&nbsp;the intellectual concept behind the innovation is field-tested to obtain an initial assessment of its potential for the real market.<br>I&nbsp;<strong>Business angels<\/strong>&nbsp;play an important role in helping small companies overcome common financing gaps <a href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/business-in-africa\/la-beac-changes-the-rules-for-money-transfers-between-residents-and-foreigners\/\" >between the research and development phase<\/a> and the transition phase towards business scalability. They are often less risk-averse than venture capitalists and often directly promote innovations by taking a position on the start-up's board of directors, assisting its management with their knowledge and experience, and also expanding the range of contacts and networks the company needs to secure additional backers and further financing. The role <a href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/working-in-africa\/development-in-africa-japan-donates-1-billion-donations-to-cameroon-for-development-of-risailles\/\" >of development agencies<\/a> described earlier remains relevant even at this stage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Verso_la_scalabilita\"><\/span>Towards scalability<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the next phase of&nbsp;<strong>transition to scalability<\/strong>&nbsp;of the business, innovations that have shown success on a small scale develop further and begin to attract partners to help fill existing gaps for large-scale growth. This is where the role of venture capital becomes predominant.<br>A&nbsp;<strong>venture capitalist<\/strong>&nbsp;is an investor who provides capital to small, innovative and high-potential companies that wish to expand but do not have access to the stock markets. Venture capitalists are willing to invest in such companies because they can earn a huge return on their investment if these companies succeed. Although venture capitalists may suffer severe losses when their choices fail, these investors are structured in such a way that they can afford to take the risks associated with financing young, unproven companies that appear to have a great idea and a good management team. Their investment is usually much larger than an Angel Investor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the process of replicating or adapting an innovation for an ever-widening geographic coverage capable of creating global transformational impact begins, one is in the real&nbsp;<strong>Scaling<\/strong>. Le&nbsp;<strong>private equity firms<\/strong>&nbsp;play the main role here. In contrast to venture capitalists, private equity firms are typically interested in more mature companies with an established business, although they may also sometimes buy companies that may deteriorate or fail to realise the sought-after profits due to internal inefficiencies through leaner transactions in order to increase revenues.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Figure_trasversali\"><\/span>Transversal figures<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to these actors, they play an important role along all stages of the cycle of&nbsp;<strong>transversal figures<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The role of&nbsp;<strong>facilitators<\/strong>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<strong>intermediaries<\/strong>&nbsp;of the marketplace is to connect organisations within an innovation ecosystem and facilitate the transfer of ideas, technology and other resources to help commercialise them at scale. Ideally, they are small and agile entities (sometimes just individuals) that are perceived as neutral or impartial within the ecosystem, which allows them to provide important 'bridging' functions between actors that might otherwise struggle to collaborate, understand or trust each other. As such, they are often the 'glue' that helps hold an ecosystem together and can take a broad perspective between all the various actors involved to help shape and improve the way they interact for different purposes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Various&nbsp;<strong>professionals&nbsp;<\/strong>with their range of technical skills, passion, determination and risk-taking behaviour are critical to driving innovation forward, even in the face of the inevitable and often significant challenges and obstacles that will arise along the way. If there is not enough human capital within an ecosystem, the competition over talent that exists intensifies and undermines true collaboration and trust between the different actors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&nbsp;<strong>governments&nbsp;<\/strong>play many critical roles in fostering innovation, mainly in terms of creating a supportive policy and regulatory environment in which start-ups are encouraged and able to thrive through a variety of tax incentives or partnerships that enable the growth of scientific research, the availability of capital through business angels, venture capitalists and private equity. They are also essential to ensure that innovators have access to the technological infrastructure they need to advance their products and networks. Governments can even play an 'entrepreneurial' role by imagining and funding the creation of entire new fields ripe for innovation and then acting as partners to help bring successful innovations to sustainable scale and impact.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<strong>private sector<\/strong>&nbsp;plays a crucial role in innovation ecosystems. Business-led initiatives such as research and development partnerships, knowledge-sharing platforms, technology and skills transfer and infrastructure investments have the potential to catalyse, develop and scale innovation, while providing fertile ground for future innovations to emerge. Although driven primarily by profit considerations, private companies increasingly recognise the importance of working in partnership with governments, research institutes, development agencies and civil society actors to collaboratively address large-scale social\/economic issues that hinder the development of new markets and the efficiency of their broader business environments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"La_Tripla_Elica\"><\/span>The Triple Helix<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The model of the&nbsp;<strong>Triple propeller<\/strong>which can be scientifically traced back to Etzkovitz-Leydersdorff, focuses on the system of relationships that develops between&nbsp;<strong>universities, private sector and government<\/strong>&nbsp;being able to create an environment conducive to&nbsp;<strong>transfer of knowledge&nbsp;<\/strong>and the consequent development of innovation, through the overlapping of the institutional spheres underlying the model.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This model plays a key role especially when it comes to&nbsp;<strong>sustainable innovation<\/strong>. New technological trends are significantly accelerating changes in the economy and society at a pace that has never been experienced before.<br>Feeding a growing population in a healthy and sustainable way; providing the energy needed to sustain the daily lives of billions of people; generating the resources needed to ensure equitable growth for all, are some of the major challenges that need to be addressed globally. New models of cooperation are therefore needed where&nbsp;<strong>government, industry and academia<\/strong>&nbsp;come together and join forces to seize opportunities and reduce obstacles towards a sustainable development of our society.&nbsp;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Which actors support an innovation phase for your company? First of all, we need to define an innovation ecosystem even more precisely, referring to the main actors that make it up. The innovation ecosystem is a system of enabling policies and regulations, accessibility to financial capital, informed human capital, supporting markets, infrastructure, ... <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Actors supporting innovation throughout the enterprise life cycle\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/invest-in-africa\/the-actors-supporting-innovation-along-the-business-lifecycle\/#more-11737\" aria-label=\"More on Actors supporting innovation throughout the enterprise life cycle\">Read more<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11773,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"iawp_total_views":37,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[39,204,443,444],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11737"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11737"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11737\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13778,"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11737\/revisions\/13778"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11737"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11737"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aedic.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11737"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}