The sharing economy has potential to be the solution to the urgent need to use materials and resources more efficiently. In the consumer business sector, several successful business models on sharing exist, while industry is lagging behind in development. In order to innovate novel business models for sharing in the B2B context, we need to develop a methodology for testing the ideas flexibly and cost-efficiently. In addition to companies, testing ideas can offer great value for research organizations exploring this phenomenon. In this paper, we present a business model experimentation method focusing on the research organization’s perspective on how to design and implement a business model experimentation. In addition, we provide valuable insights for companies aiming to test their sharing economy business model. Our study is a case study on sharing a 3D printer.

1. 130.7.2018Antikainen, M., Aminoff, A. and Heikkilä, J. (2018). Business model experimentations in advancing B2B sharing economy research.
ISPIM Innovation Conference, 17-20 June 2018, Stockholm.
Business model
experimentations in
advancing B2B sharing
economy research
Maria Antikainen, Anna Aminoff
& Jouko Heikkilä
VTT Technical Research Center of
Finland

2. 230.7.2018Antikainen, M., Aminoff, A. and Heikkilä, J. (2018). Business model experimentations in advancing B2B sharing economy research.
ISPIM Innovation Conference, 17-20 June 2018, Stockholm.
Circular Economy & Sharing economy
 Earth’s capacity is being exceeded, which is causing several
environmental problems (Seiffert & Loch, 2005, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2013;
Markard et al. 2012).
 Circular Economy principles: decreasing the use of natural resources,
keeping materials in use, using waste as a resource (Bocken et al. 2016;
Geissdoerfer et al 2017; Stahel,1994)
 Sharing economy, is based on accessing and reusing products to
utilize idle capacity (Acquier et al. 2017; Belk 2014; Kumar et al. 2017).
 The sharing economy has already disrupted some industries, for
example the taxi and hotel industry, by providing low-cost convenient
alternatives - without ownership (Bardhi et al 2002)
 Business-to-business context (B2B) seems to be lagging behind B2C
(Firnkorn & Müller, 2011)

3. 330.7.2018Antikainen, M., Aminoff, A. and Heikkilä, J. (2018). Business model experimentations in advancing B2B sharing economy research.
ISPIM Innovation Conference, 17-20 June 2018, Stockholm.
RQ
 “How is it possible to implement a
business model experimentation
methodology in the development of
the B2B sharing business model?”
 Focus: to produce knowledge,
especially for research
organizations, on how the BME
method can be used to advance
research.
 CASE:
Sharing 3D printer

4. 430.7.2018Antikainen, M., Aminoff, A. and Heikkilä, J. (2018). Business model experimentations in advancing B2B sharing economy research.
ISPIM Innovation Conference, 17-20 June 2018, Stockholm.
• Rapid
Experimentation
Cards
• Partnerships,
resources
• Practical
implementation
and research
• Iteration, agility
• Change of mind-
set
• Data from multiple
sources
• Learnings
• Guidelines for next
steps /
experimentations
Antikainen et al 2017
Another RE,
larger pilot,
ready to be
scaled or
pivot?

5. 530.7.2018
PersonsScheduleRapid Experimentation
Results (after RE)
Conclusions (After RE)
Next Steps
Larger
pilot
Another RE Pivot
Data collection
Working hypothesis
The importance in the light of the BM success
Judgement criteria
Choose the most central thing and fill the card. Evaluate the
importance in order to create a succesfull business model
What are the data sources? How is the data collected?
What are the costs and exped data quality?
Fill in the criteria, can be qualitative / quantitative
What kind of data was gathered? How reliable and valid
is it, why? Is there some factors to influence the
quality?
Reflect on the judgement criteria. What are major
lessons learnt? What other valuable lessons are there
in addtition to the answers to hypothesis?
RapidExperimentationsCard(REC)
Data quality
Low Moderate High
Criticality of the hypothesis
Low Moderate High
Expected Data quality
Low Moderate High
Cost for data collection
Low Moderate High
Rolling
out

6. 630.7.2018
Persons: VTT TeamSchedule: Spring
2018
Rapid Experimentation: Sharing 3D printer
Results (after RE)
Conclusions (After RE)
Next Steps
Larger
pilot
Another RE Pivot
Data collection
Working hypothesis
The importance in the light of the BM success
Judgement criteria
Companies are ready for sharing machines.
Data from case of sharing: Interviews & survey for the
users: do they consider the model attractive?
• Participants’ interest to test and use
• What kind of value is created? What kind of
barriers there are? What is the relationship
between the value and barriers?
What kind of data was gathered? How reliable and valid
is it, why? Is there some factors to influence the
quality?
Reflect on the judgement criteria. What are major
lessons learnt? What other valuable lessons are there
in addtition to the answers to hypothesis?
RapidExperimentationsCard(REC)
Data quality
Low Moderate High
Criticality of the hypothesis
Low Moderate High
Expected data quality
Low Moderate High
Cost for data collection
Low Moderate High
Rolling
out
x
x
x

7. 730.7.2018Antikainen, M., Aminoff, A. and Heikkilä, J. (2018). Business model experimentations in advancing B2B sharing economy research.
ISPIM Innovation Conference, 17-20 June 2018, Stockholm.
Conclusions
 Business model experimentations
have been noticed as a valuable
method for innovating novel business
models (Chesbrough 2010; Ries
2011).
 Practical tools needed (incl.
qualitative aspects)
 In addition to companies, research
organizations can utilize BMEs as a
tool for exploring and testing novel
business models.
• Roles need to be defined and clear
Thank you!
maria.antikainen@vtt.fi
@MariaAntikainen
@AarreResearch
https://www.slidesh
are.net/mariant77
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maria_Antika
inen