This document provides information about Tekes' 2015 innovation research call on the theme of "Platform Economy - Innovation ecosystems for digital revolution". It discusses the reasoning behind the call theme, outlines two main research themes and sub-topics to be addressed, and provides guidance on applying for funding. The call aims to develop expertise around value creation in platform ecosystems and leverage ecosystem development through innovation policy. High-quality, multidisciplinary projects that engage stakeholders and show policy and business impacts will be prioritized for funding.

1. Innovation Research
Call theme 2015
Platform Economy – Innovation
ecosystems for digital revolution

2. Innovation research call themes 2011-2014
New sources of renewal and growth for Finland?
2011
System innovations
and transitions’
Link to Green Growth-
program
2012
’Intangible value
creation and policy’
Link to F€€LINGS program
2013
’Ecosystems,
spillovers and new
policy approaches’
Link to Witty City and
Wellness programs
2014
’Renewal of
manufacturing’
Links to Industrial
Internet and 5th Gear
programs
Collaboration with
VINNOVA/Sweden

3. Reasoning behind the call 2015
 Call 2015 combines practically (earlier addressed) ecosystem and digitalization themes
• Focus shifting deeper from phenomena level towards questions in business development on system level
• These aspects are realized in platform economy which is the overall theme of call
• Research topics goes deeper into mechanisms which drive and inhibit value creation, and to role of innovation policy
• Funded projects should be relevant to innovation policy and development of our innovation ecosystem to better
support emergence of new platform businesses
 Only high quality research projects will be funded
• This means high level of competition between applicants and especially demanding selection criteria
 The role of stakeholders is emphasized in the call (in research agenda, methods and dissemination)
• Implications and impacts to innovation policy and business must be shown clearly
 Call theme: “Platform Economy - Innovation ecosystems for digital revolution”
 What is Platform Economy and why it is important ? (a short-list of general references)
• http://thecge.net/category/research/the-emerging-platform-economy/
• http://techcrunch.com/2015/05/27/the-mary-meeker-internet-trends-2015-report/#.gdrou3:6E7W
• http://techtrends.accenture.com/us-en/digital-platform-ecosystems.html
• http://dupress.com/periodical/trends/business-trends-series/

4. • Platform economy as a phenomenal level concept
• Processes which are relevant (aggregation)
• Topics that do have a role in the process (as drivers or
inhibitors)
Platform
Economy
• Platforms
• facilitates the aggregation of information
• Aggregation of information
• deepens customer relation
• diversifies and strengthens value proposition
• New value
• defines the positioning
• strengthens market dominance
• sustainable competitive advantage
• development of multi-sided market
Collaboration
and knowledge
integration
• Methods of aggregation
• Security and risk in development
• Investments in Finland
• Business model innovations
• Performance management
• Ownership of data (i.e. MyData)
• Legislation
• BigData analytics
• Global value networks
• Standardization
Relevant challenges and
topics
Call topics 2015 -
background

5. Two research themes – Motivation for call
I. Competencies of tomorrow’s platform economy
How do the platforms and their ecosystems function and what mechanisms drive value creation in
them and how it happens.
We need to develop our capability to create cloud based ecosystems which are able to create value in new
ways by offering new customer experiences that are valued globally. This research topic challenges to think
strategies, methods and competencies that are needed for a success.
The main purpose of this call is development of new world class expertize for creating and capturing value
trough platform ecosystems. This target can not be reached without deep dialogue with companies, those that
are already in the game and those that are seeking their way to success.
II. How to leverage ecosystem development by innovation environment
 Where are the potentials for Finland which could be developed further and how should we do that.
We should understand how these ecosystems work, which is not even nearly enough, because we need to
understand how to leverage their development. What kind of operation environment could foster the
development in potential ecosystems. What kind of means there could be to speed up the development?
 What would make ecosystems attractive for foreign investments to propel vigorous platform
economy. How could we utilize learnings from global success stories in platform economy to create new
success stories. Which ways could drive foreign investments to these developing ecosystems. We need to
understand how to boost the developing platform economy in Finland by being attractive target for foreign
investments. The aim would be to bring value to the developing ecosystems and creating a better exit
market for local start-up companies.
The bottom line is; We need to know how to manage innovation environment to create growth through
developing platform economy.

6. Theme I: Competencies of tomorrow’s platform economy
a. How do platforms and their ecosystems function – i.e. roles and functions for different actors in
ecosystems
b. What mechanisms drive value creation, and how, in platform ecosystems (i.e. aggregation,
engagement, impact assessment and business models)
c. What capabilities and competencies are involved to reach win-win-win and traction
d. Interaction based strategy – How to best utilize influence points and flows of information
e. New ways of connecting users and resources (preferable “idle”) - How to engage previously
“idle” assets productively
f. How innovation ecosystems can be transformed into business ecosystems (role of platforms)
Development of new world class expertize in future platform economy for creating and
capturing value in innovation ecosystems. Development of new competences for
successful implementation.

7. Theme II: How to leverage ecosystem development by
innovation policy (in platform economy)
a. Where are the potentials which could be developed further
b. How Finnish companies could create and capture more value through new ecosystems
c. What developments in our innovation environment would release the potentials, or create new
possibilities
d. Implementation of smart regulation – possibilities in self-regulating ecosystems and how to
support their implementation
e. How self-regulation could support emergence of new business in context of copyright /
ownership, privacy and security
f. What is the impact of Tekes funding and services on the Finnish innovation environment
g. What new potentials could be achieved through active policies for supporting foreign
investments in this context
h. What would make ecosystems attractive for foreign investments to create a vigorous platform
economy in Finland
How to manage innovation environment to create growth with developing platform
economy? How to boost the developing platform economy in Finland?

8. Multidisciplinary approach in dealing with themes
 All projects have to deliver relevant and impactful results in both of the
given research themes:
I. Competencies of tomorrow’s platform economy
II. How to leverage ecosystem development by innovation environment corresponding theme I
 Subsets under two main themes are intended to work as guidance for
constructing the research agenda and a help for building a structured dialog
with relevant stakeholders
• Relevance to call topics is evaluated against the named sub-themes (topics)
• Project abstract should give a clear picture of how project addresses call themes and given topics
• Project Utilization Roadmap should give a clear picture of how research would benefit relevant
stakeholder groups and how they will be engaged to the research, and what methods will be used
for dissemination of results.
• Team CV is good place to show this multidisciplinary expertise and credibility which comes from
networks of individual researchers
• Value add from international dimension of project networks is appreciated highly. This value must
be shown explicitly.

9. Evaluation criteria - What will be appreciated in evaluation
1. Impact and Relevance (minimum requirement)
 Quality and credibility of utilization roadmap with implications to business and policymakers
 Relevance to the call themes
 Relevance to themes of governmental spearhead projects (hallituksen kärkihankkeet)
2. Quality and volume in international collaboration (minimum requirement)
 Collaboration with international top research groups
 International collaboration is intended for supporting the development of a global platform for start-up engagement
3. Multidisciplinary research agenda (minimum requirement)
 Addressing both of the given themes correctly will need multidisciplinary approach and cross cutting view to the
subject. Teams must be build on multidisciplinary approach.
4. In-kind contributions from companies and especially start-ups are highly appreciated
 Contributions must have a clear added value to research agenda (addressing specified tasks in work packages)
 Show real commitment to the project research questions (companies must describe added value in L3 forms)
 Must be reported separately form project budget (price tag and cost break down)
5. Parallel projects joint with company R&D projects
 It is considered that parallel projects by SMEs will increase impact considerably

10. Call 2015
Tools for project co-creation =
Vehicles for delivering impact

11. Reserve enough time for the Call Process
Prepare for Tekes sparring session

12. Elements of Utilization Roadmap
Research Agenda to serve
business development and
stakeholder perspectives
Roadmap for Utilization –
tools for impact delivery
Verified
Research
Questions
Empirical
methodology
to connect
with drivers
Tools for
Socio-
Economic
Transition
Company
related
Policy
related
Market
related
Policy Briefs
Round Tables
Forums for
transition
Business Drivers
Stakeholder Needs
Research questions, methods and delivery must be business driven

13. What will be needed for the application?
 Prepare three documents for the Tekes sparring session in August (week 34)
1. Abstract (max two pages)
2. Utilization roadmap – partially co-produced with identified potential beneficiaries (max two pages)
3. Team CV (max two pages)
 Compile a full project plan before the call dead line in case sparring discussions support it
1. Description of planned work
 including different works streams and related milestones
 template for work package descriptions in a project plan (in order to get an idea of the required level of detail)
http://www.tekes.fi/rahoitus/rahoituksen-hakeminen/projektisuunnitelma/
2. Funding plan
 Including description of supplementing funding (by other stakeholders)
 Stakeholder commitments on L3 forms (preliminary indications for commitment)
 Notice. Contents of the abstract equals with the on-line application form (and evaluation frame)
The intention of this approach is to minimize redundant work and maximize the quality

14. Project plan summary - Abstract
Content of the abstract
1. The core idea of the project with couple of sentences
2. Novelty, impact and feasibility of the project by using the NABC frame (i.e. Tekes application format)
3. Basic information about the consortium and the needed funding
Abstract summarizes project outcomes and utilized resources
in terms of the used evaluation frame for the call
Purpose of the abstract is to work as a pitch of the project

15. This is just a well documented co-creation process
Needs from
stakeholder
groups
Co-created
research
agenda
Utilization
roadmap
Utilization Roadmap (max two pages)
 Content. a short description of where the project gains it’s relevance and
how it will be utilized.
 Reminder. Company related (not publicly disseminated) industrial research
and market studies must be done out side of the publicly funded project
with company funding (see criteria for public research).
Describes measures for
 co-creating the research agenda together with stakeholders
 dissemination of results (among potential stakeholders)
 utilization of results by relevant stakeholder groups
 engaging wider public discussion on Policy Brief topics (important)
And their relevance by showing connections between
 Research topic and development of Finnish economy
 Stakeholder needs and selected research questions
 Research methods and key stakeholder involvement
 Research outcomes and relevant stakeholder groups (benefits for each)
 Research results and individual stakeholders (their own description in L3)
Roadmap gives an explicit view
to targeted project outcomes and
their potential value. The purpose
of utilization roadmap is to
support project team to focus in
essentials and illustrate the true
potential in project . This will give
substantial base for writing the
project abstract (NABC frame)
and it will work as source of
credibility in the evaluation
process.

16. Team CV
1. Showing the key expertise in the team (what)
2. Showing the team’s edge and motivation (how)
3. Listing 2 most relevant publications regarding the study topic for each member (why)
4. Showing the stakeholder experience (with whom)
Visualizes research teams credibility to tackle the vision of the project in two pages by
Hi!
We are
the project team!!

17. Call 2015
Practical information

18. Practical information for applicants - Summary
Engage discussions with stakeholders immediately after launch (June)
Document these discussions for the basis of utilization roadmap
Contact Tekes advisors for promoting your idea and for getting feedback (as soon as possible)
Prepare well for the sparring discussions in August (week 34) by providing:
 Abstract for the project (one pager)
 Utilization roadmap (two pages)
 Team CV (max. two pages)
 Reserve a time for sparring discussion for your group (annukka.kohonen(at)tekes.fi)
 You will be provided with feedback and traffic lights indicator for assessing the potential in competition
Uptake feedback from Tekes sparring to finalize the project planning
 Call will close 9.9.2015
 Fully finalized applications are expected accompanied with L3 forms
 Maximum length is 20 pages (including abstract, roadmap and CV)
Scope
 Tekes will fund high quality projects with highest impact potential
 Optimal length for projects is two years (see project planning info for applicants)

19. Funding levels and related basic requirements
 The selected top projects which are successfully filling the set minimum criteria are
eligible for 60% funding of project total costs.
 Those organizations which produce public research, but are not publicly financed are eligible for
95% funding
 Projects with extended and tightened international collaboration are eligible for 70%
funding
 By extended collaboration are meant well sized (> 5 man-years) projects that combine multiple
different expert ices and research groups
 By tightened collaboration are meant projects that project
a) include researcher exchange > 2 man-years with a substantial relevance to the build-up of new expertise for
applicant or
b) is composed of international parallel projects (of which Tekes is funding Finnish counterparts)
 All funded projects and organizations have to fulfil the general requirements for public
funding
 http://www.tekes.fi/globalassets/global/rahoitus/en__julkisen_tutkimuksen_rahoituksen_yleiset_ehdot.pdf

20. Practical help for applying
 Registering to Tekes on-line service (link to application and helpful information)
o http://www.tekes.fi/en/online/
 On-line application (template)
o http://www.tekes.fi/globalassets/global/rahoitus/application_research.pdf
 General terms for funding are described in following document
o http://www.tekes.fi/globalassets/global/rahoitus/en__julkisen_tutkimuksen_rahoituksen_yleiset_ehdot.pdf
 L3 forms to be attached
o http://www.tekes.fi/globalassets/global/asiointi/ilmoitus_projektiin_osallistumisesta.rtf
 FAQ and help videos
o http://www.tekes.fi/en/funding/applying-for-funding/
 A template for work package descriptions in project plan
o http://www.tekes.fi/rahoitus/rahoituksen-hakeminen/projektisuunnitelma/
 Select a correct tag for this call in on-line application (important)
o panostusalue = Innovaatiohaku 2015

21. Stakeholder engagement and Policy Briefs
 Tekes has own publication series for Innovation Research findings. This tool is suitable
for publication of those results that benefit from wider discussion
 Policy Briefs are an important tool for making good innovation policy and they work as a
good platform for initiating dialogue between different stakeholder groups
 They are seen as one important method for dissemination of results and engagement of
stakeholders in innovation ecosystem to further discussion
 Reporting of the projects mid-term results in this way is seen as a good method for
getting traction from stakeholder community
 Examples of Policy Brief’s (ask for a template)
http://www.tekes.fi/ohjelmat-ja-palvelut/kampanjat/innovaatiotutkimus/policy-brief/
 Project teams are encouraged to develop agendas for public discussion and to
facilitate it with round table discussions, work shops, seminars and policy briefs.
This type of activities should start as early as possible in the projects, in order to
produce continuity in discussion around the topic. The related costs can be
included to the project budget.

22. Contact information
 Mr Tuomo Suortti
Advisor
Product manager / Innovation Research
Tel. +358 50 5577 855
tuomo.suortti(at) tekes.fi
 Mr Jari Hyvärinen
Advisor
Tel. +358 50 5577 803
jari.hyvarinen (at) tekes.fi
 Mr Pekka Pesonen
Chief Advisor
Tel. +358 50 5577 804
pekka.pesonen (at) tekes.fi
 Find out more @ Tekes.fi
www.tekes.fi/public_research
http://www.tekes.fi/en/programmes-and-
services/campaigns/innovation-research

23. Innovation Research
General purpose and objectives

24. Public research
networked with
companies
International
joint calls
Tekes funding for research organizations
Strategic
research
openings
Innovation
research
New knowledge
and business
from
research
ideas
FiDiPro

25. Tekes research funding 2/2
Other opportunities
FiDiPro
Finland Distinguished Professor Programme funds
projects recruiting top scientists, who can commit to
long-term cooperation with a Finnish research
organization. Application round once a year.
Thematical calls for research projects that bring up
new knowledge about innovations, how they
originate and renew businesses and the society.
European Union’s Structural Fund supplements Tekes
innovation funding. ERDF funding can be applied in
all Tekes research funding application rounds.
Innovation
research
ERDF

26. The purpose of innovation research is to
serve key stakeholders of innovation environment
 Innovation research has a focus on the
determinants, patterns,
commercialization and impacts of
innovation broadly defined
 Innovation research typically analyses
processes and phenomena that
contribute to industrial and socio-
economic renewal and growth *
 Tekes innovation research calls are
giving strategic support for innovation
policy making and renewal of businesses
 Innovation research differentiates by
capability of offering policy relevance in
addition to business relevance
and by forums for development of
innovation environment
* See e.g. Fagerberg J. and Verspagen . B. 2009. Innovation studies – the emerging structure of a new scientific field. Research Policy 38, pp. 218-233.
Builds an evidence-base for strategy
and innovation policy
 Learning from the present - for the future
 New phenomena
 New indicators
Supports absorptive capability,
cultivates a community
 Researchers
 Companies
 Industry associations
 Policy stakeholders
Contributes to impact analysis and
foresight
 Identifies new issues and impact pathways
 Supports foresight work related to renewal of
businesses
 Supports development of business strategies for
renewal

27. Value add from Innovation research to different stakeholders
Innovation research seeks logics behind different
development paths, supports innovation
processes and speeds them up
 It is able to create understanding of processes and trends
behind different development paths for innovation. This is
important for a successful innovation policy.
 This helps to focus resources to activities with most value
add. This is important for planning of new programmatic
interventions. – Strategic information on business
development
 And most of all, innovation research helps Finnish
companies to fully utilize new business opportunities by
creating new expertise and networks. – Innovation
ecosystems around emerging topics
 Innovation research applies methodologies that create
multi-stakeholder communication forums in innovation
environment for enhancing the propagation of new
innovations and new practices. – Transition arenas for
new breakthrough innovations
 Innovation research is supporting the uptake of new
practices and business models there where new policies
and legislation will be needed – Catalyzing the uptake of
new innovations
Impact on Economy and Society
• Economic
Renewal
• Wellbeing and
Health
• Natural
resources
and efficiency
a
• New firms, business areas
and services
• Productivity
• Utilization and spillovers of
new knowledge and know-
how
• Innovations: products and
services, processes,
organization and methods
• New firms, business areas
and services
Output
• R&D and innovation activities
• Education
• New methods and networking
Activities
• Investment in intangible and tangible capital
• Existing knowledge, information and know-how
Input
HOW?
WHAT?
WHY?

28. IMF
Impact assessment for innovation research calls
Impacts
Outputs / results in Finland
Innovation research / Project activities
Inputs
• Innovation funding with annual total volume with maximum of Meur N (i.e. max 5-10 world class research projects)
• Competence base sourced from innovation environment actors, Tekes programs and services
* The Figure is based on Tekes impact logic model as a basis for developing impact indicators and methodologies
• Top-level innovation environment: Finland's innovation
environment proactively increases its competitiveness in global
context and is able to attract more international investments
• Globally competitive business and industry
• New sources for growth are developed
• Overall increase in productivity and competence
• Overall increase in employment and well-being
• The quantity and quality of innovation research increases and
meets the global context
• Exchange of know-how between research sector and
companies is enhanced to support renewal of businesses
• Finnish innovation environments capabilities to catalyze
emergence of new business and boosting growth increases
• Companies get new tools for diversifying their business
through new business models and emerging new innovation
ecosystems
• New companies and businesses are established
• Finnish companies which take part actively to the research
projects gain access to new value networks in a global context
Project activities / funding criteria
• Challenge based research agenda and relevance to business
• Utilization roadmaps with system level impact
• Team CVs for credibility and development of research groups
• Policy Briefs for creating basis for dialogue between stakeholder groups
• Round Table Discussions for supporting the dialogue
• Transition Arenas for creating new innovation ecosystems
Tekes activities / value-added services
• Annual research funding challenge based calls
• International collaboration
• Collaboration with Team Finland partners
• Co-ordinated activities with Tekes programs
• Round table discussions to create national agendas
• Events for dissemination and match-making
• Facilitation for Transition arenas