​Startup Ecosystem Maturity Level

Where there are startups, there is also startup communities and a startup ecosystem. However startup ecosystems vary a lot in clarity, visibility, size and and their maturity level. When it comes to startup ecosystem development, the clarity and the maturity levels matter the most. Clarity is about how clear are the lines of mutual understanding between innovation, entrepreneur and startups ecosystems and how well the ecosystem is understood in context to the startup development phases, while the maturity is mainly about how complete and vibrant the ecosystem is as a whole.

​To get a sense of the maturity level of your ecosystem, evaluate from below descriptions, what level best describes your ecosystem. This maturity level then gives a good starting point for what development approach and efforts should be focused on, to develop your ecosystem to the next level and beyond.
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A. Knowledge Building
  • Starting to embrace startup culture, development and understanding. Early awareness of startup ecosystem mindset. Want to fully understand about global megatrends and changes taking place in innovation, entrepreneurship and startup ecosystem developments and to get a proper view on how your position, activities and focus areas are aligned with global developments, compared to your international peers and local targets and assumptions.
B. Ecosystem Fundamentals
  • Looking at strategies and policies to develop your support and services for moving more research to innovation via entrepreneurship lead innovation and innovative startups (SME)s by developing and embracing entrepreneurial culture and startup ecosystem knowledge among local key stakeholders for common understanding, alignment and for building a shared vision and development roadmap for your region.
C. Ecosystem Connectivity
  • Seeking to map out, visualize and connect your ecosystem startups, activities and services, from research, events, innovation services, advisory networks, to funding instruments and talent pools in line with startup development phases. For better accessibility and transparency and to systematically reduce overlaps, remove bottlenecks and fill service or knowledge gaps within your ecosystem. To start focusing on ecosystem level volume and output, with measuring and benchmarking your ecosystem performance and development progress.​
D. Measurability & Real-time Data 
  • Fully embracing the entrepreneurial culture and entrepreneurship lead innovation to maintain or improve your position in key areas in the international ecosystem rankings. Following sustainable long term plan, with milestones and matching resources in use. Digitally connected locally and internationally, development and activities driven by real-time data and benchmarking, to improve volume, quality and velocity in balanced manner, to accelerate progress, improve ROI and use ecosystem data to attract international investments.
​Encouraging startups in your region isn't just "trendy thing" to do. Innovative startups are recognized as the positive drivers of change, R&D departments of the cities and cornerstone of growing economies.

To what level should your ecosystem be in next few years? What knowledge, services and tools will you need to get there?
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