Abstract:

This paper investigates the functional configuration of actors within a regional manufacturing innovation ecosystem. While existing literature on innovation ecosystems has primarily focused on mapping the presence and typology of stakeholders, there is a lack of systematic understanding of how these actors contribute to specific stages of industrial innovation. To address this gap, the study introduces the Manufacturing Innovation Ecosystem Actor × Value Contribution Matrix, a conceptual tool that evaluates the relative contributions of six key stakeholder groups, ranging from manufacturing SMEs and lead firms to universities and intermediaries, across five critical innovation functions: Applied R&D, Process Innovation, Manufacturing Scale-up, Technology Deployment, and Industrial Demand Creation. The analysis reveals significant variation in functional specialization, coordination asymmetries, and underutilized capacities within the ecosystem. Lead manufacturing firms and intermediary organizations emerge as central contributors across multiple domains, while other actors remain functionally isolated. The study concludes by identifying complementarities and collaborative opportunities that, if strategically activated, could improve the coherence, inclusiveness, and overall performance of the manufacturing innovation system.