Overview

This training session examines how ecosystem actors can move beyond mapping and understanding innovation ecosystems towards designing interventions that lead to meaningful and lasting change.

The session introduces the Theory of Change as a practical framework for explaining how interventions activate specific mechanisms, influence the behaviour of ecosystem actors and contribute to wider systemic outcomes. Using examples such as investor–startup Demo Days and experiences from African innovation ecosystems, it demonstrates why activities such as events, training and mentoring should be treated as triggers for change rather than as impacts in themselves.

The session also explores the role of collaboration, trust, incentives and adaptive learning in ecosystem transformation. Particular attention is given to how Business Support Organisations (BSOs) can influence change by connecting actors, reducing information gaps, strengthening capabilities and creating conditions for more effective interactions across the ecosystem.

What You Will Learn

The training covers:

• From ecosystem mapping to intervention design: using knowledge of actors, relationships, resource flows and structural challenges to identify appropriate interventions.
• Theory of Change: connecting interventions with mechanisms, behavioural changes and longer-term ecosystem impact.
• Activity-based versus change-based thinking: distinguishing activities and outputs from the behavioural and structural changes they are intended to produce.
• Ecosystem gaps and breaks: determining whether an ecosystem function is missing or exists but is not working effectively, and selecting the appropriate response.
• Mechanisms and leverage points: understanding how trust, information, incentives, capabilities, capital flows and power dynamics can influence actor behaviour.
• Assumptions and risks: making assumptions about mechanisms, behaviour and the wider context explicit so that they can be tested and revised.
• Measuring ecosystem change: complementing activity-level indicators with measures of behavioural change and longer-term systemic outcomes.
• Collaboration in African innovation ecosystems: learning from organisations that connect entrepreneurs, investors, universities, policymakers and markets.
• The role of BSOs: supporting ecosystem transformation through convening, capacity building, relationship development and reduced transaction costs.
• Resilience and sustainability: building partnerships, structures and capabilities that continue beyond individual projects, organisations or funding cycles.

Key Takeaway

Effective ecosystem interventions begin with a clear understanding of how change is expected to happen. Activities such as events, training programmes and mentoring can initiate change, but their value depends on whether they activate the right mechanisms and lead ecosystem actors to behave differently.

By developing a specific and testable Theory of Change, monitoring behavioural outcomes and adapting interventions as conditions evolve, BSOs can move beyond delivering activities towards contributing to systemic transformation. Collaboration is central to this process: reflecting the principle of Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—lasting ecosystem change depends on collective action, shared responsibility and strong relationships among diverse actors.