Finding partners for complex system innovations through a trans-sectoral ‘matchmaking platform’

Complex system innovations require the concurrent implementation of trans-sectoral co-innovations. The case of fuel cell vehicle development in Germany may serve as an expedient example for this necessity to develop multiple innovative components within largely disconnected ‘technology islands’. The diagonal cooperation among organisations from formerly non-cooperating industries (i.e. from within those technology islands) that so far have not shared a common knowledge base, however, is hindered by structural information deficits, making it difficult to identify the ‘right’ cooperation partners. Based on the requirements as identified in the case study, we therefore propose a ‘matchmaking platform’ that aims at fostering a trans-sectoral dialogue by providing systematically generated corporate capability profiles of organisations with promising cooperation potential. The matching is grounded on factors derived from resource- and market-based theory.