A complex adaptive system
Open Horizon's complex adaptive system approach looks at implementing a local government innovation system beyond the traditional "triple helix" format of government-academia-industry, infrastructure, policy and political environment.
This need for an empirical shift reflects the current increase in connectivity, interdependence, and the co-evolution of actors, technologies, and institutions.

Multiple levels and types of interdependencies
The process involves coping with many hard tangible and intangible issues of different nature, different levels and types of interdependencies. It comprises independent but inter-related activities that need to be carefully performed. And it relies on pattern formation, sense-making, the definition of simple rules, change of attractors, tagging, chunking and maintaining disequilibrium, and the mobilization of niches. A successful innovation ecology only partly depends on the presence of elements (i.e. talent, firms, institutions, capital), but even more so on their identities, meaning, networking capabilities, culture of trust and pragmatic cooperation.

Creating a park is very different to raising a rainforest
From management's perspective, building and developing the institutional "system of innovation" and nurturing the "innovation ecosystem" are two distinct processes. To use a metaphor - creating a park is very different from raising a rainforest.
There are attempts to replicate "Silicon Valley"-like ecosystems without understanding the necessary elements and the time required to flourish and evolve. We help local governments surmount challenges such as an inadequate local mindset for innovation, lack of actors' preparedness, suitable legal frameworks, insufficient cash flow throughout the innovation chain, low attractiveness, or insufficient infrastructure of cities.