Developing experiential living lab as platforms for embedded innovation

Within the last decade open innovation became a key ingredient for knowledge creation and knowledge absorption strategies of large companies. SMEs are usually considered to lack resources and capacity to organize alone open innovation activities. In this perspective, Hafkesbrink and Scholl (2010) proposed the model of Innovation 3.0 or embedded innovation, in order to illustrate how SMEs can take advantage of community knowledge. As living labs emerged as community knowledge creation model, they can be discussed as appropriate innovation infrastructure for SMEs based on embedded innovation. However, putting a living lab in operation and building around it dynamic and responsive communities is a challenging experience. The present research proposes a model for a living lab organization and development, combining three perspectives: the Embedded Innovation model (integrating the organization into communities to ensure knowledge absorption), the Knowledge-Social-Business experience (KSB) model (developed under the ELLIOT project) and the Technology-Mediated Social Platform model (TMSP). The new model will integrate the key aspects of living labs and will complete the gaps identified on practice. Finally, an experimental living lab ecosystem for implementing the new model is introduced.