Emergent Ecosystem for Radical Innovation: Entrepreneurial Probing at Formula E

Entrepreneurial action is increasingly associated with innovation ecosystems because no firm alone can render the complex and interdependent services demanded in markets. Moreover, entrepreneurial firms are increasingly instigators of innovation ecosystems, rather than merely participants. However, particularly in the pursuit of radical innovation, a question arises as to how an entrepreneurial firm begins to form and shape the landscape for an emergent ecosystem. In this paper, we examine the innovation activities of Formula E, a new venture at the hub of an emerging ecosystem, aiming to transform motorsports for digital-native fans. Digital technologies are providing nearly boundless possibilities but represent uncertain opportunities in terms of their ability to engage young fans, who previously have shown little interest in motorsports. We identify probing as a way to use initiatives to provoke engagement and generate open-ended dialog and discussion. Entrepreneurial probing helps to expand the innovation landscape in search of heterogeneous need-solution pairs.