TY - JOUR T1 - Designing a Business Model for Environmental Monitoring Services Using Fast MCDS Innovation Support Tools JF - Technology Innovation Management Review Y1 - 2017 A1 - Tuomo Eskelinen A1 - Teemu Räsänen A1 - Ulla Santti A1 - Ari Happonen A1 - Miika Kajanus KW - business model KW - data collection KW - environmental monitoring KW - MCDS KW - open data KW - service innovation AB - The free availability of open data provides opportunities to start new businesses and gain business intelligence. However, although data is often used to support decisions and actions, the possibilities offered by modern sensor technologies with connections to cloud-based data collection services are not being effectively capitalized. Data collection systems are also not generally open source solutions, even though open and flexibly adjustable systems would broaden the opportunities for solutions and larger revenue streams. In this article, we used action research methods to discover new business opportunities in a semi-open information system that utilizes environmental monitoring data. We applied a four-stage innovation process for industry, which included context definition, idea generation, and selection, and produced multi-criteria decision support (MCDS) data to help the design of business model. This was done to reveal business opportunities for an environmental monitoring service. Among these opportunities, one service-style business model canvas was identified as feasible and selected for further development. We identified items that are needed in the commercialization process of environmental monitoring services. Our process combines open environmental monitoring data, participative innovation process, and MCDS support, and it supports and accelerates a co-creative business model creation process that is cost-beneficial in terms of saving time. The results are applicable to the creation of an open data information system that supports data-driven innovation. PB - Talent First Network CY - Ottawa VL - 7 UR - http://timreview.ca/article/1119 IS - 11 U1 - Savonia University of Applied Sciences Tuomo Eskelinen, PhD, works as an RDI Advisor at the Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Finland. His background is in Environmental Sciences, and his expertise and research interests include sustainable value networks, development of business partnerships, and sustainable business models. He organizes research, development, and innovation processes with enterprises and other organizations, with scientists, end users, and customers, from idea generation to business models development and commercialization. He has participated in more than 20 EU-funded projects in the fields of forestry, energy, food, water safety, and processing. He is experienced in performing and coordinating interdisciplinary, international, large-scale research projects, workshops and training. U2 - Savonia University of Applied Sciences Teemu Räsänen, D.Sc. (Tech), works as a Senior Lecturer at the Savonia University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in Finland. His background is in Environmental Technology, and his expertise and research interests include environmental informatics, environmental monitoring, data analysis, data mining and developing online monitoring systems. Within this context, his main focus is in the fields of water management, monitoring the impacts of industrial emissions, and waste management. He is also the head of Savonia UAS environmental technology degree program, which includes about 170 students annually. U3 - Savonia University of Applied Sciences Ulla Santti, MSc (Econ), has experience as a teacher of Business Administration and Marketing, and she is an expert on research, development, and innovation projects at the Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Finland. She has also undertaken SME business development through practical fieldwork in healthcare, industrial factories, advertising, and the tourism industries. Currently, she is preparing her doctoral thesis at the Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland. Her research interest includes business models and organizational culture development of SMEs with an interest in what kind of common ground, effects, and connections these concepts have on each other. U4 - Lappeenranta University of Technology Ari Happonen, DSc (Tech), is the Head of Computer Science Bachelor programme in the Lappeenranta University of Technology’s (LUT) School of Business and Management, Finland. Ari has been working at LUT for more than 15 years, participating in numerous RDI projects with Finnish and international companies in the contexts of international logistics services, consumer products industries, service development, innovation facilitations and mentoring, consultation, business development, mobile service development, construction industries, digitalization, public–private collaboration R&D efforts, and so on. Ari has a long history working as an intermediate and collaboration facilitator in interdisciplinary projects, workshops, innovation facilitation, development mentoring, teaching, and training and has also acted as the LUT Project Manager for the Akseli project, providing the base knowledge for this publication. U5 - Savonia University of Applied Sciences Miika Kajanus works as an RDI-liaison in Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Finland. The role is in international RDI funding in Savonia’s focus areas related to food, water, health, industry, and bio products. The main tasks are to organize research, development, and innovation processes with enterprises and other organizations. The work involves collaboration with scientists, SMEs, inventors, end users, and experts aiming in a straightforward way to implement innovations including all the phases starting from idea generation, conceptualization, business models development, and commercialization. Since 2004, he has been involved in more than 100 innovation commercialization projects, and he has more than twenty international research publications. He is one of the creators of the InTo innovation tool. ER -