Article by by Herminia Ibarra and Michael G. Jacobides in the Harvard Business Review
A collaboration with Generalitat de Catalunya.
A collaboration with BCG Henderson Institute.
A collaboration with PwC Strategy&.
Ecosystem Development Framework: How can you compete when industries digitize and collide?
Assessing the expected impact of generative AI on the UK competitive landscape
Recent Collaborations
A high-intensity workshop that moved from the latest research and frameworks to a concrete change agenda. Two days of lively debate with A1 Bulgaria’s top leadership team, led by Alexander Dimitrov, made this both intellectually rich and genuinely fun.
An immersive two-day session with KBC’s top 40 executives, led by CEO Johan Thijs, exploring how to turn ecosystem strategy from poetry to practice. Through disciplined application, the team tackled how to align partners, define value propositions, and capture opportunities in AI-driven, multi-actor ecosystems.
We are a group of advisors, researchers and analysts guiding businesses in a changing world, combining cutting-edge research with real-world experience.
Navigating the AI Revolution
The AI revolution isn’t coming — it’s here. We help leaders cut through the noise to zero in where AI drives real, strategic advantage. With sharp research and practical advisory know-how, we deliver AI-ready, regulation-smart strategies that equip companies to move fast, stay ahead, and win in a world that's changing by the minute.
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Building Resilient Digital Ecosystems
We help companies define and strengthen their role in connected markets—whether that means leading an ecosystem or partnering within one. By aligning strategy, incentives, and governance, we design ecosystems that create lasting value for both customers and collaborators. The result: co-specialized, defensible networks built to scale and endure.
Leaders we’ve worked with
In MASMOVIL we collaborated with Michael (Evolution ltd) in refining our business strategy and to incorporate the ecosystem logic in our growth plans. Our discussions with Michael have been eye-opening and helpful in defining which complementary businesses to our telecom core activity we want to act and how we want to do that. We learned to consciously select our role in orchestrating providers, partners and subsidiaries in new ventures and first results of our new activities are promising!
Meinrad Spenger, CEO
MASMOVIL
Michael and the Evolution ltd team and I have worked on two very different strategy projects over the past 2 years – one addressing the important topic of building ecosystems in the telco world, and one looking at untangling the complex data policy & competition approaches that the EU is embracing. In both cases the team’s enthusiasm to move the projects forward, their creativity in framing the problems, ability to link & apply the thinking of the academic community to the challenges faced in industry and finally their extensive rolodex of academic, industry & political contacts enabled excellent outcomes! Projects with Evolution ltd are fast-paced, high-energy, intellectually challenging and ultimately rewarding.
Martin Creaner
Author & Former CEO, TMForum
We were looking for a deep understanding about the core of building a successful business and you more than fulfilled our expectations in this realm… you adjusted to the audience and the specific business sectors represented and included so many different examples and case studies. Cooperation was smooth and it was great that you took extra time with us.
Riin Savi
Head of Communications and Culture, BaltCap Academy
Strategy meets competition policy! That’s exactly what’s needed now, in the complex space of regulation of Big Tech we all are dependent on.
Tommaso Valletti
Professor at Imperial College London
Former Chief Economist for DG Competition, European Commission
In Enel X our vision is to develop an ecosystem around the needs of customers, creating content in addition to the sale of power. Michael (Evolution ltd) helped us understand the value of ecosystems better, which is becoming the new basis of competition. Suggestions about what to do and what to avoid to build great ecosystems were very inspiring.
Francesco Venturini
Chief Executive Officer, Enel X
Michael is a true thought leader in the area of ecosystems, an academic with decades-long experience in research but also a strong understanding of corporate realities. In highly interactive workshops and speeches, he clearly shows to Boards and senior executives the impact of ecosystems on their strategy and operations.
Dr. Nikolaus S. Lang
Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG
Global Leader, Global Advantage Practice
Competitive strategy is an eternal subject. Professor Michael Jacobides has made an era-leading breakthrough in this field. His insights and research inspired me. In the era of the Internet of Things, business competition has changed from a finite game among companies to an infinite game among ecosystems.
Zhang Ruimin
Chairman and CEO, Haier Group
