VITO Cleantech Flanders – Economic Analysis
For four consecutive years, Cleantech Flanders, powered by VITO, published the Cleantech Report. This report offers a complete overview of the Flemish Cleantech ecosystem—its impact, opportunities, and future challenges.
VITO Cleantech Flanders partnered with DataScouts for data mining and economic analysis to support the development of the final report. The team used the DataScouts platform and research methodology to map the landscape, create detailed company profiles of all relevant players, and collect business statistics. These insights allowed them to analyze the economic impact of Cleantech providers and pioneers over the past 10 years.
Multidimensional Ecosystem Analysis
Cleantech is not a traditional sector. It spans multiple industries such as energy, circular economy, mobility, air, water, and soil. It offers products, processes, and services that enhance both operational and environmental performance. Traditional companies often adopt Cleantech to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to climate action.
Because of its cross-sectoral nature, Cleantech ecosystem analysis must look beyond individual organizations. DataScouts’ unique methodology supports this approach. It enables researchers to integrate structured and unstructured data and examine multiple dimensions. As a result, we can reveal the contribution and value creation of each actor and understand the ecosystem’s dynamics.
The Unique Added Value of a Data-Driven Approach to Ecosystem Research
The methodology begins with a carefully developed taxonomy. Cleantech Flanders and DataScouts co-developed this taxonomy to define a clear and uniform framework. It helps identify the actors, their activities, and their roles.
A crucial phase in this process is accurately mapping the ecosystem by building a directory of relevant actors. This is done by combining existing databases, desktop research, and patent analysis of Flemish companies. This process results in a refined list of technology providers, enablers, and users.
Next, detailed organizational profiles of these actors can be assembled by setting up automated data streams. The DataScouts Monitoring Platform enables efficient, ongoing market research by building 360° profiles of organizations. Automatically collected data is combined to provide a rich representation of the ecosystem and offer insights into trends and relationships. The data consisted of financial performance, investments, shareholders, company size, locations, and target markets.
But understanding the dynamics of ecosystem also requires understanding of the interrelationships between actors. In this project, DataScouts created a network of links between Cleantech Flanders members and innovation clusters, focusing on innovation and sustainability. These include Catalisti, SIM Flanders, Flux 50, Flanders’ Food, and the Blue Cluster. In this specific project, the analysis of patents in Cleantech domains added an extra dimension by revealing innovation hotspots within the Cleantech ecosystem.
