Ecosystems have been studied for 30 years and this lens of analysis is spreading to all industrial sectors. Scholars explore this concept as an extension of research concepts ranging from interorganizational relationships (IORs) to strategic alliances or networks. Despite thorough literature reviews on the topic, several definitions of business ecosystems still coexist, either focusing on the structure around a focal value proposition, or on the interconnectedness of participants evolving in a common environment. I dig on the creation phase of an ecosystem, on the steps occurring before the ecosystem is visible, in the context of a mature industry, where most actors already have long-standing ties with their business environment. These long-standing ties have an impact on the creation of new structures, made of actors and embodied by their activities. After reviewing the literature on ecosystems, I focus on the antecedents that allow the emergence of a new value proposition, potentially leading to the renewal of a mature industry. I use an inductive case study of two potentially competing value propositions in the European aerospace industry and shed light on antecedents of ecosystems, at the intersection of path dependence and strategic renewal. This paper helps understanding why and when players align to allow the emergence of a new value proposition. I eventually suggest a ranking of eight antecedents to ecosystems.
