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Currently submitted to: JMIR Human Factors

Date Submitted: May 8, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: May 11, 2026 - Jul 6, 2026
(currently open for review)

Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.

Enabling interdisciplinary integration in early-stage biotech consortia: a generative co-design approach using the business model canvas

  • Pieter Vandekerckhove; 
  • Johannes Gartner; 
  • Joyce van Meurs; 
  • Roberto Narcisi; 
  • Frido Smulders

ABSTRACT

Background:

Multidisciplinary science programs tackling grand societal challenges often lack effective innovation strategies, particularly towards an integrated application idea.

Objective:

This study describes how to move from monodisciplinary research lines in early-stage biotech research consortia towards an interdisciplinary convergence research strategy.

Methods:

We conceptualise the research process as an innovation process and explore how different researchers can integrate their ideas through generative co-design (GCD) tools and the Business Model Canvas. Empirical data were gathered from three workshops, a consortium discussion, and two surveys within a large multidisciplinary biotech consortium. Our analysis focused on social interaction, drawing on both individuals' tacit and explicit knowledge.

Results:

Minimum feasible products, as opposed to minimum viable products, developed in GCD workshops facilitated the collaboration across disciplines and integrated knowledge across topics.

Conclusions:

The study offers theoretical contributions for researchers and practical insights for funding bodies aiming to enhance the impact of early-phase biotech research.


 Citation

Please cite as:

Vandekerckhove P, Gartner J, van Meurs J, Narcisi R, Smulders F

Enabling interdisciplinary integration in early-stage biotech consortia: a generative co-design approach using the business model canvas

JMIR Preprints. 08/05/2026:100774

DOI: 10.2196/preprints.100774

URL: https://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/100774

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