State-Orchestrated Innovation Ecosystem and Industrial Emergence

Although emerging industries are increasingly founded on multi-actor innovation ecosystems, the role of state involvement in shaping these ecosystems remains under-researched. Drawing on a longitudinal, process-based analysis of the EV charging industry in China, this study examines how state-orchestrated innovation ecosystems influence coordination, legitimacy, and technological selection during industrial emergence. Using archival data supplemented by semi-structured interviews with key ecosystem participants, we identify three mechanisms through which state orchestration accelerates ecosystem development: (1) facilitating coordination among heterogeneous actors, (2) building collective legitimacy at the ecosystem level, and (3) guiding technological selection toward dominant designs. We further show that these mechanisms co-evolve over time, generating mutually reinforcing dynamics that stabilize industry structure and technological standards. Our findings contribute to theories of industrial emergence, innovation ecosystems, and institutional dynamics, and offer practical implications for managers and policymakers seeking to promote nascent industries in complex institutional contexts.