Innovation ecosystems and dynamic knowledge capabilities for new product development in Brazilian agtechs

Purpose This study aims to develop and validate a model that links dynamic knowledge management (KM) capabilities to new product development within the context of innovation ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach The research focuses on Brazilian agtechs. Data were collected through 109 questionnaires and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The findings indicate that the maturity of the innovation ecosystem significantly influences the dynamic capabilities of KM. Moreover, strong partnerships within the ecosystem, along with access to non-redundant and valuable knowledge, contribute to enhancing the dynamic KM capabilities of agtechs. The study also demonstrates that entrepreneurial protagonism – defined as the entrepreneur’s readiness and commitment to actively and strategically engage with the knowledge available in innovation ecosystems – plays a key role in fostering new product development. Originality/value This study offers several noteworthy contributions. First, it expands the understanding of how KM capabilities support new product development, emphasizing the critical role of entrepreneurial protagonism. Second, it provides novel insights into the dimensions of ecosystem maturity, relationship characteristics and dynamic KM capabilities. Third, it adds to the limited empirical literature on agtechs, shedding light on a sector with growing relevance in global innovation ecosystems. Finally, it advances the theoretical development of knowledge-based and dynamic capabilities perspectives by offering robust empirical and conceptual support for the proposed framework.