Abstract

Recent technological advances such as in genome sequencing have exploded bio data infra-structures including those that comprise of generic - anonymized or pseudonymized - data. As open data, the bio data infrastructures do not constrain the final application context for their data. Rather it is up to complementors, taking the role of digital entrepreneurs, to appropriate value from this data through their revenue streams while at the same time scaling their opera-tions and ventures. We undertake a qualitative explorative study of bio data ventures examining the tension of applying open generic genome data to specific contexts for customers while being able to scale their businesses. The study uses primary data from 26 interviews and secondary data to reveal six strategies that complementors use for value appropriation. We derive three mechanisms of appropriating value at different stages of the value chain for bio data analysis on open data infrastructures: data contextualizing, data decontextualizing, and data recontex-tualizing. The study sheds light to how bio data – which has received limited attention in infor-mation systems research – can be an important source of value appropriation in digital ecosys-tems.

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