Developing and promoting environmentally sustainable innovation requires efforts of more than a single firm, but collaborative arrangements of multiple firms. The innovation ecosystem is one such arrangement. However, prior studies overly emphasize innovation ecosystems targeting a specific core value proposition, while ignoring the potential of multi-purpose technologies in applying to more than one use context. To close this gap, we conducted a longitudinal single case study on the strategic actions of Contemporary Amperex Technology Corporation (CATL) and the evolution of its power battery innovation ecosystem. Based on prior research and our analysis, we proposed the conceptualization of use contexts and a two-dimensional matrix of typology of use contexts. We also found that, in the birth, expansion, and leadership phases of innovation ecosystem evolution, the focal firm engages different types of collaborators, builds different types of use contexts, and gradually forms a multi-context innovation ecosystem. By blending the use context concept and the innovation ecosystem theory, our study contributes to the understanding of collaborative arrangements in the development of environmentally sustainable innovation.
