Background · Social Innovation
Digital social innovation
The theory of Digital Social Innovation is about how digital technology becomes a tool for solving social problems and strengthening democratic participation.
Digital social innovation became a central topic in innovation research from the 2010s onwards, primarily through the European Commission's DSI4EU programme. It examines how digital technologies and networks can be used to solve social problems.
1. The intersection of technology and community
According to the theory, digital social innovation sits at the intersection of technological development and community collaboration. Its aim is to use digital technologies and networks to solve social problems, create new forms of community and strengthen democratic participation.
Through online platforms, open databases, community maps or participatory interfaces, citizens become active shapers of public policy — not merely subjects of decisions, but their co-creators.
2. Digitalisation as social infrastructure
The key claim of the theory is that digitalisation is not merely a technical tool but a form of social infrastructure. On this understanding, technology fosters the democratisation of knowledge and the effectiveness of grassroots initiatives.
3. Open innovation and civic tech
The DSI concept is linked to the “open innovation” and “civic tech” movements. Their shared message is that the urban innovations of the future are not only about developing technology, but about new forms of community collaboration.
Living Lab perspective
According to the theory, the urban innovations of the future are not only about technology, but about new forms of community collaboration — and this is precisely the frame in which digital tools acquire their social meaning in a real, living environment.
Key takeaways
- Digital social innovation came to the fore from the 2010s onwards, primarily through the European Commission's DSI4EU programme.
- Here, digitalisation is not merely a technical tool but a form of social infrastructure: it supports the democratisation of knowledge and grassroots initiatives.
- It is tied to the “open innovation” and “civic tech” movements; the emphasis shifts from technology to new forms of community collaboration.
Series · Social Innovation (10 parts)
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