Event Analytics For Innovation Trajectories: Understanding Inputs And Outcomes For Entrepreneurial Success

New analysis tools are expanding the options for innovation researchers. While previous researchers often speculated on the relationship between innovation inputs, such as patents or funding, and innovation outcomes, such as product releases or initial public offerings, new software tools enable researchers to analyze innovation event data more efficiently. Tools such as EventFlow make it possible to rapidly scan visual displays, algorithmically search for patterns, and study an aggregated view that shows common and rare patterns. This paper presents initial examples, using data from 34,331 drugs or medical devices, of how event analytic software tools, such as EventFlow, could be applied to innovation research.