An ecosystem map should explain how value moves among participants, not merely display logos in circles. Record the role each participant plays, the relationship that connects it to another role, and the public evidence for that connection. Roles are contextual: the same organization can buy in one workflow and supply in another.

Define the exchange first

Describe the core outcome and who needs it. In a venture ecosystem, startups may seek capital, expertise and distribution; investors, accelerators, service providers and public bodies enable different parts of that journey. In a local services ecosystem, the roles and relationships are different. Avoid reusing one generic diagram for both.

Model roles separately from organizations

Create a participant record and attach one or more roles to it. A venture studio may invest, build and advise. A service platform may generate leads while also supplying its own service. This prevents duplicate records and makes conflicts or multi-sided behavior visible.

Record the relationship as a claim

A relationship should have a type, direction, source and date: funds, partners with, distributes for, regulates, refers to, or serves. Do not draw an edge merely because two names appear on the same web page. A named partnership announcement is stronger evidence than inferred adjacency; a current contract may not be public at all.

Look for missing paths

The map becomes decision-support when it reveals where buyers cannot find a relevant provider, where providers lack a channel, or where a category has many actors but little comparable proof. The absence of a public link is a research lead, not proof that a relationship does not exist.

Use the existing Market examples carefully

The project’s preserved Changelog collection includes a Venture Market concept describing startups, investors, funds, accelerators and ecosystem partners. It is an internal example of possible participant roles, not a claim that every listed relationship has been verified or that a public venture map exists. A production ecosystem page would need its own source-backed records and review.

An ecosystem map can feed a living Market when participants and relationships are maintained over time. Start with the exchange, then add only relationships that help a user understand a real commercial route.