> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://frameworks.greendealdata.eu/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://frameworks.greendealdata.eu/business-frameworks/business-model.md).
# Business Model
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*This section might be updated based on the latest development in the SAGE consortium, specifically considering D7.1 by WP7 - Business Model working group. Since the project runs till 2028, the final GDDS deliverable is expected to have additional information on these sections.*
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A clear business model defines who benefits, how value is created, and how operations are sustained over time.
Therefore, the purpose of this section is to analyse how the value created through the GDDS is translated into sustainable business models for its participants. Building on the notion of participant-centric outcomes, the analysis focuses on how value is created, delivered, and captured within the data space. This includes identifying viable revenue mechanisms, cost structures, and incentive models that support long-term participation and ecosystem growth. Rather than analysing business models in isolation, this section examines how GDDS enables participants to realise tangible benefits, including cost reduction, improved data access, reduced risk, and new revenue opportunities. It uses the DSSC Business Model framework to describe the various business model elements and to account for the different participants in the GDDS.
## Applying the DSSC Business Model to GDDS
The D7.1 report (forthcoming), created by WP7, applied the DSSC business model to provide a representation of how the GDDS can operate as a multi-actor ecosystem, with the data space serving as a central coordination layer that connects multiple participant groups and use cases. A key feature of this model is the one-to-many relationship between the data space and its use cases, where a single shared infrastructure and governance framework supports a diverse set of domain-specific applications. In the context of the GDDS, this means that the same underlying data space can enable multiple sustainability-related use cases across sectors such as forestry, construction, textiles, and environmental monitoring, each deriving value from shared capabilities. Read more [here ](/business-frameworks/use-cases.md)about the GDDS initial Use Cases.
The model also highlights the distinction between different actor roles within the ecosystem, including data providers, data users, service providers, and federation service providers. These actors interact through the data space, which facilitates data exchange, service delivery, and value creation. Importantly, the DSSC model recognises that additional actors can continuously join the ecosystem, reinforcing the scalability and network effects of the data space.
A particularly important aspect of the DSSC model is the separation between governance and operations. The governance authority (represented by the general assembly in the case of GDDS) is responsible for defining the rules, policies, and trust framework for the data space, ensuring compliance, transparency, and alignment with regulatory requirements. In contrast, the operational layer is typically executed by one or more service providers, often private sector organisations, which deliver the technical infrastructure, federation services, and value-added capabilities required to run the data space in practice.
This separation is critical for the GDDS, as it enables a neutral, trusted governance structure while allowing operational flexibility and innovation through multiple service providers. It also supports sustainability, as operational responsibilities can be distributed and scaled independently of governance, reducing dependency on a single entity.
Overall, the DSSC model demonstrates that the GDDS should be understood not as a single platform, but as a coordinated ecosystem in which governance, infrastructure, and use cases interact to create value. The central role of the data space is to enable these interactions in a standardised, trusted, and scalable way, allowing participants to benefit from shared infrastructure while maintaining their individual roles and objectives.
## Breaking Down the Business Models Using the DSSC Framework
Building on the DSSC business model framework, this section presents a GDDS-specific application that translates the model's conceptual elements into a concrete representation of how the data space operates in practice. The DSSC framework is particularly suited to the GDDS as it captures the multi-actor, multi-sided nature of data spaces, the separation between governance and operational roles, and the dynamic mechanisms required to sustain and evolve the ecosystem over time.
The resulting application is presented across two complementary figures. The first, Figure 13 below, focuses on the structural elements of the business model, including objectives, actors, value propositions, services, governance, and cost and revenue mechanisms.
Figure XX: The DSSC Business Model for GDDS – Business Section
The second highlights the dynamic capabilities of the GDDS, including monitoring, business model innovation, and governance evolution, which together enable the data space to adapt, scale, and remain sustainable.
Together, these figures provide a comprehensive and participant-centric view of the GDDS as a governed, service-enabled, and economically viable ecosystem. They illustrate not only how value is created and captured across different actors, but also how the data space can grow and evolve over time through aligned incentives, continuous onboarding of use cases, and the development of new services and capabilities.