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Developing innovative projects towards the achievement of the socio-economic impact of a technology is a challenge for the researchers, industry, and policymakers. This research develops a new model to identify the key roles in the innovation process by analyzing 10 projects developed and managed by public–private partnerships. This research describes the role of people (i.e. innovation managers, lead-users, embedded lead-users, social entrepreneurs, technology-reflective individuals and online community leaders) in the social innovation process. The social entrepreneur is the key role acting as a bridge between innovation managers and technology-reflective individuals. Furthermore, reflective people such as young couples with kids, elderly or Millennials are fundamental for the impact creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Investigates how meta-organizations engage users and empower tech entrepreneurs. • Explores a meta-organization that helps create new retail business models. • In-depth and longitudinal unique case study of a European meta-organization. • Flexible meta-organization structures can guide stakeholders of different mindsets. • AI-based platforms can tackle critical social issues and improve economic growth. Creating technologically focused entrepreneurs is a crucial endeavor worldwide, especially with the exponential growth of artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. This research explores meta-organizations that enable new business models in the retail domain by acting as a powerful mechanism to support entrepreneurs in extracting value from data. This study investigates how meta-organizations engage users and empower tech entrepreneurs to create shared value by developing social innovation. This research involves an in-depth and longitudinal unique case study of a meta-organization operating in Italy, Germany, and Finland. Results indicate that the flexible structure of meta-organizations can effectively guide stakeholders of different mindsets to offer support to high-tech startups. AI-based platforms are a reliable alternative to tackle critical social issues in order to improve economic growth and increase people's performance in a stressful, competitive environment, such as the retail sector. The findings affirm that AI-based innovation orchestrated by meta-organizations can enable new business models by creating shared value for society. Seven critical success factors with implications for theory and practice are discussed, and a new model for AI-driven entrepreneurship is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]