The emergence of the blockchain technosystem

Patent data are increasingly used to map innovation ecosystems, especially in the blockchain domain (Marku et al., 2020; Clarke et al., 2020). We enrich the mapping method of Krafft et al. (2011). First, we choose a nomenclature more suitable for emerging technologies. Second, we augment the list of tools used for network analysis (centralities and "small worlds"). We show that the inventions around blockchain have significantly restructured the connections between the knowledge bricks that support its development. We compare two periods to give substance to this observation: a "prehistoric" period of the "blockchain technosystem" (2000-2012) and a contemporary period (2013-2019).