Valuecreation is increasingly driven by digital or semi-digital business models. Platforms offer the necessary backbone for such highly profitable business models. Our research centers on the questions how platforms are created, which drivers are behind this development and how platforms are successfully implemented. We analyzed various business ecosystems and their underlying platforms to understand the various roles companies can take in platform-based business ecosystems. Based on ou rresults we propose a framework to describe business ecosystems as well as a canvas to analyze their underlying platforms, the acting companies’ roles, and the applied business models. One case study illustrates this tool. Ou rresults will (1) help to understand why companies bet on platforms to establish business ecosystems, (2) analyze the processes and methods behind successful business ecosystems, and (3) reflect about the dominant and still growing importance of platform-based business ecosystems.