We investigate how business and socio-political actors contribute and collaborate, within a network, to develop technologies for a social impact. Based on the innovation networks literature and insights gained from two cases of smart city innovation, our study demonstrates that the innovation process in a city context is complex, nonlinear, dynamic, and socially constructed. Moreover, the innovation network is driven by the activities of searching, acting, and convincing of an opportunity to develop smart city solutions. Yet, four roles associated with these activities were revealed: coordinators, contributors, facilitators, and builders. Hence, innovation for smart cities requires different types of actors (business and socio-political), drivers (economic and social), resources (technological and non-technological), and roles in both development and implementation. This study contributes to public and academic discussion on networks by showing that actors’ roles and specific innovation activities contribute to a type of innovation network formation that positively impacts business and society.