TRIPLE HELIX noms.pmd

O-116The Triple Helix of a Regional Knowledge Ecosystem: Evidence from the US &European Science Park ModelsSarfraz Mian, School of Business State University Of New York At Oswego, USAWim Hulsink, Rotterdam School of Management, RSM Erasmus University, NetherlandsRecent decades have witnessed the emergence of an innovation-driven global economy, where new models of regional concentrationof knowledge-based entrepreneurial activity have generated intense interest in policy circles. A successful and economicallyrobust region of innovative firms serves as an engine of sustained economic growth The vivid examples of such regional ecosystemmodels are the renowned Silicon Valley and the Boston Route 128 in the U.S, and Cambridge Science Park region in the UK.As policy makers at various levels of government grapple with new ideas to stimulate such efforts, they are searching forappropriate strategies and successful models to promote these economic development objectives in their regions.While some of these regional knowledge ecosystems have appeared without specific planning, others are the result of a triplehelix model of planned efforts by university-government-industry partnerships with local authorities . The planned developmentof a region of high-tech enterprises is a task, which is carefully undertaken over the years. One prominent strategy to supportthe speedy development of knowledge ecosystems involves the establishment of technology business incubation facilities thatprovide the necessary enterprise creation and technology development support infrastructure .This presentation draws upon the authors’ last several years of research on regional technology clusters including thosedeveloped through a pro-active incubation strategy, which often employs mechanisms such as research/science parks andtechnology business incubators . The work is based on the last couple of decades of empirical evidence in light of the existingtheory developed from studying the characteristics and evolution of such clusters. The successful regional cluster models haveresulted in the emergence of several dynamic innovation ecosystems in the US, Europe and several other countries.After underlying a conceptual framework with key factors contributing towards the development of viable knowledge ecosystems,which facilitate the creation, growth and success of innovative technology-based enterprises through active roles of research/science parks and their incubators, the authors describe some common features of the successful models based on theirrecent research in the US and Europe . The US is a world leader in terms of experience with science and technology parks, andover the last more than two decades several European nations have acquired considerable experience in the use of thesemechanisms, as well. The paper will highlight the important roles played by the incubation mechanisms in the transformation ofseveral US and European regions into emerging innovation ecosystems. The US STP facilities analyzed includes RensselaerTechnology Park in the New York Capital Region; Northwestern University Evanston Research Park in the Chicago Metro Areaof Illinois; Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in the New River Valley region of Virginia; and the University Research Parkin the Madison Metro Area of Wisconsin. Similarly, the European STP facilities include Oulu (Finland), Kista Stockholm (Sweden),Louvain/Leuven (Belgium), Bio-park Leyden and Food Valley (both in the Netherlands). The selected sample includes diversecases representing rural/urban settings, public/private university sponsorship, technology focused/mixed use type, and with/without formal incubator facilities; and they all have a sustained operational record of more than one decade.The research concludes that given the local context the successful incubation mechanisms can well-serve the objective ofpromoting technological entrepreneurship by providing the necessary focal points . The presentation also discusses the emergingTriple Helix based approaches in designing incubation spaces for building enabling knowledge ecosystems in varying regionalcontexts.Madrid, October 20, 21 & 22 - 2010225