Open innovation policy through intermediaries: the industry incubator programme in Norway

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss whether, and to what extent, open innovation is a relevant perspective for policymakers seeking to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. Our analysis and discussion are structured around the authors’ evaluation of a publicly co-sponsored industry incubator programme that focuses on theoretical ideas from the open innovation model. Based on our empirical example, we conclude that open innovation policies may be implemented through a hands-on approach, in which the ultimate goal is to preserve and retain knowledge that has an economic value to society, but which large corporations choose not to exploit. By acting as open innovation intermediaries, the publicly supported incubators in our example were able to transfer knowledge from large firms to society. Most of these activities would not have taken place without the incubators, suggesting a high degree of additionality.

Keywords:

• additionality
• entrepreneurship
• evaluation
• incubators
• innovation policy
• open innovation

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Industrial Development Corporation of Norway (SIVA) for supporting this study and the respondents for sharing their insights with us. The usual disclaimers hold.