Transformation of regional innovation policies: from ‘traditional’ to ‘next generation’ models of incubation

ABSTRACT

This paper explores a widely employed instrument of regional innovation policy: the innovation incubator. It proposes that incubation approaches are moving away from a ‘traditional’ approach strongly premised on physical infrastructure and high-technology, to a more interactive, participatory and social mode of innovation, in line with broader developments in innovation policy and theory. To practically illustrate this shift, we take two cases: a ‘traditional’ style of incubation in Wales, UK, and a ‘next generation’ incubation programme in Finland. This paper reflects on incubators as a mode of regional innovation policy, both past developments and future trends, to ensure that new policies and programmes learn from best (and indeed, worst) practice and build on, rather than replicate, past approaches.

KEYWORDS:

• Innovation
• incubation
• region
• policy

Acknowledgements

We wish to express our gratitude to the two anonymous reviewers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.