Session 2:Start-ups, incubators and technology

transfer: lessons learned from previous experiences

Rigas ARVANITIS , IRD

A general move

Incubators, clusters, technoparks, networks…• A general move from the in close relationship

with the following phenomena– growth of ICTs and new technologies– importance of new "extension" activities of

universities– Tech transfer between research and production– Regional industrial policies and decentralization

Variety of forms

• Technoparks and technopoles• Technology transfer units in universities,

engineering schools, • Funding start-ups: venture capital, credit

schemes• Engineering networks• Intermediate technical centres• Business associations related to innovation and

tech dev.

Fast growing experiences

• In most European countries and in the USA:• The Silicon Valley sindrome• Entrepreneurial universities (as a goal)• Large consensus on the need to trigger new

economic sources for employment• Innovation policy: very much related to large

firms• Need for specific dedicated programs for SMEs

In the developing world• Brazil, China, Mexico• Very diverse experiences (examples)

• Smaller countries have emphasized :– ICTs– Technoparks

• Larger countries: close relation to industrial policy

In the Mediterranean

• Many experiences in MENA countries• Two opposite examples– Tunisia– Morocco

• When comparing experiences, differences rather due to policy and industrial background rather than ‘cultural’ aspects

At least two differences (1/2°

FIRST MAJOR DIFFERENCE1.Start-ups, companies related to tech transfers

from large universities and R&D centres2.Companies incubated under a common roof,

sharing common services (fair, support centre, infrastructure, legal & other services)

At least two differences (2/2)

SECOND MAJOR DIFFERENCE1.Pre-existing geographical proximity and

industrial localization (‘marshalian district’)2.‘Clustering’ created de novo from scrath

(usually as a technopark, university incubator or policy-oriented localized grouping).

A management and policy issue

‘Incubators’ are among other things:• A management issue related to innovation and

entrepreneurship• A policy issue related to the institutional

environment

Both are different when seen from the eyes of an entreprise or a policy-maker

Technological learning of companies

• Incubators and clusters are related to the capacity of entreprises to adopt, adapt, and develop technologies

• ‘technological learning’ rather than innovation should be the main focus

• ‘localizing’ competence seems of paramount experience (‘root the experience locally’)

• Never forget: innovation is not only a local affaire!

Thank you !