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Incubator, technology, and innovation centres in Switzerland: features and policy implications

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  • Alain Thierstein
  • Beate Willhelm

Abstract

Only since the early 1990s, when unemployment rates in Switzerland soared to unprecedented levels, has federal technology and innovation policy begun to design their activities with regard to employment and the establishment of new firms. Now, all across the country, private as well as public incubator facilities, technology and innovation centres have begun to spring up. This paper starts by describing the theoretical and methodological background of a survey of incubator, technology and innovation (ITI) centres. In a first step, all cantonal offices for economic promotion were asked to report and to describe incubator facilities, technology and innovation centres within their realm. In a second step a selection of centres were analysed in depth. The key findings are that: (1) ITI centres are most commonly established by a combination of public and private initiatives; (2) the main motive for the creation of ITI centres is to promote startups and the innovative potential; (3) most ITI centres offer space to rent and make available joint amenities; (4) ITI centres are predominantly in manufacturing, services, and development activities; their level of technology input is high or very high; and (5) the spatial reach of most of the ITI centre is on the region. Together with selected foreign experiences, some conclusions and recommendations for the operation of such centres are formulated.

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  • Alain Thierstein & Beate Willhelm, 2001. "Incubator, technology, and innovation centres in Switzerland: features and policy implications," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(4), pages 315-331, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:entreg:v:13:y:2001:i:4:p:315-331
    DOI: 10.1080/08985620110074469
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    3. Hanadi Mubarak Al-Mubaraki & Michael Busler, 2017. "Challenges and opportunities of innovation and incubators as a tool for knowledge-based economy," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Rosado-Cubero, Ana & Hernández, Adolfo & Blanco Jiménez, Francisco José & Freire-Rubio, Teresa, 2023. "Promotion of entrepreneurship through business incubators: Regional analysis in Spain," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    5. Gonçalo Rodrigues Brás & Miguel Torres Preto, 2019. "The geographical distribution of Portuguese business incubators: an empirical approach," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 8(3), pages 147-155.
    6. Ibrahim Semih Akçomak, 2009. "Incubators as Tools for Entrepreneurship Promotion in Developing Countries," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2009-52, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Lina Gozali & Maslin Masrom & Habibah Norehan Haron & Teuku Yuri M Zagloel, 2017. "Research Gap of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Economic Development, Business Incubators Studies in Indonesia," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 7(2), pages 243-248.
    8. Sungur, Onur & Dulupçu, Murat Ali, 2013. "İşletme Kuluçkaları ve Bölgesel Kalkınma: Kavramsal Çerçeve ve Literatür Bulguları [Business Incubators and Regional Development: Conceptual Framework and Findings from the Literature]," MPRA Paper 51833, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Schwartz, Michael, 2008. "Incubator Age and Incubation Time: Determinants of Firm Survival after Graduation?," IWH Discussion Papers 14/2008, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    10. Francisco Jesús Ferreiro Seoane & Jessica Mendoza Moheno & Martín Aubert Hernández Calzada, 2018. "Contribución de los viveros de empresas españolas en el mercado de trabajo," Contaduría y Administración, Accounting and Management, vol. 63(1), pages 15-16, Enero - M.
    11. Ferreiro Seoane, Francisco Jesús & Del Campo Villares, Manuel Octavio & Camino Santos, Marta, 2015. "Analysis of business incubators in Galicia through the «Integral Model of economic profitability»," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 33, pages 7-31.
    12. Melita Nicotra & Marco Romano & Manlio Giudice & Carmela Elita Schillaci, 2018. "The causal relation between entrepreneurial ecosystem and productive entrepreneurship: a measurement framework," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 640-673, June.
    13. Agneta Sundström & Kristina Mickelsson, 2020. "Board and Top Management Social Sustainability Work in Cluster Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-19, October.
    14. Gabriela Chmelíková & Radka Redlichová, 2012. "Effects of direct investments on the regional development," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 60(7), pages 119-126.
    15. Albahari, Alberto & Pérez-Canto, Salvador & Landoni, Paolo, 2010. "Science and Technology Parks impacts on tenant organisations: a review of literature," MPRA Paper 41914, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Faizan, Riffat & Haque, Adnan ul, 2016. "The Relationship between Societal attributes, Feminine Leadership & Management Style: Responses from Pakistan's Urban Region Female-Owned Businesses," MPRA Paper 73458, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 21 Aug 2016.
    17. Schwartz, Michael & Göthner, Maximilian, 2009. "A Novel Approach to Incubator Evaluations: The PROMETHEE Outranking Procedures," IWH Discussion Papers 1/2009, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    18. Brian J. Bergman & Jeffery S. McMullen, 2022. "Helping Entrepreneurs Help Themselves: A Review and Relational Research Agenda on Entrepreneurial Support Organizations," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(3), pages 688-728, May.
    19. Domicián Máté & Ni Made Estiyanti & Adam Novotny, 2024. "How to support innovative small firms? Bibliometric analysis and visualization of start-up incubation," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-26, December.

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