Free book on science parks & innovation districts

Content

1. Facilitating knowledge development
2. Success factors
3. Science parks: stimulating innovation or just iconic for firms?
4. Considerations for science parks to remain competitive
5. The emergence of innovation districts in the UK
6. The university as a catalyst in innovation district development
7. Managing the ecosystem
   Quoted literature

1. Facilitating knowledge development

This chapter discusses specific concepts like science parks, innovation districts and the industrial co-innovation park and how they have evolved from a real estate concept to a more economical, network and community concept. Moreover, new ideas have emerged over the past two decades, which we will discuss here.

2. Success factors

Areas of innovation can provide such an environment. The development of areas of innovation is many times more complex than the development of a regular business park. Therefore, the development of such areas calls for a well-grounded integrated plan. It also requires clear ideas for, among others, park management, financing, guidelines for buildings, and property financing. Given the importance of innovation areas in supporting economic development, these areas are given due attention in research. This research will make it possible to identify success factors.

3. Science parks: stimulating innovation or just iconic for firms?

As a concept, science parks are still relatively young. Governments consider science parks as important engines in regional economic development, above all because of the power for innovation that they are supposed to generate. Based on an exploratory study of businesses at six Dutch science parks, this chapter outlines how these parks work. R&D is carried out, and services and facilities are an important part of the concept, but for a large number of companies, the image of a science park seems to be more important than the knowledge environment and the facilities provided.

4. Considerations for science parks to remain competitive

During the fourth industrial revolution, there could be competition between science parks and innovation districts. The latter seems to be a better answer to changing demand by innovative companies and knowledge workers. However, the science park concept is not static. We think the science park has its own position amidst industrial innovation campuses and innovation districts. But (old, depreciated) science parks must adjust to the new era. We propose three considerations that might help science parks to remain competitive: consider adding housing, consider a shift towards multiple target groups, and consider laying more emphasis on community management.

5. The emergence of innovation districts in the UK

Innovation districts are becoming the locations of choice for spin-out, start-up, and scale-up science and technology-driven firms, as well as for larger businesses undertaking research and development. This chapter looks at the progress and lessons from the six innovation districts that form the UK Innovation Districts Group. Through major investments in new campuses and cultural buildings, public spaces, physical and digital infrastructure, and proactive curation of social, research and business networks, innovation districts are emerging as some of our most significant and productive economic locations.

6. The university as a catalyst in innovation district development

Regarding the growing interest in innovation districts, the question arises of what an innovation district can do without a university. Or, the other way around, can a university campus be a good starting point for an innovation district? Can an innovation district be prosperous without a university? How can a university function as a catalyst in innovation district development?

7. Managing the ecosystem

While the emphasis early on was on physical development, along the way, developers started realising that science and technology parks require an entirely different approach. This chapter starts with presenting an overview of the development of the science park concept and the impact of management on the success of these parks. A model is described in which daily management can control the socio-economic and the physical aspects. This model can also be used for co-innovation parks and the upcoming concept of innovation districts. In the last part, it is stated that changing concepts have led to changes in management, and this evolution will continue due to, among others, globalisation.