The Role of Triple-Helix Collaboration in the Development of Cleantech Entrepreneurship: Lessons Learned From the Øresund and Moscow Regions

Abstract

This study analyzes the role of triple-helix collaboration in two regions—Øresund, the Danish-Swedish cross-border region, and the Moscow region. We focus on the role of the university in stimulating clean technology (cleantech) entrepreneurship. Implementation of cleantech usually assumes an improvement of environmental performance at a lower cost, higher productivity and responsible use of natural resources which could result in more sustainable development of the region. Our comparative research is based on more than 30 interviews and communications conducted between February 2012 and February 2015 with stakeholders from academia and public and private sectors in the regions. The results show that Øresund and Moscow regional innovation stystems indeed possess proven capacities for the development of research-based innovations, particularly the cleantech ones. At the same time there are no strong interconnections between university-born innovations and entrepreneurial activities in the Øresund and Moscow regions. The lack of entrepreneurial capacity and culture seems to be a common barrier for triple-helix collaboration to work effectively in both regions. Our findings reveal that in order for innovations in cleantech to be successfully implemented, the efforts of entrepreneurs become essential for promotion of knowledge spillover from research institutes and “locked” systems into business environments in order to successfully implement innovations in cleantech. Furthermore, encouraging research-based innovations related to social sciences significantly extends the possibility of building robust regional innovation systems.