Model of innovation system in public research institutions: The cases of IMEC from Belgium and ITRI from Taiwan

Development and diffusion of new science and technology is the prime engine for improving the sophistication of industries and of economic growth. Different innovation systems have developed different approaches to this problem and have built upon varying combinations of public and private support for R&D over time. In this context, innomediaries (innovation intermediaries) play an important coordination and entrepreneurial role. This paper contains a comparative institutional analysis of the policy and business models of the IMEC (Belgium) and ITRI (Taiwan) which have not only a unique research environment and infrastructure but also provide distinctive services. They have systems or capabilities to grow by themselves by technology marketing and fundraising through formation of consortia and various kinds of contract research. The paper includes an investigation and discussion of the main features, management systems and ecosystems of these innomediaries. The study responds to the need to gain a better understanding of possible ways to strengthen the capacity of a regional economy to generate value from its science and technology base with the goal of innovative hub formation. The case studies presented in this paper provide significant lessons learned for the development of new innovation policy instruments of great potential benefit to regional economic development in developed countries.