The organization of innovation services in science and technology parks: Evidence from a multi-case study analysis in Europe

Science and Technology Parks (STPs) are key elements of the infrastructure supporting the growth of today’s global knowledge economy. STPs create environments that foster collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and provide innovation services to support new technology-based firms in their activities. However, despite the extensive research on STPs, limited evidence has been provided regarding their organization of a portfolio of innovation services. In this work, we deepen the organizational challenges in developing a portfolio of innovation services through the analysis of the literature and ethnographic research on six case studies of European STPs in Italy, Spain, and Switzerland. In conclusion, based on the literature and the case studies, we highlight i) the four main alternatives to include an innovation service in an STP’s portfolio; ii) the fundamental six drivers influencing the choice between these different alternatives.