The role of modern urban science parks in developing entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems

Performance Indicators for the Evolution of Areas of Innovation: Porto Digital Case

“…The theoretical foundations that support the use of different indicators to assess AOIs at their different stages of development can be found in different models and conceptual foundations. Specifically, we build upon the previous works that focus on the evolution of AOIs (Pique, et al, 2021;Piqué, Miralles and Berbegal-Mirabent 2019a), Pique, Berbegal-Mirabent and Etzkowitz 2018), expanding and refining these models, and combining them with performance evaluation theories.…”

“…Startups and other companies benefit from the international connections for finding customers, partners, and investors, and for exploring new disruptive opportunities. The brand of the AOI is endorsed by whoever creates a project locally and internationally (Pique et al 2021).…”

“…Knight (1995) Tangible (e.g., physical infrastructure or buildings) and intangible (e.g., knowledge or creativity) assets are necessary attributes of the innovation districts (Velibeyoglu and Yigitcanlar 2010) for living and working in the cities. TH agents play different roles building innovation districts in the urban, economic, and social dimensions (Pique et al 2021).…”

“…For each of the phases, the model presents the evolving (re)configuration of the engagement and leadership of the TH agents, as well as the evolution of aspects of each dimension of the KBUD framework. Each phase depends on the contribution of the TH agents for governance, urban, economic, and social development, as it outlines the subsequent stage, strengthening or obstructing its evolution (Pique et al 2021). In this context, the performance evaluation of the aspects of the dimensions involved in each phase becomes crucial for the orchestration or redesign of activities, programmes or processes.…”

“…In each of the different phases of an AOI lifecycle (Moore, 1996;Etzkowitz 2005) the triple helix actors assume a diverse configuration in terms of role and leadership of the initiative. Specific characteristics and activities related to the social, economic, and urban dimensions are also involved (Pique 2019b, Pique et al 2021). We believe this study contributes to the existing literature in two main ways.…”