Is Silicon Valley a global model or unique anomaly?

Abstract

A boundary-spanning regional innovation model of permeability among university, industry and government is abstracted from Boston, Silicon Valley and Research Triangle and used to assess Newcastle Science City. Early history may provide a better guide for aspiring regions than abstracting elements from the contemporary Silicon Valley ecosystem with its multiple interactive technology and business paradigms. Inducing permeability in academic boundaries is a first step to creating an entrepreneurial university, the motive force of the most successful regional innovation clusters. After a high-tech cluster is achieved, the generative source of its firms is often forgotten, their origins obscured by highly visible artefacts and symbols, like science parks or branding. The increasing dependence of Silicon Valley on external sources of human capital and innovation is a potential Achilles heel, if competitive regions achieve ‘stickiness’ and retain their assets. Paradoxically, Silicon Valley is both unique and replicable.