Promotion of Social Innovation through Fab Labs. The Case of ProteinLab UTEM in Chile

Macarena Valenzuela-Zubiaur,Pablo Ferrer-Gisbert,Mónica Arroyo-Vázquez,Héctor Torres-Bustos

doi:10.3390/su13168790

Macarena Valenzuela-Zubiaur, Pablo Ferrer-Gisbert + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168790

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Abstract

Fab Labs as manufacturing laboratories that stimulate innovation and collaboration are nowadays proliferating within universities. Given the new social challenges, framed within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), we formulate the following research question: Are Fab Labs an effective tool for the promotion of social innovation from universities? To answer this question, a mixed analysis has been carried out focusing on the case of ProteinLab UTEM. The approach aims to generate a model for the promotion of social innovation from universities through Fab Labs, linking the quadruple helix actors. The objective of this model is to show how Fab Labs can become an effective instrument to promote social innovation from universities. The contribution of this article lies in linking Fab Labs with social innovation through the university’s third mission. Our approach considers Fab Labs as an instrument for the development of social innovations within the university, which contribute, through the third mission, to the social and sustainable development of its environment. As a result of this research, a model is presented for the development of social innovation from universities through Fab Labs. Our research concludes that Fab Labs are an effective instrument for the promotion of social innovation from universities.

Highlights

The purpose of the study focuses on answering the following research question: Are Fab Labs an effective instrument for the promotion of social innovation from universities? From the analysis conducted and the proposed model, it can be concluded that Fab
Labs are a powerful and effective instrument for the promotion of social innovation from universities, contributing to the implementation of projects that have a positive impact on local development
Co-creation is of great importance as a tool for detecting opportunities for the creation, design, and validation of projects focused on the development of social innovation

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The application of methodologies and tools that enrich innovation processes are oriented towards global sustainability [1], generating a positive impact on society and contributing to present challenges, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The SDG seek to contribute to the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants through the articulation and collaboration of organizations and citizens [2]. The concept of social innovation has emerged as a strategic axis for the development of new opportunities

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