Technology transfer infrastructures: Some lessons from experiences in Europe, the US and Japan

Abstract

In many regions in Europe, the US and East Asia technology transfer infrastructures have been set up to support endogenous potential by encouraging the diffusion of new technologies from higher education institutes (HEIs) and large firms to small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). However, many studies have shown that business partners such as customers and suppliers are the most important partners for the stimulation of the innovativeness of SMEs. HEIs and transfer agencies are given a very low rank in these studies. These results have led to doubts about the usefulness of these institutions for regional economic development. However, some transfer infrastructures in Europe, the US and Japan have been partially able to circumvent deficiencies of traditional transfer agencies. The article aims at learning from experiences of these infrastructures that support the linkage of HEIs and public research establishments with SMEs. The main three research questions are. What are the deficiencies of most transfer agencies? Which transfer infrastructures can be described that partially circumvent these deficiencies? Which common characteristics do these transfer infrastructures share with each other? Agencies of these transfer infrastructures work with a proactive, personal and demand‐orientated approach. They employ consultants with engineering experience in SMEs who are able to help firms to define their problems. Furthermore, most of the infrastructures have long‐term financial backing from governments, which is important to build up a trust relation with firms in the region.