Triple Helix in the periphery: the case of Multipolis in Northern Finland

Abstract

Peripheral areas are rarely considered as having an active role within the field of high technology. This article studies the public sector initiative Multipolis, which fosters high-technology development based on the Triple Helix co-operation in the peripheral Northern Finland. The article analyses how high-technology enterprises in Northern Finland collaborate with higher education and research institutes to achieve product innovations, and how Multipolis is managed as an innovation network. The research material comprises regional and innovation policy documents and statistics, a survey among high-technology enterprises, Multipolis project reports and thematic interviews. The Multipolis network generally follows national innovation and regional policies. The simultaneous implementation of these policies is, however, challenging.