Triple Helix
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What is the Triple Helix concept?
Triple Helix model supports the concept: Innovation is a result of connection between the university, business and public institutions. This model includes the trilateral collaboration on the proccess of knowledge of capitalism, where the actors accept each other’s role.
Innovation happens exactly at the point of connection between institutions, through the interconnection of the actors which consider and accept each other’s role. (illustration as below:)
Triple Helix
Government
Business
University
Triple Helix relies on three main pillars which focus on: generating wealth (made possible by the business community), knowledge creation (made possible by the university), and government interaction (made possible by public institutions and different initiatives of the government).
There are four main groups of actors in Triple Helix models. The first group is Government actors including: lines ministries; local institutions; agencies of financing, supporting SMEs, innovation and Research and Development
The second group is business community actors such as: companies; business associations; clusters; chambers of commerce and industry, vouchersor private grant schemes, and business angels.
The third group is Research and Development institutions such as universities; research institutes; academic research centers, and excellence centers.
The last listed are the facilitators. Among facilitators are found technology trasnfer offices; incubators; scientific and technology parks, and innovation centers.
To be part of Triple Helix models, interested actors should consider the steps as follow:
Step 1 – Knowledge space
This step focuses on the collaboration between different actors of Triple Helix aiming to improve local condition of innovation mainly concentrated in Research and Development activities.
Step 2 – Consensus space
The second step supports the fact that ideas and strategies come from the discussions for a Triple Helix of multilateral and mutual relations between institutions.
Step 3 –Innovation space
In the third step, central institutions should make efforts to achieve the aim of the first and the second step, as well as set up or attract of venture capital.
Goverment Initiatives or different policies have the power to affect macro economic environment of innovation. Some examples of government initiatives that affect and enhance Triple Helix models are:
- Intellectual Property Legislation (IP);
- Mobilization of researchers (from public and private sector);
- Creation of institutions (example: IP offices, Technology Transfer Offices, Incubators, Innovation Centers, etc.);
- Financial instruments for Research and Development.
In technical level, Governemt and actors have the power to undertake some measures which enhance more the relation among actors in Triple Helix model, and further implementation of this model.
Some of these measurements might be:
- Innovation Voucher Schemes (an innovation voucher offers financing opportunity for the businesses that work with external experts (such as from universities, technology and research organizations), to develop an innovative idea;
- Consulting contracts between academics and businesses to develop and solve a problem of the company in the process of doing business;
- Contract of a Research and Development Project;
- Share and use of Research and Development equipments;
- Development of a mutual innovative project among partners;
- Increase of pilot projects of Triple Helix Agreements;
- Involvement of various sectors;
- Offering financial grants for collbaoration among universities and business on Research and Development..