Mainstreaming innovation policy in less favoured regions: the case of Patras Science Park, Greece

Creativity and human capital are increasingly being recognised by an expanding body of work on regional economics, and policy and innovative workspaces. A short review of this literature provides the theoretical base for discussing a number of challenges related to mainstreaming creativity in regional and urban economies. Implementing innovation policies in peripheral, less favoured contexts is challenging and requires specific adaptations. This paper argues that a science park and triple-helix institutions can act to animate regional creativity in Europe's less favoured regions. It illustrates this point with a case study of the regional economic and policy environment for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, in Patras, Greece. Lessons learnt include: the need for consistency and continuity in planning, local ownership of the initiatives, multilevel collaboration in the governance and effective collective learning channels and processes between academia, business and state government.