The Metropolitan Region of Campinas, Brazil: applying the technopolis framework

Lambais, Guilherme B. R. (2009): The Metropolitan Region of Campinas, Brazil: applying the technopolis framework. Published in: IC² Working Paper (September 2009): pp. 1-52.

Abstract

This paper examines the potential of the Metropolitan Region of Campinas (MRC) for becoming a technopolis. Located an hour from São Paulo, in Southeastern Brazil, the MRC has been internationally recognized as an important world technological center. This paper maps the economic and technological environment of the region and develops an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the MRC with respect to entrepreneurship and becoming a technopolis. We begin by looking at selected high-technology industry and service sectors as well as the infrastructure supporting technological innovation and entrepreneurship in the form of research institutes, a research university (Unicamp), support groups, and three incubators. We then discuss the results of two surveys of companies associated with Unicamp or one of the incubators to determine the reliance of these companies on the MRC infrastructure for financing and marketing to networking and legal assistance, as well as their policy recommendations for improving entrepreneurship in the region. We conclude that the region is attractive to many companies and has great potential for future success as a technopolis due to its high levels of both hard and smart infrastructure, the strength of support available from a variety of local institutions, and the high level of economic activity in potentially innovative industrial and service sectors. However, there are several ways that the university, incubators, and public policies could better support entrepreneurship in the MRC. Specifically, an increase in public and private partnerships as well as greater capitalization options for start-ups are key areas the region could change to provide support for greater diversification of the start-ups in the area and further development of the MRC as a technopolis.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: technology-based start-ups; entrepreneurship; innovation; incubation; economic development; Campinas
• Subjects: O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O18 - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis ; Housing ; Infrastructure; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O3 - Innovation ; Research and Development ; Technological Change ; Intellectual Property Rights > O32 - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O3 - Innovation ; Research and Development ; Technological Change ; Intellectual Property Rights > O31 - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

References

Burg, Elco V., Georges L. Romme, Victor A. Gilsing, and Isabelle M. M. J. Reymen. “Creating University Spin-Offs: A Science-Based Design Perspective.” The Journal Of Product Innovation Management, 25 (2008):114-128.

Collinson, Simon and Geoff Gregson. “Knowledge networks for new technology-based firms: an international comparison of local entrepreneurship promotion.” R&D Management, Vol. 33, No. 2 (2003):189-208.

Costa, José Eduardo. “Brasil High-Tech”, Você S/A-FGV, ed. 96, June 2006, pp 4-6.

De Souza, Maria Carolina A. F. and Renato Garcia. “O arranjo produtivo de indústrias de alta tecnologia da região de Campinas – Estado de São Paulo – Brasil.” Nota Técnica No. 27/99. Instituto de Economia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, December, 1998.

Diegues, Antonio C. and José Eduardo Roselino. “Interação, aprendizado tecnológico e inovativo no pólo de TIC da Região de Campinas: uma caracterização com ênfase nas atividades tecnológicas desenvolvidas pelas empresas beneficiárias da Lei de Informática.” Revista Brasileira de Inovação, Vol. 5, No. 2 July/December (2006):373-402.

Diretório dos Grupos de Pesquisa no Brasil. Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico. <http://dgp.cnpq.br/censos/>. Accessed February – June 2008.

Gibson, David V. and Pedro Conceição. “Incubating and Networking Technology Commercialization Centers among Emerging, Developing, and Mature Technopolis Worldwide”. International Handbook on Innovation. Ed. Larisa V. Shavinina. Lisbon: Elsevier Science Ltd, 2003.

Hackett, Sean M. and David M. Dilts. “A Systematic Review of Business Incubation Research.” Journal of Technology Transfer, 29 (2004):55-82.

IC2 Institute. Accelerating Technology-Based Economic Development in the Canary Islands. The University of Texas at Austin. Prepared for the Trade and Investment Office of the Government of the Canary Islands, Spain. 148 p.

Informações dos Municípios Paulistas. Secretaria de Economia e Planejamento do Estado de São Paulo: Fundação Sistema Estadual de Análise de Dados. <http://www.seade.gov.br/produtos/imp/index.php>. Accessed February – June 2008 and April 2009.

Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Pesquisa de Inovação Tecnológica 2005. Rio de Janeiro: IBGE, 2007. 156 p.

Jarrett, James E. and David V. Gibson. “Accelerating Technology-Based Growth in Less Developed Regions – Experiences in the U.S”. Unpublished. 11 p.

Leitch, Clair M. and Richard T. Harrison. “Maximizing the potential of university spin-outs: the development of second-order commercialization activities”. R&D Management, Vol. 35, No. 3 (2005):257-272.

Lockett, Andy and Mike Wright. “Resources, capabilities, risk capital and the creation of university spin-out companies”. Research Policy, 34 (2005):1043-1057.

McAdam, Maura, Brendan Galbraith, Rodney McAdam, and Paul Humphreys. “Business Processes and Networks in University Incubators: A Review and Research Agendas”. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, Vol. 18, No. 5 December (2006):451-472. 49

Motta e Albuquerque, Eduardo da, Adriano R. Baessa, João Carlos V. Kirdeikas, Leandro A. Silva, and Ricardo M. Ruiz. “Produção Científica e Tecnológica das Regiões Metropolitanas Brasileiras”. Revista de Economia Contemporânea, Vol. 9, No. 3 September/December (2005): 615-642.

Motta e Albuquerque, Eduardo da, Rodrigo Simões, Adriano Baessa, Bernardo Campolina, and Leadro Silva. “A Distribuição Espacial da Produção Científica e Técnológica Brasileira: uma Descrição de Estatísticas de Produção Local de Patentes e Artigos Científicos”. Revista Brasileira de Inovação, Vol. 1, No. 2 July/December (2002): 225-251.

Pérez, Manuela P. and Angel Martínez Sánchez. “The development of university spin-offs: early dynamics of technology transfer and networking”. Technovation, 23 (2003):823-831.

Pesquisa de Atividade Econômica Paulista 2001. Secretaria de Economia e Planejamento do Estado de São Paulo: Fundação Sistema Estadual de Análise de Dados. <http://www.seade.gov.br/produtos/paeponline/index.php>. Accessed February – June 2008 and February 2009.

Phan, Phillip H., Donald S. Siegel, and Mike Wright. “Science parks and incubators: observations, synthesis and future research”. Journal of Business Venturing, 20 (2005):165-182.

Rapini, Márcia S. and Hérica M. Righi. “O diretório dos grupos de pesquisa do CNPq e a interação universidade-empresa no Brasil em 2004”. Revista Brasileira de Inovação, Vol. 5, No. 1 January/June (2006):131-156.

Relação Anual de Informações Sociais. Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego: Programa de Disseminação de Estatísticas do Trabalho. < http://sgt.caged.gov.br/index.asp>. Accessed February – June 2008 and February – March 2009.

Saboia, João. A geração do emprego industrial nas capitais e no interior de São Paulo. Brasília: SENAI/DN, 2005. 57 p.

Siegel, Donald S., Mike Wright, and Andy Lockett. “The rise of entrepreneurial activity at universities: organizational and societal implications”. Industrial and Corporate Change, Vol. 16, No. 4 (2007):489-504.

Simões, Rodrigo, Alessandra Oliveira, Ayana Gitirana, Juliana Cunha, Márcia Campos, and Wellington Cruz. “A geografia da inovação: uma metodologia de regionalização das informações de gastos em P&D no Brasil”. Revista Brasileira de Inovação, Vol. 4, No. 1 January/June (2005):157-187.

Sistema de Informação de Pesquisa e Extensão. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. <http://www.unicamp.br/sipex2001/>. Accessed February – June 2008.

Smilor, Raymond W., David V. Gibson, and George Kozmetsky. “Creating the Technopolis: High- Technology Development in Austin, Texas”. Journal of Business Venturing, 4 (1988): 49-67.

Smilor, Raymond, Niall O’Donnell, Gregory Stein, and Robert S. Welborn. “The research university and the development of high-technology center in the united states”. Economic Development Quarterly, Vol. 31, No. 3 August (2007):203-222.

Suzigan, Wilson (org.). “A Dimensão Regional das Atividades de CT&I no Estado de São Paulo”, in Landi, Francisco Romeu (org.), Indicadores de ciência, tecnologia e inovação em São Paulo 2004 Vol 1. São Paulo: FAPESP, 2005, pp. 24.

Suzigan, Wilson, João Furtado, Renato Garcia, and Sérgio E. K. Sampaio. “Inovação e Conhecimento: Indicadores Regionalizados e Aplicação a São Paulo”. Revista de Economia Contemporânea, Vol. 10, No. 2 May/August (2006):323-356.

Vedovello, Conceição. “Firms’ R&D activity and intensity and the university- enterprise partnerships”. Technology Forecasting and Social Change, 28 (1998):215-226.

Walter, Achim, Michael Auer, and Thomas Ritter. “The impact of network capabilities and entrepreneurial orientation on university spin-off performance”. Journal of Business Venturing, 21 (2006):541-567

Web of Knowledge. Institute for Scientific Information. <http://www.isiknowledge.com>. Accessed February – June 2008.

Wiggins, Joel and David V. Gibson. “Overview of US Incubators and the case of the Austin Technology Incubator”. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, Vol. 3, Nos. 1/2 (2003): 56-66.

World University Rankings 2007. QS: The Times Higher Education Supplement, November 9th, 2007.