Title: Start-ups and innovation in the Vienna ICT sector: how important is the local cluster?

Authors: Franz Todtling, Lukas Lengauer, Michaela Trippl

Addresses: Institute for Regional Development and Environment, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Nordbergstrabe 15, UZA4 B403, A-1090, Vienna, Austria. ' Institute for Regional Development and Environment, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Nordbergstrabe 15, UZA4 B403, A-1090, Vienna, Austria. ' Institute for Regional Development and Environment, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Nordbergstrabe 15, UZA4 B403, A-1090, Vienna, Austria

Abstract: Start-up companies and young firms are driving forces of innovation and regional economic development. They are acknowledged to play a crucial role as innovation agents, particularly, in knowledge-based industries. Most scholars agree that young firms and academic spin-offs innovate more radically, drawing on the knowledge generated in universities and research organisations. It is often assumed that they are strongly embedded in the local innovative milieu, benefiting from local knowledge providers and innovation interactions. In this paper we investigate to what extent start-up companies in the Vienna Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector differ from more established firms in their innovation activities and types of knowledge interactions. The research results presented are based on an analysis of data from a firm survey covering ICT firms located in Vienna.

Keywords: start-ups; ICT sector; clusters; innovation; knowledge links; Vienna region; Austria; regional development; economic development; knowledge-intensive business services; KIBS; information technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2008.022124

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2008 Vol.10 No.2/3/4, pp.299 - 317

Published online: 19 Dec 2008 *

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