Title: UNIFEI, Brazil: a case study of the role of the university in local development

Authors: Genecy Moraes Coelho Junior; Branca Terra; Elaine Cavalcate Peixoto Borin; Mariza Almeida

Addresses: Augusto Motta University Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Pronac Empreedimentos Comerciais e Industriais Ltda., Rua Trinta de Maio, 45, Penha Circular, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21020-240, Brazil. ' State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro State University – UERJ, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 525 Bloco B room 8024, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, CEP 20550-013, Brazil. ' Rio de Janeiro State University – UERJ, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier, 525, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, CEP 20550-013, Brazil. ' Augusto Motta University Center, Rua Paris, 72, Bonsucesso, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 21041-020, Brazil

Abstract: The paper analyses the role played by the Universidade Federal de Itajubá, Brazil, in fomenting local development via the establishment and management of technology, traditional and cooperative incubators. Our theoretical basis for this analysis is the Triple Helix theory, which understands economic development as occurring through the transformation of traditional cultural-industrial areas into regional development poles, which are sustained by an alliance between government, university and private enterprise. In a Triple Helix region, universities and other knowledge-generating institutions are linked with investment funds and venture capital organisations to promote development through the interaction of three non-linear fields: knowledge, consensus and innovation.

Keywords: incubators; local development; Triple Helix; innovation; Brazil; economic development; regional development poles; clusters; university-industry-government collaboration; knowledge; consensus.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTE.2011.043722

International Journal of Technoentrepreneurship, 2011 Vol.2 No.3/4, pp.227 - 239

Published online: 31 Mar 2015 *

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