Article: Understanding innovation spaces: a topic modelling approach Journal: International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management (IJEIM) 2024 Vol.28 No.1/2 pp.108 - 127 Abstract: Actors within the triple helix model have increasingly recognised innovation spaces as highly conducive environments for expediting innovative practices. However, the landscape of innovation spaces manifests in diverse typologies, encompassing Makerspaces, Hackerspaces, FabLabs, Innovation Labs, Innovation Centres, Idea Labs, Social Innovation Labs, and STEAM Labs. Hence, we seek to address the question, <i>what do these innovation spaces have in common</i>? Leveraging web scraping, semantic analysis, and topic modelling techniques, we scrutinise the primary content extracted from 181 distinct innovation space websites. These digital repositories harbour valuable information delineating their offerings, communication channels, resources, and objectives, thereby facilitating a comprehensive understanding of their organisational framework and configuration. Our analysis unveils 13 distinct thematic clusters derived from the aggregated information across these innovation space websites. These thematic clusters, exhibiting notable similarities, are categorised into three overarching macro-themes: 1) emphasis on educational initiatives; 2) utilisation and provision of digital manufacturing resources; 3) robust community building strategies. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Understanding innovation spaces: a topic modelling approach

Authors: Jose Montes; Aglaya Batz; David F. D'Croz Baron

Addresses: School of Management and Business, Innovation Center, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia ' School of Management and Business, Innovation Center, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia ' Artificial Intelligence and Technology Area, Dichter & Neira, Bogotá, Colombia

Abstract: Actors within the triple helix model have increasingly recognised innovation spaces as highly conducive environments for expediting innovative practices. However, the landscape of innovation spaces manifests in diverse typologies, encompassing Makerspaces, Hackerspaces, FabLabs, Innovation Labs, Innovation Centres, Idea Labs, Social Innovation Labs, and STEAM Labs. Hence, we seek to address the question, what do these innovation spaces have in common? Leveraging web scraping, semantic analysis, and topic modelling techniques, we scrutinise the primary content extracted from 181 distinct innovation space websites. These digital repositories harbour valuable information delineating their offerings, communication channels, resources, and objectives, thereby facilitating a comprehensive understanding of their organisational framework and configuration. Our analysis unveils 13 distinct thematic clusters derived from the aggregated information across these innovation space websites. These thematic clusters, exhibiting notable similarities, are categorised into three overarching macro-themes: 1) emphasis on educational initiatives; 2) utilisation and provision of digital manufacturing resources; 3) robust community building strategies.

Keywords: innovation spaces; web scraping; education; digital manufacturing; community building; topic modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2024.140359

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2024 Vol.28 No.1/2, pp.108 - 127

Received: 23 Dec 2022
Accepted: 19 Dec 2023
Published online: 05 Aug 2024 *

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Title: Understanding innovation spaces: a topic modelling approach

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