Title: The evolution of the incubator movement in Brazil

Authors: Mariza Almeida

Addresses: Production Engineering Course, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Cidade Universitaria, Juiz de Fora, MG, Cep 36036-330, Brazil

Abstract: Incubators started to appear in Brazil towards the end of the 1980s and the original concept arose within a context of changes in policy direction for Brazilian science and technology. They were considered to be a useful mechanism, or organisational format, for bringing about the greater participation of the universities in the country|s socio-economic development, particularly by forging closer links between the academic world, industry and government. The incubators operating in Brazil cover a wealth of different types, including Technology Based Incubators, Traditional Incubators, Mixed Incubators, Cooperative Incubators and Private Incubators. The take-off of the Brazilian incubator movement is analysed as a non-linear triple helix science policy, the result of a series of initiatives taken from the institutional spheres of university, industry and government, which built upon and supported each other|s efforts.

Keywords: incubators; triple helix; innovation; Brazil; science policy; technology policy; higher education; university participation; university-industry-government collaboration; cooperation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTG.2005.007054

International Journal of Technology and Globalisation, 2005 Vol.1 No.2, pp.258 - 277

Published online: 14 May 2005 *

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