Internationalization of the Zenit Science Parks

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INTRODUCTION 
 
The following Project work is based on an intership at Zenit Science Park of UFRGS between 
January and July 2016. 
The Project work will be structured in 5 sections. 
The first one is a literatury review with the definition of Science Parks and Incubators. It will 
be traced also the historically evolution models of both of them and described the importance 
of internationalization for the two related structure. We are going to analyze why 
internationalization is strategically relevant for a Science Park and how it can influence the 
internationalization of their resident companies. Concluding with a little reflection about the 
lack of a Science Park evaluating framework. 
The second chapter contextualized the reality and the evolution of Science Parks phenomenon 
in Brazil, mapping the current situation also at State and Municipal level. 
The third section presents a benchmarking analysis between the three main Science Parks in 
the Porto Alegre area: Feevale Tech Park, Tecnosinos and TecnoPuc. 
At this Benchmarking analysis will follow the presentation of The Zenit Science Park of 
UFRGS, with its partnership, services offered and a description through the organizational 
structure of the Park. 
The last section regards the presentation of an Italian incubator and a Science Park and of 
another Science Park in San Marino. Thus, it will discuss which is the most suitable one for a 
partnership and propose cooperation actions.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
 
     
 Objectives 
 
The Project work will be based on the acceleration and internationalization of the Zenit 
Science Park in order to offer an innovative and operating environment that activates growth, 
business development services, co-operation in programmes and projects, and key contacts 
and network connections plus synergy and image benefits at an international level. Having a 
stable platform for performing business activities and competing in global market is important 
not just for Brazilian firms but also for foreign entrepreneurs who want to break into the 
Brazilian market. In order to develop all this features, the work will be planned through the 
following steps:
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● Benchmarking of other Scientific Parks in the area of Porto Alegre, especially 
regarding their internationalization. 
To better identify and to understand the services of the other Science Parks, describing 
and measure their own potential and profile. 
● Present and list all the services offered by the Zenit Science Park, following its 
organizational structure and its coordination with the incubators. 
● Propose a partnership with a European Scientific Park or Business Incubator. This 
partnership shall constitute a case study for the implementation of the adaptation and 
extension of current services of the Zenit Science Park to better support the 
internationalization of Brazilian companies and localization of foreign companies in 
the Brazilian market. 
 
 
LITERATURE REVIEW 
 
Science Parks 
 
The firsts Science and Technology Parks have their roots in the USA. Dating back to the 
1950s, Science Parks were originally set up in order to increase the possibilities and 
profitability of commercializing university research, and to meet the needs of 
entrepreneurially minded academics. The Stanford Research Park in California, established in 
1951, is often regarded as the genesis of the Science Park movement.
1
 It has transformed the 
Silicon Valley area from one of the poorest regions in the USA into a global centre of 
technology, finance, education and research. 
This experience lead to a global phenomenon. Similar areas, where the relationship between 
universities (and its R&D centres) and the private initiative became closer, have been created 
in various parts of the world, and their numbers continue to grow as their formation is 
increasingly adopted as an important economic development tool and as an integrated part of 
the national or regional innovation system. Since, there was this necessity to exploit the 
scientific and technological infrastructure in order to catalyse the economic transformation, to 
drive growth and enhances stability, this trend spread worldwidely, reaching in the 80´s also 
the Emerging Countries. 
                                                
1
 Globalization of technology -  Science Parks and economic development - Lindholm dahlstrand, Asa and 
Lewton Smith, Helen.
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The term "Science and Technology Park" encompasses any kind of high-tech cluster such as: 
Science Park, Cyber Park, Hi-tech (industrial) Park, Innovation Centre, R&D Park, University 
Research Park, Research and Technology Park, Technology Park, Technopark, Technopolis, 
Science City. However, it is worth noting that there are slight differences between some of 
these terms. 
Several official definitions of science and technology park have been adopted by different 
organizations.
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Table 1 presents the main definitions of Science Park. 
 
Organization Definition 
 
 
IASP 
(International association of 
Science Park  
and Areas of innovation) 
A Science Park is an organization managed by specialised 
professionals, whose main aim is to enable these goals to be met, a 
science park stimulates and manages the flow of knowledge and 
technology amongst universities, R&D institutions, companies and 
markets; it facilitates the creation and growth of innovation-based 
companies through incubation and spin-off processes; and provides 
other value-added services together with high quality space and 
facilities.
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Anprotec 
(Brazilian Association of Science 
Parks and Business Incubators) 
A science park is formally planned science and technology service and 
industrial production complex of a cooperative nature, which unites 
companies whose production is based on technological research 
developed in the park’s R&D centers. It acts as a promoter of the 
culture of innovation, competitiveness and increase of business 
capabilities, based on knowledge and technology transfer with the goal 
of fostering the production of wealth in a particular region.
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AURP 
(Association of university 
Research Parks) 
It defines a university research park as a property-based venture, which: 
● Master plans property designed for research and 
commercialization 
● Creates partnerships with universities and research institutions 
● Encourages the growth of new companies 
                                                
2 http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/science-technology/university-industry-partnerships/science-
and-technology-park-governance/concept-and-definition/ 
3 http://www.iasp.ws/ 
4 http://anprotec.org.br/site/en/menu/incubadoras-e-parques/
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● Translates technology 
● Drives technology-led economic development.
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UKSPA 
(The United Kingdom Science 
Park Association) 
A science park is a business support and technology transfer initiative 
that: 
● Encourages and supports the start-up and incubation of 
innovation-led, high-growth, knowledge-based businesses. 
● Provides an environment where larger and international 
businesses can develop specific and close interactions with a 
particular centre of knowledge creation for their mutual 
benefit. 
● Has formal and operational links with centres of knowledge 
creation such as universities, higher education institutes and 
research organisations.
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Table 1: definitions of Science Park 
 
Therefore, a Science Park is a promoter of the culture of innovation, with the goal of 
increasing the wealth of its community, through the flow of knowledge and technologies 
between universities and the market. 
 
 
Science Park models 
 
Science Parks has been following a geographical and historical development and evolution. 
An interesting approach to categorize the various Science Parks model and mapping their 
evolution is referred to the recognized “Generations framework”. It shows the different 
innovation systems of the Science Parks and the contextual development step by step toward 
increasingly higher levels of integration in the knowledge economy. 
In the table below, we analyze the three generation models. 
Park Generation Characteristics 
 
 
 
A First Generation Science Park is an extension of a university into a dedicated 
neighboring area that includes incubating facilities for start-up firms, related business 
                                                
5 http://www.aurp.net/what-is-a-research-park 
6 http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/science-technology/university-industry-partnerships/science-
and-technology-park-governance/concept-and-definition/
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1st Generation 
“Park as the Place” 
services and, as importantly, pathways into new, research-based technology (and 
know-how) for potential investors and other business people. In the majority of the 
case it operates as a science-based technology zone. 
 
The innovation philosophy of a First Generation Science Park is “science push”. The 
many new ideas stemming from research and experimental development (R&D) are 
channeled to new firms established in or aggregated around the Science Park. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2nd Generation 
“Park as the Motor” 
A Second Generation Science Park remains an extension of a university (or other 
major R&D facility) into a dedicated high-tech zone. However, the drive and the 
decisive energy come from businesses, interested in the creation and growth of 
innovation-based companies. Managers of Second Generation Science Parks respond 
to such business needs by making available a mix of high quality facilities in the 
Park, by streamlining the flow of technology and related knowledge, and by 
advancing and combining value-adding business services – from early incubation of 
newborn firms to a variety of spin-off to already established firms.  
 
The innovation philosophy of a Second Generation Science Park is “demand pull”. It 
is market-driven to a higher degree than the First Generation Science Park. A Second 
Generation Science Park is less concerned with the early exploitation of scientific 
results and capabilities, than with the final stages of the innovation process. Research 
results and techno-scientific findings are regarded as “raw materials” for the 
innovating firms. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3rd Generation 
“Park as the Network 
Hub” 
The Third Generation Science Park is perceived as the quintessence of science-
industry-government relations (triple Helix), increasingly functional and specialized 
along with its participation in local, regional and even global innovation activities. 
In order to merge with the local environment, the management is striving to eradicate 
the fixed boundaries of the park for it to become a truly embedded catalyst for 
innovation in the urban spatial context. The park is transformed into a city area. 
Therefore, the key difference to the previous science park generations is its urbanized 
nature that makes the park integrate better into other socio-economic activities, 
conducive to innovation. In this way, the Third Generation Science Park operates as 
a “catalyst” for a range of innovation activities while setting examples for 
entrepreneurship and influencing the local culture of innovation. 
The Third Generation Science Park management recognizes that “postindustrial” 
economic activities need a much closer interaction with the knowledge suppliers and 
the wide range of services that support the innovative firm.
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The innovation philosophy of a Third Generation Science Park could be labeled 
“interactive innovation”. It is both “science push” and “market pull”. It departs from 
an underlying “linear model” of innovation, while making more effective use of the 
network overlay of communications in university-industry-government relations. In a 
Third Generation Science Park innovations, even those mastered by a single 
company, may stand out as comprehensive outcomes of these interactive, functional 
relations.
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Table 2: Definition of Science Park generations 
 
 
The 4th generation  
 
Part of the existent literature defines a fourth model of Science Park. We want to collect the 
few authors who worked with this definition and make a final consideration.  
 
At the end of the twentieth century, a description of the 4th generation model was proposed 
by Cunha based on a study developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 
conducted by Rogers. 
According to Cunha, the new economic and social trends that affect companies, universities 
and society need to be prepared for the future. Companies become more open and universities 
are beginning to rethink their role in this new reality. The interaction is strategic. Business 
and universities elaborate action strategies to ensure the future of the institutions. In this 
sense, the strategic partnership model seeks a balance between the offer generated within the 
university/research institutions and the needs that may arise on the market in the near future. 
Unlike the previous models, pushing technology or capture market needs, in this model, both 
partners meet to establish a strategy for joint action that brings mutual results. 
The partnership model is characterized as symbiotic, one in which two parties depend on each 
other to get a particular advantage (LONGMAN, 1995). The university has the knowledge 
base and the company has the market to sell the resulting product of this knowledge. 
However, university and company need to maintain a constant exchange of information to 
enable the network learning, so that the product development process brings positive results 
to both institutions (CUNHA, 1998), while the financing comes from the governmental 
                                                
7 http://blog.bearing-consulting.com/2012/04/17/third-generation-3g-innovation-environment/