TRIPLE HELIX MICRO-FOUNDATION: A CASE STUDY IN PORTUGUESE TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS INCUBATORS

Technology business incubators are often mentioned in Triple Helix literature. Whether in the co-evolution of university-industry interaction or occupying a role at some point in the intersection between Academy, State, and Industry. The objective of this study is to analyze the Triple Helix micro-foundations from two important technology business incubators founded by Universities in Portugal. The analysis of the cases revealed that the academic connection did not hinder the discovery, consensus, and consolidation of a boundary space. Some conditions have been identified, such as the existence of well-established interface institutions in universities as well as the autonomy of incubators. Findings of this study revealed that the creation steps do not happen in a linear approach and are continually being readapted with the emergence of new partners. Despite the identified autonomy, the high participation in projects promoted by European Union funds opens up new avenues for further research.