Innovation ecosystem of the ITMO University. Results and perspectives of the Development programs
Innovation and entrepreneurship are set among the key elements of the Development programs of ITMO University since the beginning of 2009, namely - the Program of Development of the National Research University and the Program for Enhancing the Competitiveness of the University among the Leading World Research and Educational Centres. Innovation ecosystem creation, development of R&D support infrastructure and launch of innovation hub providing services not only to the internal units, but also to external partners and third parties are the basic elements of the University policy in the area of innovation and entrepreneurship. Since the beginning of 2009 ITMO University has been developing itself as a research-led university of entrepreneurial type. It has introduced and tested a range of modern technologies of innovation and entrepreneurship development and has gained the flagship position in this sphere among the leading Russian universities. The current article is devoted to the analysis of ITMO University developments in this sphere during the recent 5 years (including within the 5-100Program), the problems and challenges, which the university has been facing on its way and the mechanisms and instruments used to address them. This article also serves as an introduction to the bunch of articles, each describing a certain important aspect of innovation and entrepreneurship activities of ITMO University in more detail.
Keywords: innovation ecosystem, innovation hub, innovation infrastructure, innovation and entrepreneurship, globally-competitive university, national research university, entrepreneurial university, 5-100 Program
