1. Fostering Innovation through high-technology Entrepreneurship:
Fostering Innovation through high-technology Entrepreneurship:
The role of Individual entrepreneurs in Portugal
António Miguel Amaral

2. Presentation Summary:
Presentation Summary:
1. Conceptual Framework
2. Research Questions
3. Research Methodology / Methods
4. Expected Results

3. 1. Conceptual Framework Public Policy Context Innovation System
1. Conceptual Framework
Public Policy Context
Innovation
System
High Technology /
Knowledge-based
Entrepreneurship

4. Entrepreneurship in Portugal
Entrepreneurship in Portugal
Source: The Portuguese Entrepreneurship Agency – AGEP (adapted from Flash Eurobarometer nº 134)

5. Lack of Financial Support
Entrepreneurship in Portugal
Lack of Financial Support
Too much bureaucracy
Portugal 84% 86%
GR 89% 71%
SP 77% 70%
IR 73% 67%
IT 88% 78%
SW 68% 69%
EU 76% 69%
UK 63% 61%
GE 75% 63%
FR 82% 78%
LU 74% 66%
DI 68% 74%
BE 74% 75%
ÁU 71% 61%
HO 58% 56%
FI 62% 67%
It is difficult to start a business because of :
Source: The Portuguese Entrepreneurship Agency – AGEP (adapted from Flash Eurobarometer nº 134)

6. Entrepreneurship in Portugal
Entrepreneurship in Portugal
If you fail, you should have a 2nd chance
You shoudn’t start a business if it is risky
Portugal 82% 53%
GR 90% 48%
SP 91% 42%
IR 92% 27%
IT 76% 44%
SW 91% 55%
EU 84% 46%
UK 84% 34%
GE 81% 57%
FR 89% 42%
LU 81% 51%
DK 73% 39%
BE 87% 50%
AU 71% 55%
HO 82% 46%
FI 89% 44%
Source: The Portuguese Entrepreneurship Agency – AGEP (adapted from Flash Eurobarometer nº 134)

7. Innovation? Productivity? Competitiveness?
Entrepreneurship in Portugal
Innovation?
Productivity?
Competitiveness?
Source: The Boston Consulting Group, “Setting the Phoenix Free - A Report on Entrepreneurial Restarters” 2002

8. Innovation Systems ENTREPRENEURS (business owners
Infrastructure
Technological
Physical
Knowledge
Institutions
Formal rules, national / local
Animators
Conventions, social capital
Incentives
Venture Capital
Public financial support
Specialization& concentration of Firms and
knowledge in the center of the cluster
Complementary Firms
Supporting Firms
Innovation Systems
ENTREPRENEURS (business owners
and start-up founders) as the main unit of analysis
Source: Adapted from ERIKSSON, A. (2000), Regional Innovation Systems – from theory to accomplishment), Swedish Office of Science and Technology, Stockholm; and
CONCEIÇÃO, P., HEITOR, M. & VELOSO, F. (2003), “Infrastructures, Incentives and Institutions: fostering distributed knowledge bases for the Learning Society”, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 70, pp

9.
2. Research Questions
i) Who are the individual entrepreneurs in Portugal (personal / professional backgrounds)?
ii) How entrepreneurs in new technology-based firms interact with other actors (and what is the nature of interaction)?
iii) What is the spatial dimension of interaction between entrepreneurs and those actors?

10. 3. Research Methodology / Methods
3. Research Methodology / Methods
i) “WHO”- Statistic/econometric analysis (SISED dataset) on individual entrepreneurs regarding their personal/professional characteristics, backgrounds, career trajectories, past experience and territorial localization.
ii) “HOW”- Interviews and documental analysis focusing on both qualitative and quantitative flows between selected high-tech entrepreneurs (in the ICT, biotechnology, energy and multimedia sectors) and other actors in Portugal. Analysis will make use of Software packages (Ucinet, Pajek) designed to map complex social networks.
iii) “WHAT”- Theory building drawing on the empirical evidence collected in a) and b). The spatial dimension of networks will be assessed and discussed regarding the concept and boundaries of Innovation Systems in Portugal (its infrastructures, incentives, institutions and individual trajectories).

11. (software and microelectronics)
Selected Firms
SECTOR
FIRM
NR. WORKERS
YEAR OF ENTRY
LOCATION
BIOTECH
ALFAMA 5
2002
TagusPark - Oeiras
ECBIO
1999
IBET/ICG - Oeiras
STAB VIDA 10
2000
Oeiras
BIOTECNOL 20
1996
TagusPark- Oeiras
NEW MEDIA
INNOVAGENCY 90
Chiado
YDREAMS ? 40
1993
Caparica
ICT
(software and microelectronics)
CHIPIDEA 30
1997
QUADRIGA
Miraflores
OUTSYSTEMS
2001
Linda-a-Velha
ENERGY
AOSOL

12. Entrepreneurs’ Social Networks
Entrepreneurs’ Social Networks
Existence of ties
Frequency
Intensity
Cooperation partners and cooperation arrangements on innovative activities and in R&D. F A D E C B G
(suppliers, clients, universities, research centers, individuals, etc)

13. 4. Expected Results Scale? Local Metropolitan Regional National
4. Expected Results C A
Scale?
Local
Metropolitan
Regional
National
Spatial

14.
Show what - and how - fields and actors can influence local high-technology entrepreneurship and foster innovation- related activities in Portugal
Bring new insight into the conditions under which science, technology and innovation can be best promoted whether at the local, regional or national levels.
Lessen evident lack of this sort of academic approaches to entrepreneurship

15. Fostering Innovation through high-technology Entrepreneurship:
Fostering Innovation through high-technology Entrepreneurship:
The role of Individual entrepreneurs in Portugal