Intermediation in support systems for eco-innovation

Research on support for eco-innovation often focuses on the activities of individual entities such as universities, incubators, and business development organizations. This focus does not give a holistic view of the support available for eco-innovative companies. Thus, we used social network analysis, to analyse intermediation and support activities in a regional support system for eco-innovation. Our findings reveal a regional support system with both central and peripheral actors. The central actors focus on strategic activities, such as articulating of expectations and visions for the entire system while the peripheral actors engage with activities such as resource mobilization and distribution towards individual companies. Altogether the actors in the support system use a combination of different intermediation mechanisms such as transfer, matchmaking, and coordination to interact. Our study provides an overview of a support system for eco-innovation which can serve as a basis to identify missing actors and activities, and build synergies needed to effectively utilize resources to support eco-innovation.