Technology Park Network
What is a Technology Park?
Through professional, specialized management, Technology Parks produce interaction and collaboration processes among its members, in which companies benefit from the talent and resources of organizations that generate knowledge, unveiling opportunities for new high added-value businesses and facilitating the marketing of new technologies. With these characteristics, the Parks are closely related to universities, which is why the majority of Parks in the world form part of a university or at least maintain strong ties with these institutions.
Entrepreneurship, Technology Park Network
Entrepreneurship, Technology Park Network, Models
Technology Parks have a variety of names around the world (Science, Innovation, Research Parks, etc.) and have become a rapidly growing phenomenon over the past 20 years. Their establishment has had a positive impact on the development of knowledge-based economies, which is consistent with their fundamental purpose: to increase the wealth of their community, contributing to introducing high added-value companies into the region. Moreover, they are significantly different from industrial parks since they do not allow mass production activities (manufacturing) or real-estate businesses.
Considering the natural, economic, demographic, political, and social characteristics of each region, Tecnológico de Monterrey has developed four models for the country’s reality and conditions. These models are based on the best practices from around the world, but have been meticulously adapted to the Mexican reality.
Model I
Technology Parks for high-value employment: These Technology Parks have been created to house companies that seek human resources for high-value activities, and whose primary activities do not involve science and technology. They offer a good means for providing specialized talent to technology companies in a setting close to the university. Instant feedback from companies is required to enrich the educational model and, consequently, improve the graduate profile.
Model II
Technology Parks for the attraction and development of companies: These Parks are mainly combinations of high-tech incubators (to promote start-ups) and "landing" centers to accommodate foreign technology companies that wish to start operating in the region. The Parks rely heavily on consulting services, technology management, networks and specialized exchange with universities’ R&D capacities to support the companies. These centers do not include R&D activities, although they do provide a group of highly trained technology managers and brokers.
Model III
Technology Parks for companies with scientific activities: Model III and Model II have similar characteristics, but the former includes specialized laboratories that meet the needs of highly sophisticated companies, in sectors such as biotechnology or nanotechnology, where companies require laboratories instantly and constantly.
Model IV
Regional Technology Parks with several sponsors: These Parks belong to the most widely known model of science and technology parks in the world, built on large areas of land, with an infrastructure similar to that of a university campus, where various R&D centers, universities, companies and services share spaces and foster relationships. They are mainly regional projects financed by governments, given their enormous cost and scope.
Having consistent and effective projects requires the identification of a valid, solid purpose that unquestionably justifies the establishment of a Technology Park in each particular region.
- Landing
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Landing allows foreign technology-based companies, with activities that demand specialized talent and resources, to set up in the region in an organized, safe, and agile manner, offering them services and an environment that will significantly reduce the risk of an negative experience during their introduction into the region. - Incubation
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By integrating the services of the business incubator network of the Tecnológico de Monterrey System, the Technology Parks enable developing companies to expedite their consolidation and reduce the risks of failure. The environment offered by the Park offers, by integrating global companies, researchers, and services, drives the creation of companies with a high level of innovation. - Acceleration
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Tecnológico de Monterrey’s business acceleration model is materialized in the Technology Parks. Apart from the necessary space for the companies identified as suitable for this model, the Park offers the appropriate environment to ensure that the correct functioning of the model. - Technological Development
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The high cost of technological research and development forces companies to look for different options to obtain new knowledge. Universities seek to bring their talent, findings, laboratories, and discoveries closer to companies.
- Technology services
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- Laboratories for reliability testing.
- Metrology Laboratory.
- Rapid prototyping laboratory.
- Exterior Design Prototyping.
- Wireless networks laboratory.
- RF signals laboratory.
- Anechoic chamber laboratory.
- Technology transfer
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- Competitive intelligence support to identify technology trends.
- Evaluation of new and emerging technologies.
- Identification of marketing channels for new technologies.
- Promotion of inventions and prominent technology projects.
- Activation of the development of these technologies in businesses.
- Advice and support in the IP protection process in Mexico
- Industrial connection
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- Ties with Industry.
- Creation of multidisciplinary teams to prepare technological proposals to attract foreign investment.
- Networking with industrial clusters to create a value-added network.
- Sharing knowledge through facilitation sessions using interactive planning techniques (additional cost).
Dirección de la Red de Parques Tecnológicos del Tec de Monterrey
egl.comunica@servicios.itesm.mx