Accelerating the Cleantech Revolution: Exploring the Financial Mobilisation Functions of Institutional Innovation Intermediaries

Abstract

This research article explores the role of innovation intermediaries to accelerate the commercialisation of (clean) technologies. Drawing from the finance and innovation intermediaries literatures we show that financial barriers to eco-innovation can be partly overcome by particular functions of innovation intermediaries which in turn mobilises private finance along the innovation process. Therefore, we empirically evaluate roles and instruments of institutional innovation intermediaries (innovation intermediation, policy support, public-private cooperation, financial instruments). We contribute an intersection of the finance and innovation systems literature, by exploring the ‘financial mobilisation functions’ of innovation intermediaries to address barriers for eco-innovation along the innovation process.