The Model of Regional Development Based on Innovation: The Case of Alexander Innovation Zone S.A.

This paper provides the role of innovation in regional development. The most important factors and stakeholders for the success of regional development are presented, such as industries, SME’s and large companies, which do business in a specific region, local educational organizations, universities, institutes and research centers, which can provide the ordered scientific knowledge for the businesses to scale up and the Government, especially the local Authorities, which can support and boost the efforts of the other stakeholders to grow up. The collaboration of all these stakeholders based on the “Triple Helix model”, which is analyzed in the second part of this paper. In the third part of this paper is presented and described the Alexander Innovation Zone S.A., which is established in Thessaloniki, in Northern Greece, by providing its definition, scope, vision, and actions. Finally, some suggestions are presented for the Innovation zones in general and for the regional development.