Bioeconomy innovations and their regional embeddedness: Results from a qualitative multiple-case study on German flagship innovations

This article explores the regional embeddedness of bioeconomy innovations in Germany, focusing on “flagship” innovation projects that exemplify the challenges and opportunities of systemic changes towards bioeconomies. While bioeconomies have been promoted as solutions to global challenges and opportunities for sustainable regional development, there are ongoing debates about the actual benefits of bioeconomies. These debates result not least from diverging visions of both bioeconomy and innovation. The concept of regional embeddedness shows promise for addressing such issues but needs empirical refinement and conceptual substantiation. Therefore, our study investigates how innovators perceive their bioeconomy innovations to be regionally embedded and which regional challenges and opportunities they identify, using a qualitative multiple-case study approach. More precisely, we report the findings from 16 interviews with experts involved in “flagship” innovations in the German bioeconomy. Our findings highlight the heterogeneity of bioeconomy visions and corresponding innovations and confirm the relevance of different types of proximity. Moreover, higher education institutions and research institutes are found to play a key role in driving bioeconomy innovations, which may, however, contribute to regional differences in capacities and capabilities for sustainable bioeconomy innovations and transitions. Building on our findings, we propose a first conceptual framework incorporating both procedural and effectual dimensions of regional embeddedness. Generally, our article provides insights for policymakers, innovators, and other scholars interested in better understanding and governing bioeconomies through regionally embedded innovation processes.