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The Global South faces the persistent structural challenge of moving beyond intermediate positions in the international division of labor and transforming economic growth into inclusive development. Middle-income countries often build productive capabilities without establishing the institutional and systemic foundations necessary to sustain autonomous innovation trajectories.
Empirical evidence suggests that breaking this pattern is possible by increasing productive complexity through innovation. In this context and within a transforming global system, the development of mature, functional innovation ecosystems becomes a cornerstone of sustainable development strategies for the Global South. Institutional architecture emerges as a vital element in underpinning these ecosystems through mechanisms such as mission-oriented public procurement, multi-level coordination across government tiers, and triple-helix dynamics.
This dynamic also entails a significant territorial dimension. By creating appropriate institutional environments and incentives at the local level, it becomes possible to foster innovations aligned with each territory's specific productive strengths. Consequently, specific biomes and local geographical features shift from being mere constraints to acting as core development assets, paving the way for productive specialization trajectories that are both territorially rooted and nationally significant.
This panel will bring together studies on the deliberate construction of national innovation ecosystems in the Global South, focusing on the triple-helix model and the coordination between the State, universities, and the private sector. We seek studies that contribute Neo-Schumpeterian and institutionalist perspectives to the debate, proceeding from the premise that innovation does not emerge spontaneously from markets but results from active institutional arrangements, mission-oriented policies, and state coordination capabilities.
We invite both theoretical and empirical papers addressing public policies to foster innovation ecosystems at the local or national level, as well as the development of cooperation among triple-helix actors. and institutional arrangements that enable the effective conversion of research and development (R&D) into technological and social innovation.