Uppsala BIO- The Life Science Initative: Experiences and Reflections on Starting a Regional Competitiveness Initiative

Abstract

Numerous regions around the globe are implementing initiatives designed to improve their competitiveness by promoting interaction and innovation among their regional organizations. This chapter presents one such initiative, Uppsala BIO–The Life Science Initiative, that was created by local representatives from government, industry, and academia in Uppsala, Sweden. The purpose of this chapter is to describe Uppsala BIO’s activities during its first 18 months, to present some reflections on the organization that were gathered through a longitudinal study, and to discuss the initiative’s impact on the region. Thus, this chapter is relevant to both practitioners and policymakers involved in regional initiatives as well as researchers working to understand the dynamics of such initiatives.