Venture Capitalism as a Mechanism for Knowledge Governance: the Emergence of the Markets for Knowledge Intensive Property Rights

Venture capitalism is an outcome of the ICT Revolution, which made its appearance first in the US during the late 1970s and early 1980s and then in other countries including Israel during the 1990s. It explains the new pervasive role of small firms in the introduction of technological innovations and the rise of research and development expenditures in the US in the last decade of the XX century. Venture capitalism is a major institutional innovation based upon the identification of economies of scope in the transactions of technological knowledge bundled with managerial competence, reputation, screening procedures and equity. It has paved the way to the emergence of new surrogate markets for knowledge, i.e. financial markets specialized in the trade of knowledge intensive property rights with important benefits in terms of economic of size in portfolio management and hence profitability of investments in high-tech start- ups. The emergence of venture capitalism has important effects in national system of innovation of advanced countries, and it is a powerful mechanism for the production, dissemination and integration of knowledge in advanced capitalistic economies, and thereby a main driver of a ‘knowledge-based’ growth.Venture capitalism, Start-up companies, Nested transactions, Knowledge bundling, Knowledge intensive property rights, Market creation, Surrogate markets for knowledge, Knowledge governance mechanisms.

Venture Capitalism, New Markets and Innovation-led Economic Growth

This paper explores the new market-mediating mechanisms linking SU invention on the one hand and economic growth on the other. Two such mechanisms come to our mind under venture capitalism (of which venture capitalism is directly involved only in the first): 1) a systemic rather than haphazard link between radical inventions and the emergence of new product markets; and 2) a link between new product markets) on the one hand and invention & unbundled technology markets on the other. The first highlights not only the volatility and precariousness of the R&D companies which operated prior to venture capitalism, but also, and related to this, the weak links that existed then between radical invention and the emergence of new markets. There are two aspects of 2) above: 2a) derived demand for improvements in the product and process technology underlying a market (and industry); and 2b) a demand for a substitute, disruptive technology which could replace the existing one. In both cases market size signals the ‘benefits’ to be derived from improving or substituting the underlying technology.

Towards the Framing of Venture Capital Policies: a Systems-Evolutionary Perspective with Particular Reference to the UK/Scotland and Israeli Experiences

We compare some of the policies that have been attempted in Europe (UK/Scotland) and Israel over the past fifteen years to elaborate a new Systems Evolutionary (SE) framework for rethinking VC policy and related ITP. We argue that this perspective is useful for both real world (‘positive’) analysis and policy (‘normative’) analys is. Our SE framework is shaped by (i) a multidimensional view of VC; (ii) strong between VC, VC policy and the development of EHTCs; and (iii) a strategic approach to policy. In contrast, many VC policies in Europe up to and including the 1990s took a ‘static’ financial view of VC that focused on ‘bridging existng early phase finance gaps of innovative companies’ rather than creating of a new mechanism to assure the timely growth of EHTCs. We aim to present the new framework rather than to provide specific recommendations. The main conclusion is that the success of VC policies depend on factors such as the phase of evolution of (i) VC or related innovation finance organizations; (ii) the underlying segment of start up companies and of high tech industries; (iii) the specific country/region institutional setting. While in some contexts it may be worth considering the targeting of a new VC industry/market (and associated EHTC) in others the focus of policy should center in improving pre-emergence conditions. More specifically it may be, given that VC searches for ‘investment ready opportunities’, that ITP should, in many contexts, precede VC policies. Another key conclusion is that implementing this perspective necessitates the creation of a strategic level of policy, with a view of specifying a set of strategic priorities for Scie nce, Technology, and Innovation, priorities that should precede rather than follow policy design and implementation. A major challenge is to extend the present framework that was initially based on VCs oriented towards ICT to LS.

Restructuring and Embeddeness Of Business Enterprises - Towards An Innovation System Perspective On Diffusion Policy

The paper deals with the policies for an idealized transition of a National System of Innovation (NSI) from a system reflecting a relatively closed industrializing economy to an NSI which reflects the conditions of a well-developed "Information Society" and "Learning Economy". The analysis of the transition process analyse the NSI from the viewpoint of the needs of the existing firms of the business sector. The problem is how different types of industrial and technology policy may help the business-oriented restructuring of the NSI. The policies are: horizontal support for R & D of advanced firms; SME schemes for laggard firms, etc.; new institutions and organizations for the cooperative production of new technological inputs, such as customized chips; proactive diffusion policies; and market building. It is suggested that policies should initially contribute to the self-organised restructuring of advanced enterprises. On the basis is this preliminary change in the NSI it is possible to turn promoting the restructuring of imitators and laggards which have less awareness and fewer absorbtion capabilities of the new technological input. The goal is to generate a cumulative learning processes about restructuring which benefit both the firms receiving support and other less advanced firms. In the implementation of the policies it is important to recognize the time dependence (need to exploit the learning potential from advanced firm restructuring; and the need to assure sufficiently strong system effects).National Systems of Innovation, learning Economy, Diffusion of innovation, innovation

Venture capital industries and policies: Some cross-country comparisons

The paper summarizes the findings obtained during the first year of the Venture Fun project, carried out in an EU Network of Excellence PRIME and funded from the Sixth Framework Programme. The paper defines the central concepts of the project, identifies questions for further elaboration and study, and finally provides a rough idea of the different profiles that the studied countries (Finland, Israel, France, Italy, and the UK) evidence in the organization of their VC industries. One of the conclusions of the paper is that Israel, and to a lesser extent, Finland, has succeeded in developing a specialized, independent VC industry oriented to the early phase finance and support of ICT start-ups. By contrast, though the UK has a strong Private Equity industry, it is, however, not focusing on early-stage or high tech areas. Italy and France showed a significant presence of Venture Capital and Private Equity industries (public/private organisations), but in Italy an early phase VC industry has almost disappeared after 2001. The paper further summarises factors that have influenced the development of VC industries in the studied countries

Innovation and development

Includes bibliograph

Capacity-stretching technical change: some empirical and theoretical aspects

Includes bibliograph

Innovation and technology policy (ITP) for catching up: a three phase life cycle framework for industrializing economies

Includes bibliographyThis paper outlines a dynamic, medium/long term Innovation and Technology Policy framework for industrializing economies directed to simulate innovation and to contribute to the eventual creation of high impact innovative entrepreneurial clusters. The paper is predicated on the assumption that while cluster creation policies are possible in many contexts they requires adoption of a System Evolutionary (S/E) perspective to Innovation and Technology Policy. Given the current 'entrepreneurial phase' of the ICT Revolution, support of 'Innovative SMEs' should be one of the axes of an overall strategy of development for a large group of industrializing economies. The three phase policy model proposed here starts with direct Government support, including Horizontal support to Business Sector R&D/Innovation and/or to innovative Small and Medium Sized Enterprise or Start Ups (Phase 1); and culminates with implementation of Targeted or other policies in support of Venture Capital (VC)/ Private Equity (PE) and possibly of other industries. Between these two central policy thrusts an intermediate phase 2 would be implemented with the objective of reinforcing innovation and creating other favorable conditions, including favourable 'demand' conditions and enhanced policy capabilities, for a successful transition to Phase 3. The model is a generic model which allows for different variants reflecting different country contexts, although, throughout, it will emphasize the importance of direct Business Sector support mechanisms at least during Phases 1 and 2. The structure of the policy portfolio will depend on country characteristics and specific institutions; and its changes over time will also reflect in part differences in the policy objectives from phase to phase. As it stands the framework is neither 'formal' nor 'appreciative theory' that is theory which closely follows the facts. This is the result of the paucity of data and the impossibility of undertaking at this stage a cross-country comparative analysis of policy cycles. Still the model as it stands can provide useful pointers to policymakers in a variety of contexts

CO-EVOLUCIÓN ENTRE CAPITAL DE RIESGO, NUEVAS FIRMAS Y EL SURGIMIENTO Y DESARROLLO DEL NUEVO CLUSTER DE ALTA TECNOLOGÍA DE ISRAEL

This paper provides an account of the emergence and development of a Venture Capital Industry in Israel, and the role it played in the recent successful growth of Israel’s high tech cluster. The paper discusses the co-evolutionary and dynamic process involving the business sector, technology policies, vanture capitalists, individuals and Startup companies, and foreign linkages.We attempt to show that VC emergence is part and parcel of the reconfiguration of a pre-existing Electronics Industry one involving large amounts of SU and new and powerful links with global capital markets. The main conclusions and policy lessons of the paper are that specific technology policies targeted to the Venture Capital sector can be effective only to the extent that favourable background conditions exist or are created.Este trabajo da cuenta del surgimiento y desarrollo de una Industria de Capital de Riesgo en Israel y del rol que ésta jugó en el crecimiento exitoso reciente del cluster de alta tecnología de Israel. Discute el proceso coevolutivo y dinámico que involucra al sector comercial, políticas de tecnología, capitalistas de riesgo, compañías individuales y nuevas firmas, y vínculos con el extranjero. Intentamos mostrar que el surgimiento del CR es parte integrante de la reconfiguración de una Industria Electrónica preexistente, que involucra grandes cantidades de NF y nuevos y poderosos vínculos con los mercados globales de capitales. Las principales conclusiones y lecciones de política del trabajo indican que políticas específicas de tecnología dirigidas al sector de Capital de Riesgo pueden ser efectivas sólo en la medida que existan, o sean creadas, condiciones previas favorables.&nbsp