Building a model of a sustainable university innovation ecosystem: mechanisms of integration and commercialization

Abstract

This study's object is the university innovation ecosystem as an organizational and structural entity aimed at supporting startups and innovation activities. The task addressed concerns the fragmentation and lack of coordination among the innovation units of universities, which complicates the commercialization of scientific developments and reduces the effectiveness of innovation-driven growth. A model of a sustainable university innovation ecosystem has been constructed, incorporating three cycles of interaction among infrastructural components. The proposed model enables a systematic organization of the processes of selection, support, and commercialization of startup projects through the involvement of both internal and external innovation flows. A key component of the model is legal support for startups at all stages, as well as a re-entry mechanism that allows projects to return to the system for refinement and increased market readiness. The model aligns with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 9, and 17), which reinforces its strategic orientation. A three-cycle model of a sustainable university innovation ecosystem is proposed and tested, ensuring the integration of innovation units and promoting the effective commercialization of startups. The uniqueness of the model is its structured architecture, cyclical logic, clear division of roles among innovation units, and the built-in legal mechanism that enables sustainable development and addresses the problem of disconnectedness. The model is applicable for implementation at universities that possess a basic infrastructure for innovation and seek to enhance the effectiveness of research commercialization.