knows until yet how to deal with. Over all, as a support program InnoRegio seems to be
succesfull at least in its first stage.
Once approval for projects had been granted, the InnoRegio networks entered a new phase
of development. Only in time we will see what kinds of innovation will result from the financial
support and what benefits cooperation and participation within the network entail. In future it
will be interesting to see whether measurable economic success results for those involved -
and for the region as a whole. This is likely to take place only in the long term, and it requires
a stable economic situation within the network in the medium term. The networks consist of
groups of partners with shared - but also in part divergent - aims. It is possible that
participants will leave the network after their financial support runs out. Securing the
cohesion of the network even in such situations constitutes one of the future challenges
facing the InnoRegio support program.
Furthermore we will try to examine the evidence for spillover and synergetic effects building
the main idea behind the support. Maybe supported structures (e.g. agencies of
coordination) are too rigid for innovation processes. Regarding to this we will observe in
which ways the development of the networks is going on. Possibly we have to look for
alternative ways of supporting co-operations.
20