Muitos estudos analisam as características do empreendedor relacionando-as com desempenho (Lumpkin & Dess, 1996), com a descoberta de oportunidades empreendedoras (Shane, 2000), criação de novos empreendimentos (Gartner, 1985), entre outros. Em empresas baseadas em conhecimento a inovação é fundamental para a competitividade, refletido na capacidade de lançar novos produtos. Essa prerrogativa leva incubadoras a buscarem em seus processos de seleção empresas que apresentem potencial inovativo, analisando tanto o plano de negócios e a ideia, quanto as capacidades do time de gestão ou do empreendedor proponente da ideia (Aerts, Matthyssens & Vandenbempt, 2007). Assim, o objetivo geral desse estudo foi analisar a contribuição do background do empreendedor para a inovação de produtos em empresas incubadas de base tecnológica do estado de São Paulo. Especificamente, o estudo busca (1) identificar o background dos empreendedores de empresas vinculadas a incubadoras de empresas de base tecnológica; (2) Identificar o nível de inovação de produtos dessas empresas; (3) identificar a relação entre o background do empreendedor e a inovação de produtos nessas empresas; e (4) identificar a interferência do tamanho da organização nessas relações. Para alcançar esses objetivos, o estudo foi conduzido junto a incubadoras de empresas de base tecnológica localizadas no Estado de São Paulo, envolvendo 461 organizações. Um modelo conceitual foi elaborado, incluindo variáveis de input (características do empreendedor - educação e experiência), output (número de produtos lançados no mercado) e moderadora (tamanho da empresa). Um questionário foi aplicado aos gestores das empresas incubadas, resultando em 95 respostas válidas. Uma análise quantitativa foi realizada, baseado principalmente no método estatístico Regressão Logística. Como resultado, foi preliminarmente concluído que o background do empreendedor, particularmente, a formação técnica, tem uma importante associação com a inovação de produtos. Além disso, o tamanho da organização moderou significativamente essa relação, indicando que em empresas maiores parece indicar uma contribuição mais significativa da área de educação técnica - particularmente em disciplinas exatas, para a inovação em produtos. Já em empresas menores, além da associação significativa da educação técnica do empreendedor, a experiência também foi significativa para a inovação de produtos em empresas menores. Indicando que em empresas menores o conhecimento centra-se no empreendedor, enquanto que empresas maiores, o conhecimento é disseminado na equipe. Essas descobertas, a serem confirmadas em estudos futuros e considerando as limitações do presente estudo, complementam a literatura e abre novas perspectivas para instruir incubadoras a selecionarem melhor suas empresas incubadas / Many studies look entrepreneurial characteristics relating them with performance (Lumpkin & Dess, 1996), discovering new entrepreneurial opportunities (Shane, 2000), creation of new enterprises (Gartner, 1985), among others. In knowledge-based enterprises innovation is fundamental to competitiveness, reflected in their capacity of launching new products. This prerogative leads incubators to seek in their selection processes companies that present innovative potential, analyzing both, the business plan and the idea, as well as, the entrepreneurial or management team capabilities (Aerts, Matthyssens & Vandenbempt, 2007). The overall objective of this study was to analyze the contribution of the background of entrepreneurs to the innovative performance in technology-based Businesses Incubated Firms. More specifically, the study tries: (1) to identify the background of entrepreneurs of companies linked to technology based business incubators; (2) Identify the level of product innovation of these firms; (3) Identify the relationships between the background of the entrepreneur and the product innovation of the firms; and (4) Identify the interference of the size of the firms on these relationships. The study was conducted together incubators located in the State of São Paulo, evolving 461 organizations. A conceptual model was conceived, including input (entrepreneurial characteristics - education and experience), output (number of innovative products launched to the market) and moderating (firm size) variables. A questionnaire was applied to the general managers of the incubators, resulting in 95 valid answers. A quantitative analysis was made, based mostly on logistic regression statistical methods. As a result, it was preliminary concluded that entrepreneur background, particularly, the technical education, has an important influence on product innovation level. Also firm size moderated significantly those relationships, indicating that in larger firms it seems to appear a more significance contribution of technical education area - particularly in exact disciplines - to firm innovative performance. In smaller enterprises, in addition to significant association of entrepreneur\'s technical education, the experience was significant to product innovation, that indicate in smaller firms the organizational knowledge focuses on entrepreneur, while in larger companies the organizational knowledge is disseminated among the team. These finds, to be confirmed in future studies and considering the limitations of the present investigation, complement the literature and open new perspectives on the most adequated firms and managers to be selected to take place in Incubators

As mudanças advindas da globalização estão mudando a forma das empresas atuarem. As empresas lançam-se para o mercado externo atendendo a uma série de premissas tais como a busca por recursos, a busca por racionalização na produção, a busca por novos mercados e a aquisição de novas competências. Na literatura, encontram-se diferentes concepções para as formas de entrada nos mercados externos, ao mesmo tempo, em que novas teorias surgem, como a teoria metanacional e a teoria de born global. Esta literatura relata oportunidades às empresas de base tecnológica (EBTs), empresas que podem ser definidas como aquelas que realizam esforços tecnológicos significativos e concentram suas operações na fabricação de novos produtos.. Neste trabalho, a caracterização da internacionalização de empresas de base tecnológica incubadas considerou 3 dimensões: o perfil empreendedor e o empreendedorismo organizacional, o financiamento e mecanismos complementares de apoio e desenvolvimento tecnológico e cooperação. Os dados coletados atingiram o objetivo de caracterizar estas empresas, tendo elas atuação internacional ou não. As proposições P1 de que as empresas de base tecnológica não se preocupam com uma atuação internacional e P4 de que As empresas que possuem financiamento e mecanismos complementares de apoio contam com a internacionalização de suas atividades não foram comprovadas. As proposições P2 de que O empreendedor que possui experiências internacionais, aprendizado e redes de contatos no exterior possui empresas com atividades internacionais e P3 de que As empresas com preocupações quanto ao desenvolvimento tecnológica e cooperação no exterior possuem disposição à internacionalização de suas operações foram comprovadas. / The globalization are changing the way companies act. Companies throw themselves to the foreign market given a series of assumptions such as the search for resources, the quest for rationalization in production, the search for new markets and the acquisition of new skills. In literature, there are different approaches to the ways of entry into foreign markets at the same time, in which new theories arise as the theory metanational and the theory of born global. This literature describes opportunities for technology-based firms (NTBFs). NTBFs can be defined as those that \"carry significant technological efforts and concentrate their operations in the manufacture of new products\". In this work, the characterization of the internationalization of technology-based companies incubated considered three dimensions: the entrepreneurial profile and organizational entrepreneurship, funding, and additional mechanisms to support technological development and cooperation. The collected data to reach the goal of characterizing these companies, being them internationalized or not. The propositions P1 that technology-based companies do not bother with an international performance and P4 that Companies that have complementary mechanisms of funding and support have the internationalization of their activities were not proven. Propositions P2 that The entrepreneur who has international experience, learning and networking with overseas companies have international activities and P3 that Companies with concerns about the technological development and cooperation abroad are available to the internationalization of their operations were proved.

Business incubators have become an integrated part of innovation systems worldwide, designed to support innovative entrepreneurship and regional development. However, empirical research on incubated firms show mixed results on innovation and growth. In this paper, 18 Swedish incubators, top-ranked and funded by government innovation programs, are studied through the lens of the institutional logics perspective. Multiple conflicts in state and market logics are highlighted and discussed, as well as implications for new venture creation and future research on business incubators as influential institutional actors.

The focus on entrepreneurs as drivers of the economies of nations has catapulted them into the forefront of the local and international marketplace. This has led to a demand for entrepreneurial education and training resulting in a plethora of different and often divergent views. One commonality that has emerged is that entrepreneurship can be taught; although it cannot be taught in conventional and traditional ways. It requires a move from traditional education and training to more enterprising participative and supportive forms of business development. It requires investments of time, resources and support. Incubators are facilities that are engaged with entrepreneurs and offer a variety of support including education and training. This study has assessed the effectiveness of training offered by the Seda Nelson Mandela Bay ICT incubator. There has been limited research undertaken on entrepreneurial education and training in an incubator setting. This study followed the qualitative paradigm. The sample comprised of 10 small businesses at the Seda Nelson Mandela Bay ICT incubator. Empirical data was obtained by interviewing the owners of the small businesses using an interview schedule. Issues such as the most effective training programme, content that it contained, methodology used and quality of the facilitator and applicability of the training programme were explored. The study found that the small businesses were opportunity driven rather than necessity driven and that the incubator served as a bridging facility in moving the businesses from the informal sector to the formal sector. The content of the training programmes was found to be effective when a mix of both theoretical and practical is offered especially with an emphasis on the underlying entrepreneurial themes of confidence, persistence and uncertainty and so on. It also found that training programmes should be linked to the life cycle of the business and address the specific needs of the small business owner. The start-up phase requires very specific training. Most of the facilitators were found to be experienced and empathetic. However, only a few were using a wider range of preferred learning styles favoured by entrepreneurs such as role playing, simulation, brainstorming and problem-solving techniques. The study also found that when generic training programmes are offered there was less recall on the part of the trainees. The management team of the incubator is an important determinant of the success of the incubatees and it is recommended that they need to be well versed in their sector and have good networking skills. There is a strong link between the theoretical and the practical content of training programmes especially where the emphasis is more on the practical content. It is recommended that facilitators pay attention to their relationship with trainees as it is a critical success factor in the training programme. Training programmes offered over a period of time add more value to the incubatee. This might be because of the mentoring and counselling that is available after each training module is completed. Finally, more research needs to be undertaken on the quality and effectiveness of training programmes offered by incubators to small businesses.

The aim of this work is to map the current development on the Prague cultural scene set in the industrial spaces, it captures in a comprehensive way some common tendencies in the atypical industrial environment. Although there are marginally mentioned various cultural activities, work particularly focuses on the frequent presentation of electronic dance music in abandoned buildings. The work describes the historical development of industrial heritage on the territory of Prague, what kind of cultural businesses in this environment are currently taking part, how do they differ and what do they depend on. After reading this thesis the reader gains insight into the trends currently prevailing on the Prague music scene out of the traditional club environment.

This research investigates the role business incubators on the MSMEs’ access to informal and semi-formal finance. To meet this purpose, firstly, the relationship between business incubation models and models of financial accessibility is assessed. secondly, the contribution of business incubators to the MSMEs informal and semi-formal financial accessibility is determined, by assessing the direct impact of monitoring services on financial accessibility and also assessing the incubator’s financial intermediation role between incubatees and financiers. Due to the important role played by social capital in non-formal financing, the influence of both incubatee and incubator manager’s social capital on incubatee’s informal and semi-formal financial accessibility is also investigated. The results indicate that, business incubator’s monitoring services have significant positive influence on incubatee’s access to informal and semi-formal finance, and also there is a significant positive relationship between monitoring services and financial management capabilities. Also, incubatee’s financial management capabilities have significant positive impact on semi-formal financial accessibility, nevertheless, there is insignificant relationship between incubatee’s financial management capabilities and informal financial accessibility. Furthermore, the results show, incubatee’s bonding and bridging social capital have direct positive impact on both informal and semi-formal financial accessibility, while incubator manager’s linking social capital has positive impact on semi-formal financial accessibility but insignificant impact on informal financial accessibility. Incubatee’s bridging social capital also negatively moderates the relationship between financial management capabilities and semi-formal financial accessibility, whereas incubatee’s bonding has no moderating effect on the same relationship. Incubator manager’s bonding and bridging social capital and incubatee’s linking social capital have insignificant direct impact on both informal and semi-formal financial accessibility, as well as insignificant moderating impact on the relationship between financial management capabilities and semi-formal financial accessibility. These findings show the importance of financial management capabilities on incubatee’s access to semi-formal finance and highlights the role of incubatee’s bonding and bridging network links and incubator manager’s linking social networks to the incubatee’s access to non-formal finance. They also reveal that informal financiers do not consider incubatee’s financial management capabilities as an important criterion in deciding to provide them credits:Acknowledgement i Table of contents iii List of tables viii List of figures xii Abbreviations xv Zusammenfassung xx Summary xxxii CHAPTER ONE 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background to the problem 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem 4 1.3 Objectives of the study 10 1.3.1 General objective 10 1.3.2 Specific objectives 10 CHAPTER TWO 11 LITERATURE REVIEW 11 2.1 Start-ups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises 11 2.1.1 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises 11 2.1.1.1 MSMEs’ sector in Tanzania 14 2.1.2 Start-ups 15 2.1.2.1 Startups in Tanzania 16 2.2 Business incubators 18 2.2.1 Services provided by business incubators 21 2.2.2 Business incubators in Tanzania 23 2.3 Financial management capabilities 28 2.3.1 Financial management capabilities in MSMEs 29 2.4 Financial system 32 2.4.1 Formal financing 33 2.4.2 Informal financing 33 2.4.3 Semi-formal financing 34 2.4.4 Financing system in Tanzania 34 2.4.5 Informal and Semi-formal financing system in Tanzania 36 2.4.5.1 Informal financiers 37 2.4.5.2 Semi-formal financiers 45 2.5 MSMEs’ financial accessibility 52 2.5.1 MSMEs’ financial accessibility in Tanzania 55 2.5.2 The role of business incubators in promoting MSMEs’ access to finance 56 2.6 Information asymmetries between MSMEs and financiers 59 2.7 Theory of financial intermediation 61 2.8 Social capital 62 2.8.1 Role of social capital on MSMEs’ access to finance 65 2.9 Summary of the theoretical framework 69 2.10 Proposed model 70 CHAPTER THREE 75 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 75 3.1 Research Design 75 3.2 Study Area 76 3.3 Targeted population 78 3.4 Sample 79 3.5 Operational definitions and measurement of the variables 83 3.5.1 Variable indicators 83 3.5.2 Business incubators' monitoring services 83 3.5.3 Financial management capabilities 84 3.5.4 Incubatee's bonding social capital 84 3.5.5 Incubatee's bridging social capital 85 3.5.6 Incubatee's linking social capital 85 3.5.7 Incubator manager's bonding social capital 86 3.5.8 Incubator manager's bridging social capital 86 3.5.9 Incubator manager's linking social capital 87 3.5.10 MSMEs’ Financial accessibility 87 3.6 Data collection instrument 92 3.6.1 Questionnaire 92 3.6.2 Personal interviews 93 3.7 Data collection 93 3.8 Data Analysis 94 3.8.1 Qualitative data analysis 94 3.8.2 Quantitative analysis 95 3.8.2.1 Data preparation 95 3.8.2.2 Descriptive statistics 96 3.8.2.3 Factor analysis 96 3.8.2.4 Inferential Statistics 104 3.8.2.4.1 Spearman correlations analysis 105 3.8.2.4.2 Kruskal-Wallis test 105 3.8.2.4.3 Partial Least Squares regressions analysis 105 3.9 Validity and Reliability 106 3.9.1 Validity and reliability of qualitative research 106 3.9.2 Validity and reliability in quantitative research 107 CHAPTER FOUR 110 PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS 110 4.1 Introduction 110 4.2 Qualitative results 110 4.2.1 Current status of business incubation programs in Tanzania 110 4.2.2 Factors for business incubators’ successful financial intermediary role118 4.3 Quantitative results 132 4.3.1 Descriptive results 132 4.3.1.1 Sample demography 133 4.3.1.1.1 Relationship between age and incubation period of incubated MSMEs 133 4.3.1.1.2 Categorizing incubated MSMEs by number of employees and business capital 135 4.3.1.1.3 Distribution of incubatees by their nature of ownership and business activity 138 4.3.1.1.4 Financiers’ provision of requested amount of loans to incubatees 140 4.3.1.2 The contribution of business incubators to MSMEs financial accessibility 145 4.3.1.2.1 The Business Incubator's Monitoring services 146 4.3.1.2.2 Financial Management capabilities of incubatees 147 4.3.1.2.3 MSMEs’ financial accessibility 149 4.3.1.3 Relationship between business incubation models and models of MSMEs financing 150 4.3.1.4 Factors for successful intermediary role of an incubator 152 4.3.1.5 Incubatees and incubator managers’ social capital on Incubatees' financial accessibility 155 4.3.2 The impact of business incubation on MSMEs access to informal and semi-formal finance 160 4.3.2.1 Demographic characteristics of incubated enterprises 161 4.3.2.2 Relationship between business incubation models and models of financial accessibility 165 4.3.2.3 Contribution of incubators to the MSMEs informal and semi-formal financial accessibility 166 4.3.2.3.1 Impact of business incubator’s monitoring services on MSMEs’ informal and semi-formal financial accessibility 167 4.3.2.3.2 Business incubators’ financial intermediation role between incubated MSMEs and financiers. 170 4.3.2.4 Impact of incubatee and incubator manager’s social capital on iMFA and sMFA 173 4.3.2.5 Moderating impact of Incubatee's and incubator manager's social capital on the FMC-MFA relationship 179 4.4 Summary of chapter four 183 4.4.1 Developing a model on incubated MSMEs’ access to informal and semi- formal finance. 190 4.4.1.1 A model on incubated MSMEs’ access to informal finance 190 4.4.1.2 A model on incubated MSMEs’ access to semi-formal finance. 191 4.4.1.3 The influence of demographic characters on the relationship between social capital and financial accessibility. 192 CHAPTER FIVE 196 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 196 5.1 Introduction 196 5.2 Demographic characteristics of incubatees 196 5.3 Relationship between business incubation models and models of financial accessibility 201 5.4 Business incubators’ financial intermediation role between MSMEs and financiers. 203 5.5 Factors for successful business incubator’s financial intermediary role 207 5.6 Impact of incubatee’s and incubator manager’s social capital on informal and semi-formal financial accessibility 209 5.7 Moderating impact of Incubatee's and incubator manager's social capital on the FMC-MFA relationship 212 CHAPTER SIX 214 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 214 6.1 Conclusions 214 6.2 Recommendations 221 6.3 Scope for further research 229 Reference 234 Appendix I Total Variance Explained 253 Appendix II Component Matrix 254 Appendix III Pattern Matrix 255 Appendix IV Questionnaire 256 Appendix V Questionnaire (Swahili version) 261 Appendix VI Interview guide for the financiers (English version) 266 Appendix VII Interview guide for the financiers (Swahili version) 267 Apendix VIII Interview guide for incubators’ managers and key informants (English version) 268 Appendix IX Interview guide for incubators’ managers and key informants (Swahili version) 269 Appendix X Eigenständigkeitserklärung 270

Thesis (MDF (Development Finance))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.

The purpose of this research was to conduct an exploratory study of the information processing utilized by incubator-housed manufacturers during channel member selection. The study included the evaluation of the decision models used by the manufacturers as well as criteria used in the selection process. The study was specifically designed to achieve the following objectives. First, the research was to identify the evaluation modes used by the manufacturers as either compensatory or noncompensatory. Second, the study was to evaluate the effect of the task on the selection of the evaluation model(s) used during the channel member selection process. Third, the study was to evaluate the effect of the selected decision strategy on the amount of information used during the decision process. Finally, the study was to identify and examine the importance of the criteria used by the manufacturers in the selection process. The methodology in this study consisted of primary research using protocol analysis as the main data gathering technique. A ranking instrument was also mailed to the respondents prior to the protocol session. The population for the study was identified as all manufacturers located in publicly-sponsored business incubators. A total of 235 incubators were in existence with approximately 47 percent of them being publicly-sponsored. Approximately 42 percent of the incubators house at least one manufacturing firm. It was estimated that there were approximately 46 manufacturing firms located in public incubators. A sample of six was used in this study. The statistical analysis included frequencies, cross tabulations, correlations, paired comparisons, and measures of association. The findings of this study suggest that the incubator-housed manufacturers' choice of evaluation models was not affected by the task nor did the selected strategy influence the amount of information used by the manufacturers. The findings indicate a need for further research to evaluate the relationships brought forth in this study. Based on the conclusions and findings of this study, recommendations for further research were given.

“[A]s much as any other product, the car has shaped not only the global economy but how billions of people live”1,whilethe digital area is nowshapingthe car.Coopetition, a strategy presenting firms with the opportunity to collaborate and compete at the same time,is becoming a prevalent phenomenonamong large OEMs and start-ups in the automotive industry.Respectively, considering that coopetition, in the context of open innovation and new technologies, has been identified as a successful strategy, this thesis will therefore analyse the relationship between OEMs and external start-ups in the context of coopetition and corporate open innovation strategies. Several typesof corporate incubators, accelerators and corporate innovation labs emerged within the last years, howeveran integration of all three of these has not yet been widely explored. Accordingly, while these open innovation streamsare used by large corporationsto get access to the start-upecosystemand increase their innovation capabilities, the relationship between OEMs and external start-ups will further lead to CIIAs (a combined approach of corporate incubators, corporate innovation labs and corporate accelerators),demonstratedin the context of coopetition. This exploratory study therebycontributes to the relationship between external start-ups and OEMsthrough aCIIA approach,answering the two following researchquestions;•What are the main drivers of the OEM and external start-uprelationship?•How do OEMs and external start-ups coopete in the context of corporate open innovation strategies?To dulyanswer these research questions, we choseaqualitative researchmethodcombined with an interpretivist and inductiveapproachas well asempirical findings generated from 6semi-structured interviews. We furthercontributed tothe illustrationof the key aspects of CIIAsas well asthe motives, management and implications behind the relationshipsbetween OEMs and external start-upsbyaconceptual framework. Our analysishence showsthe significanceof the access to complementary resources, the co-creation and co-development of value as well as the systematic implementation of a proof of conceptin the light of thesecoopetitive relationshipsbetween CIIAs and external start-ups.However, consideringthat thisresearch has been based on the German automotive industry only, it will require further research in other contexts, sectors or countries. To conclude, thisthesis contributes tothe management literature ofcoopetition, corporate innovation and entrepreneurship. We proposeda finalframeworkto highlightthekey motives, the management and the implications behind thecoopetitive relationshipsbetween OEMsand external start-upsthrough the CIIA platform.This willexpectedly help managers and entrepreneurs develop efficientmanagement techniques as well asfurther recognize and understand the influential dynamicspresent in these relationships

Visando o crescimento de empresas de base tecnológica, nota-se um movimento de cooperação entre Universidades, incubadoras de empresas, parques científicos e outros segmentos da sociedade nacional e internacional, com o objetivo de conectar e estimular redes de conhecimento para que o empreendedorismo seja fomentado de forma eficiente e proporcione a geração de empresas estruturadas e sadias a médio e longo prazo. O principal objetivo desse trabalho foi buscar contribuir com o estudo de como são gerados os ambientes chamados de ecossistemas de inovação, uma vez que o foco esteve voltado para uma pesquisa qualitativa, através da análise de depoimentos, de parte dos atores envolvidos em estudo de caso ligado à rede internacional de incubadoras e parques científicos/tecnológicos do sistema agroalimentar, denominada AGROINNCUBA e apoiada pelo Programa CYTED. Após a análise e observação dos discursos dos coordenadores e responsáveis pelas incubadoras de empresas vinculadas à AGROINNCUBA, pôde-se perceber que o fomento do empreendedorismo de fato ocorre no ecossistema a que incubadoras de empresas e parques estão inseridos. Ao final, foram confirmadas as hipóteses iniciais, uma vez que: a) o estudo de caso sugere que as incubadoras e parques científicos e ou tecnológicos da rede constituem parte de um ecossistema de inovação e que a o vínculo com centros de pesquisa e universidades mostrou-se vital para o seu bom funcionamento e, b) que a Rede AGROINNCUBA é formada por um conjunto de membros mais maduros e outro conjunto com membros ainda em consolidação. A interação entre esses dois grupos foi considerada saudável e produtiva no sentido de se buscarem processos de evolução e compartilhamento de curvas de experiências. / Aiming at the growth of technology-based companies, there is a movement of cooperation between universities, business incubators, science parks and other segments of national and international society, with the objective of connecting and stimulating knowledge networks so that entrepreneurship is fostered efficiently and provide the generation of structured and healthy companies in the medium and long term. The main objective of this work was to contribute to the study of how the so-called ecosystems of innovation are generated, once the focus was on a qualitative research, through the analysis of statements, on the part of the actors involved in a case study linked to the international network of incubators and science / technology parks of the agro-food system, named AGROINNCUBA and supported by the CYTED Program. After analyzing and observing the speeches of the coordinators and managers of the incubators of companies linked to AGROINNCUBA, it was possible to see that the promotion of entrepreneurship actually occurs in the ecosystem to which business incubators and parks are inserted. In the end, the initial hypotheses were confirmed, since: a) the case study suggests that incubators and science and technology parks in the network are part of an innovation ecosystem with strong links with research centers and universities. This connection was vital to the genesis and its proper functioning and, b) that the AGROINNCUBA Network is formed by a group of more mature members and another group with members still in consolidation. The interaction between these two groups was considered healthy and productive in order to look for processes of evolution and sharing of experience curves.