A City and its Science Park: building a local system of innovation for urban and economic development

In July 2000, at the city of Recife, in the northeast region of Brazil, a joint venture involving Government, Academia, and the Private Sector, created the Porto Digital Science Park. Eight years later, Porto Digital hosts over 100 firms in the information and communication technologies (ICT) industry, 70% of the local software industry GDP, universities, and R&D centres of global ICT leaders. Porto Digital was created with the goals of launching the local ICT industry in global markets, reshaping local economy, and, at the same time, reviving the historical port area of Recife, which had been for centuries the citys cultural and economic heart. The first goal of this article is to present Porto Digital as a case-study of a successful and synergistic local development endeavour. The second is to describe a conceptual framework elaborated and refined during the practical experience, which could be used to guide similar projects elsewhere.