The sui generis case of Trentino Sviluppo & the 4th Industrial Revolution: Impact on STPs & AOIs

Trentino Sviluppo, identified at the 2018 IASP Conference as a special model for integrating technology, business and education, is a sui generis case in the 4th Industrial Revolution. This paper aims at exploring the lessons learnt in the 4 phases of STPs/AOIs and sketches a few proposals for the future of our Community. It methodologically reviews the general theory of STPs/AOIs, it gives a scientific definition and it provides a panoramic retrospective on the evolution of STPs/AOIs, framing a conceptual analysis of STPs/AOIs on the basis of the academic/scientific and IASP literature.

STPs/AOIs are not institutional islands isolated from the rest in these turbulent times. For this reason, the paper concentrates on Trentino Sviluppo as a hybrid model, an AOI with a regional development & innovation mandate within the smart specialization strategy.

In the conclusion, we observe how “times are changing”, but we locate our reflections, our perspectives and our retrospectives within the framework of science, technology and business. Our proposal is sketched in the conclusion with a set of recommendations, focusing mostly on conceptualizing the role of AOIs/STPs as “catalytic agents of change”, embedded in an innovation ecosystem and in “Regional Innovation Systems”. Bridge-building could be pivotal in the future evolution of AOIs/STPs.