10195 K. Wennberg, C. Sandström (eds.), Questioning the Entrepreneurial State, International Studies in Entrepreneurship 53, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94273-1_6 D. Hjalmarsson

96discusses the identified types of support in light of different conceptual models in an attempt to explore possible program theories. In line with Vedung (1997), the aim is to reconstruct program theories that involve both the individual actor, the firm level, and the market level. Support is vital for startups which have positive effects at the overall market level. Further, a concluding discussion of all types of publicly financed support examines the overarching questions of how the identified practices are validated in light of (different) theoretical approaches, and whether and how program theory arguments can be further translated into a framework for local structures that develops local innovation support systems. Finally, some ideas for further discussion are suggested.

2

The Umeå Region Innovation System: Organizing

Entrepreneurial Judgment

Three incubators linked to the University of Umeå in northern Sweden offer the empirical basis for this chapter. These incubators are well known, have received high ratings from several external reviews, and receive annual support from the Swedish innovation agency Vinnova. The state-owned Almi Business Partner—one of Sweden’s major provider of support for small and medium-sized firms (SMEs)— ranks one of the incubators, Uminova Innovation, as one of Sweden’s leading university incubators. The other incubator, Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI), has been declared Scandinavia’s best biotech incubator. The most recently established incubator, eXpression, develops new methods to support new creative industries. In total, the incubators facilitate over 100 startups every year.

All incubators are majority-owned by the Umeå University Holding Company. They are closely linked to the university’s innovation office, which manages the system and exercises pre-incubation activities like scouting for business ideas with commercialization potential and research ideas that can be utilized by society. The innovation office acts as a bridge between the university, the incubators, and society at large.