Catalysts of regional innovation: incentive mechanisms for smart specialization

The article examines key forms of stimulating regional innovations within the framework of the smart specialization concept, including special economic zones, clusters, technology parks (technoparks), business incubators, living labs, public-private partnerships (PPP), open innovation platforms and coworking spaces. The relevance of the study is due to the need to adapt innovation policy tools to the challenges of digital transformation and the transition to Industry 6.0. The purpose of the work is to identify the conditions for the effective use of various stimulation mechanisms based on a comparative analysis of international and Russian experience. The methodology includes systematic and structural analysis and the classification of tools according to the criteria of target orientation, functional characteristics and achieved economic effects. The study reviews innovation stimulation and smart specialization practices in the countries of Asia-Pacific region (China, Singapore, South Korea), Europe (Sweden, Finland, Spain, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia), as well as the experience of innovative development of territories in Russia. The research findings demonstrate that the greatest efficiency of stimulating innovation activity is ensured by: а differentiated approach to selecting specific stimulation mechanisms, taking into account the initial level of a region’s innovative potential, the structure of its economy, and the specifics of its institutional environment; the implementation of integrated models involving the synchronized use of multiple complementary stimulation mechanisms within a unified territorial development strategy, ensuring systemic support for innovation processes; a high degree of integration among key innovation stakeholders – public authorities, research and educational institutions, businesses and civil society. The highest levels of productivity and innovation activity are observed in territories where effective coordination mechanisms and knowledge-sharing practices among various innovation ecosystem participants are established, facilitating accelerated innovation diffusion and generating synergistic effects. The practical value of the study lies in the development of recommendations for shaping regional innovation ecosystems, considering territorial specificities, including a modular approach to innovation policy. Particular attention is paid to emerging innovation stimulation mechanisms, such as living labs and digital platforms, which can accelerate innovation diffusion in the context of a new phase of scientific and technological progress. Further research directions include assessing the effectiveness of policy tools under import substitution conditions, developing metrics for measuring the impact of innovation ecosystems on regional resilience, and exploring the role of artificial intelligence in managing regional innovations.