Engaging Actors for the Development of a High-Tech Cluster

This chapter introduces the case of the northern state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, where particularly after 2003 the state government began implementing actions aimed at developing high-technology clusters in the region around strategic knowledge areas, biotechnology being one of them. In this context, the chapter presents findings from an empirical investigation on the interactions between academia and industry, focusing on the university biotechnology researcher's viewpoint. The author hopes to contribute to not only to the growing body of empirical literature on how relevant actors within a regional innovation system engage in working relationships particularly with high-technology industries, but to inform policymakers for the better design of instruments aimed at strengthening university-industry interactions.