Living Labs and regional innovation policies in the Mediterranean area

Innovation policies are currently undergoing a transition from a technology orientation to more demand driven approaches with an emphasis on open and social innovation such as Living Labs. The MedLab project has carried out a comparative analysis of regional policies in the Mediterranean area and proposes five strategies for incorporating the Living Lab approach. Three of the pilot experiments in MedLab in Andalusia, Sicily and Cyprus are examined in terms of the Living Lab coalitions being formed and their relation to the hosting region´s innovation policy. While these case studies demonstrate the relevance and feasibility of the MedLab recommendations, they are generally un-linked to mainstream innovation strategies. The conclusions attempt to highlight the strategic options open to Med regions, the Living Lab movement, and the ICT industry for promoting greater coherence between Living Labs and regional innovation policies.