How to practice the trinomial Creativity, Technology, Entrepreneurship in a business incubator. A long experience of difficulties and successes

Purpose - In the experience of a business incubator a particular aspect is represented by the complexity of adapting its methodologies and strategies to the changing exigencies of the final market and to the growing request for creativity in the content and carriers of the products supplied by the new companies. Creativity is not only fantasy or imagination, but also study of new occasions of use and new ways of dressing, traveling, reading and so on. Design/methodology/approach - The UK's definition of the creative industries includes thirteen sectors: advertising, architecture, the art and antiques market, crafts, design, designer fashion, film, interactive leisure software (ie. video games), music, the performing arts, publishing, software, and television and radio. Because it was the first definition offered by a government, this original UK definition has been widely adopted by other countries, with sectors adapted based on local commercial and cultural importance. UNCTAD's 2008 report Creative Economy suggested a more inclusive definition which brought this term into popular use and recognized the wider societal impact: 'the interface between creativity, culture, economics and technology as expressed in the ability to create and circulate intellectual capital, with the potential to generate income, jobs and export earnings while at the same time promoting social inclusion, cultural diversity and human development. Basing on this definition our work is concerned with putting together creativity, technology and entrepreneurship in a typical incubation activity, enhancing the entrepreneurial potential of the region and promoting real occasions of jobs creation. Originality/value - This methodology puts in evidence that this is a phenomenon of small figures and not an industrial production process : creative industries are strongly based on the human talent but in a right mix with technologies and how - to-do competences. An incubator can cover in particular this last aspect but not to supply missing creativity or the technological illiteracy. Incubators are living a changing period: the original model based on fixed packages of consultancy about marketing, administration and finance, production is totally outdated. Incubation experts are looking for less structured models and much more networked organizational solutions. Practical implications - The outcomes of the application of the described methodological approach are new lines of action for incubators and similar structures and suggest interesting opportunities of exploiting research results or sub-products of the academic research as row material in the new companies creation process.