Identifying the Key Actors of Innovation Ecosystem in Downstream Petrochemical Industry of Iran

Nowadays, considering the speed of technological progress and increasing attention to innovation as drivers ofeconomic development, Attention to the design and development of innovation ecosystems more than ever isgrowing. Innovation ecosystems develop and evolve on the subject of technology, sector or industry as a networkand strategically in order to create entrepreneurial activities. One of the most important steps on the path of designof innovation ecosystems is search, identify, select and deployment of key actors in the innovation ecosystems.This study is an applied research with qualitative approach using multiple case study was carried out to identify thekey actors in the design of petrochemical downstream industry innovation ecosystem. The findings show that sixactors will play a key role in the development of petrochemical downstream industry innovation ecosystem thatincludes orchestrator, Accelerators, Human and physical infrastructure suppliers, venture capital, lead users and leadexperts Which in turn are NECO business development holding as a orchestrator, NECO industry management as anaccelerator, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Petrochemical Research and Technology Company (NPCRT),research institute of petroleum industry, Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Research Center of Iran, andDepartment of Chemical Engineering in Sharif, Amir Kabir and Tehran universities as suppliers of Human andphysical infrastructures, Innovation and Development Fund as a venture capital, public relations unit of NationalPetrochemical Company and Companies with demo plant as lead users, knowledge based companies as lead expertsin Iranian petrochemical downstream industry innovation ecosystem.

Keywords:

Innovation Ecosystem Design , Key Actors , Petrochemical Downstream Industry