ABSTRACT
The Parc d’Innovation d’Illkirch is a very ambitious project of extraordinary relevance for the economic development of the Communauté Urbaine de Strasbourg (CUS)1 and the whole Greater Strasbourg region. The major objectives are, first, the creation of a highly specialized research and innovation centre of international relevance and, second, the project seems to be a suitable tool to accelerate the economic restructuring of the Strasbourg region. For different reasons the Parc d’Innovation d’Illkirch is a good example of a French-style technopole and very suitable for scientific analysis. The project has now reached maturity, thus enabling a performance review of the original objectives and the identification of the significant problems. Although more than 2,000 new jobs were created at the Parc d’Innovation d’Illkirch it is questionable whether the general strategy of the project is the right one in terms of a tool for regional development. Why has only one-third of the area been commercialized after a run-time of twenty years? Why is public investment still dominant and what about the relatively poor investment of global players? After a short explanation of the French technopole politics we discuss below the history, the goals and planning methods, the current situation of the Parc d’Innovation d’Illkirch and the problems the project is facing.
