Open Innovation Intermediaries – Current Roles and Benefits

The paper aims at clarifying the changes in the role and benefits of selected prominent US. and European open innovation intermediaries in technology market in the period 2010-2016.Design/methodology/ approach: The changes in the role and benefits of selected open innovation intermediaries in time are analysed by their key characteristics using the case study design and the secondary data from websites and related publications on twenty intermediaries out of several hundred in the market. Findings: The total number of open innovation intermediaries has grown during the past decade to several hundreds. The analysis of selected prominent US. and European intermediaries confirms strenthening European competition, global focus, continuing business growth with broadening of portfolio of services, and building strategic partnerships and communities around online platforms.Research/practical implications: The primary aim is to fill up the gap in the research and publications on open innovation practices, especially on open innovation intermediaries and their benefits for companies. The secondary aim is to increase the interest in benefits of open innovation practices and related innovation intermediary services among the Slovak companies and give incentives to the Slovak government bodies to integrate measures on open innovation support in the national innovation policies.Originality/value: The findings and conclusions in the paper may be used as an impulse for government bodies and innovation agencies in Slovakia to expand the current innovation policies for promotion of open innovation methods and models. This can foster innovations in SMEs with insufficient R&D capacities mitigating their innovation risk at the same time.