Behavioral Triple Helix for Innovation

Abstract The Triple Helix model argues for the need to increase entrepreneurial activity among academics, with support from the government and industry. It is widely used but often relies on assumptions of rational coordination and overlooks how real-world decision-making is shaped by bounded cognition, heuristics, and uncertainty. This work introduces a behavioral reinterpretation of the Triple Helix, grounded in theories of bounded and ecological rationality. A conceptual framework is presented to distinguish between Non-Adaptive and Adaptive Bounded Rationality, offering a tool for identifying when and how different behavioral policy instruments should be applied at the meso level, that is, in the interactions between the helixes. Practical implications are explored in areas such as innovation policy design, the behavioral design of public-private partnerships, and startup – investor dynamics. The work contributes to bridging behavioral public policy with innovation governance, offering both theoretical foundations and actionable insights for policymakers, researchers, and ecosystem stakeholders.