Technology Platforms As An Important Instrument Of Formation Of The Regional Innovation Milieu

The research aims to determine the ways to overcome the problems in the innovation sphere of Ukraine's regions, including an unfavourable innovation milieu and inefficient mechanisms of interaction and communication among the participants in the innovation process. The theoretical concepts and practical aspects of the innovation milieu influence on the innovative development of regions and countries have been investigated; a favorable innovation milieu development has been defined as the main task of the regional innovation policy. The importance of social capital for the innovation milieu formation has been proved by means of theoretical generalization. The features of technological platforms as a tool for providing a synergetic effect of the interaction between the regional innovation milieu stakeholders have been investigated through the analysis of the instruments for the innovative environment formation. On the basis of summarizing the strategy documents and experience of the European Union, the conceptual components of the establishment and functioning of technological platforms have been defined: the functions of a technology platform and its participants, the stages of its formation, the fundamental difference between a technological platform and a cluster. The influence of technological platforms on solving innovation problems has been studied with Ukrainian regions taken as an example. The preconditions for introduction of technological platforms in Ukraine have been determined, in particular the necessity for this kind of tool, the accumulated domestic experience in the establishment and operation of technology platforms and obstacles along the way. The findings of the research have shown the role of technology platforms in the formation of the regional innovation milieu based on the European experience, and the prospects for application in the Ukrainian practice.