abstract
- This study aims to provide targets for companies to be attracted to a nascent university-led innovation district initiative, to reach a high-efficiency level. To do so, the Data Envelopment Analysis and the Bootstrap method to estimate statistics from a population were utilized to benchmark the best innovation districts in the United States. The results determine the sales from innovation per employee and the percentage of innovation of sales that the companies -to be established in the district-must have to be comparable to the analyzed districts. Furthermore, the study considers the Mexican and regional context as essential in customizing such metrics to make the goals 'realistic.' A recommendation to the university leading this effort is to apply a strategy that consists of these elements: the organization of group research, the creation of research with commercial potential, the development of organizational mechanisms to move commercializable research beyond the academic borders, and the integration of academic and nonacademic organizations in the innovation district. © 2023 PICMET Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology(.