Abstract

There is no universal law for realizing the contribution of universities in the development of regional innovation systems. Much depends on the context of the country, resources of a particular region and socio-cultural characteristics. This paper examines the impact of the triple helix model on the development of small innovative enterprises (SIE). The main goal of the research is to identify the role of cooperation between universities, industry and government in the development of small innovative companies. Using the descriptive and analytical method, data was collected from 50 small innovative companies in Tehran province, and a random sample of 10 companies was selected, and the data was completed through standard questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 30 specialists and academic experts, and the data analysis was done using SPSS software was used and the results showed that effective collaboration and the use of technology significantly affect the development of innovation.  The strong positive correlation between these variables (r = 0.845 and r = 0.873, respectively) indicates the importance of interactions between institutions in increasing innovation capabilities. Also, the findings indicate that the research and development budget does not have a direct effect on innovation, but cooperation with universities and the use of technology are the keys to success in this field.  This paper advises policymakers and small business managers to focus on strengthening collaborations and investing in technology to achieve sustainable growth and development.