Studies of established regional technological clusters have long documented anchor tenants as significant factors in their growth and success. However, in the conception of a potential new cluster, the potential of certain types of anchor tenants; perceptions about their expected benefits and hence role, is unknown. This talk focuses on a proposal to develop a new tech-based cluster in the UK. By drawing on a unique survey of UK-based automotive and aerospace firms, we examine the perceived respective roles of, and interplay between, university and corporate anchor tenants in cluster creation. Furthermore, the authors identified some characteristics of the firms most likely to observe future potential benefits stemming from a) the presence of the public anchor (PuAT) alone, and b) a public anchor (PuAT) that has a research-based relationship with a co-located private anchor (PvAT). It was found to be a highly innovative, highly R&D intensive firms that are already embedded in knowledge and business networks, are the most likely to perceive benefits from, and therefore be attracted to, the anchor tenants in the potential cluster (although financial constraints may inhibit them from fully exploiting regional synergies with them). The proposal that the presence of a PvAT can amplify the attractiveness of the PuAT to firms and heighten the likelihood of a cluster emerging around the tenants. The implications lead us to provide policy recommendations.

Dr Felicia Fai's research interests focus on the development and leveraging of technological capabilities at different units of analysis.

Professor Philip Tomlinson's research embraces an inter-disciplinary approach with a strong research interest in the interplay between economic governance (which includes regulation), innovation, regional development and place-based industrial strategy.

With Mr Christos Dimos, University of Bath.