Beyond Boundaries: Balancing Open and Internal Innovation as an STP Strategy for Ecosystem Development 

Innovation is crucial for business competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global landscape. While open innovation fosters collaboration and external knowledge sharing, internal innovation ensures proprietary control and strategic focus. Striking the right balance between these approaches is key to long-term success. STPs play a vital role in integrating both models. This study examines how Tecnopuc leverages its ecosystem to foster bidirectional collaboration. Through design-driven methodologies, its innovation and creativity area helps companies structure projects, integrate external partnerships, and strengthen internal capabilities. By bridging industry, academia, and global networks, this area – named CriaLab – exemplifies how STPs can cultivate a sustainable, knowledge-driven innovation ecosystem.