Unlike development strategies for prosperous regions and their prioritisation of high-tech sectors, alternative strategies for left behind places are suggested that shift to foundational economies, community-based social innovation and well-being. While we support this emphasis, we see a tendency to neglect the role of change agents engaged with research and teaching in high-tech domains for initiating new regional growth paths. This study shows how initial funding has promoted change agents and the emergence of today’s cybersecurity ecosystem in the old industrial region of the Ruhr. The ecosystem generates fast-growing high-tech start-ups and contributes to positive regional identification. Our paper suggests combining alternative development strategies and the support of change agency from high-tech domains to develop left behind places.

中文翻译：

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“落后”地区的高科技发展：鲁尔区网络安全生态系统的经验教训

与繁荣地区的发展战略及其优先发展高科技产业不同，落后地区的发展战略建议转向基础经济、基于社区的社会创新和福祉。虽然我们支持这一重点，但我们看到一种趋势，即忽视在高科技领域从事研究和教学的变革推动者在开启新的区域增长道路方面的作用。这项研究展示了初始资金如何促进变革推动者以及当今鲁尔老工业区网络安全生态系统的出现。该生态系统催生了快速发展的高科技初创企业，并有助于积极的区域识别。我们的论文建议将替代发展战略与高科技领域变革机构的支持相结合，以发展落后地区。