Mission-driven organizations

Examples of mission-driven organizations include legally independent, not-for-profit organizations, companies limited by guarantee, associations, or development corporations.

These structures have the clear goal of growing and developing the district by addressing gaps in the ecosystem, leading physical transformation activities, or creatively delivering new innovation infrastructure (such as essential core labs and other R&D facilities). Because of their mission-driven activities, it is essential that these entities receive capital, spend capital, and generate capital to finance their work.

There are two types of mission-driven formal organizations leading districts:

• Dominant Player model: In this case, one large anchor institution dominates land ownership and use in the innovation district, facilitating a streamlined approach to governance. Sometimes governance happens within the anchor institution via internal offices of real estate, facility management, or tech transfer.
• Multi-stakeholder model: The most common type of mission-driven formal organization, where multiple stakeholders serve on the board or sit on an empowered advisory committee. In either case, stakeholders are given authority to make decisions on how and where to advance the district.