Abstract In different parts of the world, a variety of initiatives are being implemented to promote water innovation. This paper explores the role of virtual incubators in fostering water-related innovations in Africa, using the case of VIA Water, a Dutch programme that promotes water innovation in African cities. Virtual incubators operate and provide their services primarily online. The results of this study confirm the additionality and disruptive nature of virtual incubators. In virtue of the gaps they are likely to fill in the innovation systems for water, these incubators can be an effective policy instrument for fostering water-related innovations in Africa. However, given their limitation to perform some functions in local innovation systems, virtual water incubators should be used along with other support mechanisms. The paper concludes that, to realise their full potential, water innovation support programmes must be locally embedded and target at least three levels: the micro, mezzo and macro levels. Only then can they attract full recognition and significantly influence the performance of water innovation systems.

中文翻译：

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通过虚拟孵化促进非洲的水资源创新：来自荷兰 VIA Water 项目的见解

摘要 在世界不同地区，正在实施各种举措以促进水创新。本文以促进非洲城市水资源创新的荷兰项目 VIA Water 为例，探讨了虚拟孵化器在促进非洲水相关创新方面的作用。虚拟孵化器主要在网上运营和提供服务。这项研究的结果证实了虚拟孵化器的额外性和破坏性。由于它们可能会填补水创新系统的空白，这些孵化器可以成为促进非洲与水相关创新的有效政策工具。然而，鉴于它们在地方创新系统中执行某些功能的局限性，虚拟水孵化器应该与其他支持机制一起使用。该论文的结论是，要充分发挥其潜力，水创新支持计划必须植根于当地，并至少针对三个层面：微观、中层和宏观层面。只有这样，他们才能获得充分的认可并显着影响水创新系统的绩效。