While most innovation collaboration projects consist of partners who are located at close proximity, recent literature has explored the development of innovation collaboration in the context of non-spatial proximity. Using a longitudinal mixed methods design, this article explores the inter-regional collaboration of triple helix partners from four non-contiguous European regions (Bucharest-Ilfov, Romania; Central Hungary, Hungary; Castilla-La Mancha, Spain; and South East, Ireland) which worked together to develop an inter-regional innovation system. The results from the study identified three non-spatial forms of proximity (social, cognitive and organisational) that were key determinants for developing the successful inter- regional innovation collaboration studied in this research. Based on the findings derived from this research, an inter-regional innovation system framework was developed to facilitate collaboration between stakeholders based in non-contiguous regions without them having to depend on geographical proximity. The major contributions of this research to theory and practice are the development of a novel framework for inter-regional innovation systems (iRIS) which can be applied by stakeholders in regions that want to collaborate from a distance. Furthermore, the research suggests that the substitution mechanism of geographical proximity consists of not just one non-spatial form, but it consists of the three non-spatial forms identified in this research.

虽然大多数创新合作项目由距离很近的合作伙伴组成，但最近的文献已经探索了在非空间邻近的背景下创新合作的发展。本文使用纵向混合方法设计，探讨了来自四个不相邻的欧洲区域（罗马尼亚布加勒斯特-伊尔福夫；匈牙利中部；西班牙卡斯蒂利亚-拉曼恰；和爱尔兰东南部）的三螺旋合作伙伴的区域间合作)，共同打造跨区域创新体系。该研究的结果确定了三种非空间形式的邻近性（社会、认知和组织），它们是本研究中研究的成功开展区域间创新合作的关键决定因素。根据这项研究得出的结果，开发了一个区域间创新系统框架，以促进非毗连区域的利益攸关方之间的协作，而不必依赖地理上的邻近性。这项研究对理论和实践的主要贡献是为区域间创新系统 (iRIS) 开发了一个新框架，该系统可供希望远程协作的区域利益相关者应用。此外，研究表明，地理邻近性的替代机制不仅包括一种非空间形式，还包括本研究确定的三种非空间形式。这项研究对理论和实践的主要贡献是为区域间创新系统 (iRIS) 开发了一个新框架，该系统可供希望远程协作的区域利益相关者应用。此外，研究表明，地理邻近性的替代机制不仅包括一种非空间形式，还包括本研究确定的三种非空间形式。这项研究对理论和实践的主要贡献是为区域间创新系统 (iRIS) 开发了一个新框架，该系统可供希望远程协作的区域利益相关者应用。此外，研究表明，地理邻近性的替代机制不仅包括一种非空间形式，还包括本研究确定的三种非空间形式。