Hidden Champions and their integration in rural regional innovation systems: Insights from Germany

Abstract This article studies the integration of Hidden Champions – little-known highly innovative global market leaders in rural regional innovation systems (RIS) Germany. These firms are analyzed relation to their into a RIS framework, which differentiates two subsystems: knowledge generation and diffusion, application exploitation. The relevance firm-internal firm-external influencing factors on is examined. proposes that weakly integrated due international sales focus high technological specialization. To test this premise, 57 expert interviews with actors were conducted. It was found key influences for firm type ownership structure, size, organizational status, location economies, urbanization economies. Family businesses average more than other types, but vary significantly integration.