Innovative environment for regional development in the concept of "smart specialization"

Innovative development of regions is the direction of modern domestic and foreign scientific thought. The transition to an innovation-oriented economic model that takes into account regional specifics is a response to the global challenges of the world market. Therefore, the issues of creating favourable regional conditions for the activation of innovative activities of participants in the innovation process in the region, which are defined by such a definition as the innovation environment, become relevant. The versatility of studying the innovation environment in the modern scientific theory of innovation and the practice of innovation in Russian regions is undeniable. The article presents the results of research on the formation and development of the innovation environment in the region, according to the European concept of “smart specialization”. This approach is based on the model of a four - link innovation spiral, which uses close interaction of the main groups of stakeholders-participants in the innovation process in the region. The approach also involves organizing the process of “entrepreneurial search” to select priorities for innovative development of the territory based on the principles of “smart specialization”. The innovation culture created by the interaction of regional stakeholders and determined by the level of their innovation activity is of great importance for the innovation environment. Identified in the study “trouble spots” in innovation policy and practice regional innovation process can form the main actions for increase of level of innovative activity of participants of the innovation process in the region for the development of its innovative environment.