Understanding niche innovation systems for plastic revaluation set up by universities and NGOs

Complexity theory-based literature suggests that for empowering radical change like the one towards sustainable development in a regional system, the focus of governing actors should be on establishing and supporting niches. Such processes have been studied for triple helix processes involving actors from politics, companies and universities which implement top down defined solution. Little is, however, so far known about how actors such as universities and NGOs can empower niche set up processes when politics reaction to slow and grassroots movements are involved. This paper provides exploratory insights in the characteristics and patterns of such niche set up processes from three case studies in the context of plastic revaluation initiatives.