Revitalizing Regional Industries through Public Innovation Intermediaries: A Multi-Stage Evaluation of the Maritime Open Lab Model

As regional industrial hubs face structural decline, the "Regional industrial resurrection (RIR)" model—utilizing Open Labs to integrate high-end infrastructure with customized corporate support—emerges as a critical solution to bridge the systemic "triple burden" of capital, talent, and infrastructure deficits. This study evaluates the Busan maritime Open Lab's performance (2021–2022) focusing on representative SMEs, with outcomes strictly verified by national authorities. Technical KPIs improved significantly: design lead times were reduced by 50–60%, and technology readiness advanced from TRL 5 to 9. High-fidelity results included 0.027% spatial precision and 91 FPS rendering stability, facilitating industrial-grade digital twin commercialization. Economically, these firms realized over 3.3 million USD in consolidated revenue, achieving a +66.4% organic growth rate based on a constant exchange rate to isolate macroeconomic volatility. Socially, the Open Lab’s contribution resulted in 11.5 verified new employees, proving the model’s capacity for regional job creation. Qualitative surveys revealed a 100% satisfaction rate for technical advisory, confirming the Open Lab’s role as an essential "Innovation intermediary". Finally, the study proposes tailored expansion strategies for Taebaek/Samcheok, Gumi, and Gunsan across South Korea. These findings underscore the vital importance of public-led shared infrastructure and specialized human capital support in responding to declining regional industries.