Blockchain-Based Intellectual Property Tokenization and the Evolution of the Triple Helix: Towards Distributed Innovation Governance

The emergence of blockchain technology and the ability to tokenize intellectual property presents a challenge to the Triple Helix model of university-industry-government relations. This paper extends Triple Helix theory by introducing Distributed Innovation Governance, a coordination mode that transcends traditional boundaries through algorithmic mediation, multi-stakeholder value creation, and emergent governance. Using the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman framework with empirical data from technology transfer economics, network effects, and blockchain governance, we show that an optimal tokenization rate of 52.5% balances innovation acceleration with coordination complexity. Monte Carlo simulations reveal that this rate varies between 44–61% depending on institution-specific factors. Case studies from Switzerland, the U.S., the U.K., and Germany demonstrate how tokenization creates a fourth helix of decentralized stakeholders, transforming universities, industry, and government roles. This framework offers a proactive model for future experimentation in tokenization, acknowledging its exploratory nature.