Successful cooperation by higher educational institutions (HEIs) in mutually beneficialsynergistic relationships with governments and business is a core driver of growth andinnovation in knowledge-based economies. Whereas, in most European Union (EU) countries,university-business interactions have been widely fostered in an array of diverse cooperationpatterns, structures and schemes, Central Asian (CA) countries are only just beginning tocreate strategies and structures that have a clear focus to promote sustainable economicinnovation. However, there are many obstacles on the path towards embedding an innovationstructure and culture in CA economies. The project on which this research is based introduced, developed and implemented “Innolabs” as sustainable, user-centred initiatives, built onexperience from the EU and elsewhere, to foster knowledge exchange and innovation. Theaim was to help CA HEIs link academic research and knowledge production with anentrepreneurial spirit, through adopting a greater interdisciplinary focus on social andorganizational practices and the needs of innovation end-users. In turn, this would foster moretargeted organizational development and a growing innovation culture in staff, students andthe local business environment. This paper assesses the process of design andimplementation of Innolabs as context-appropriate and user-centred instances.