Within the context of global production the interactions among endogenous and foreign firms and their respective innovation systems, as well as strategic governmental policies favouring the exchange, may give rise to either virtuous or vicious circles of development through technological spillovers (Cantwell 1989, 1995a; Perez 1998), therefore, the foreign factor should be considered an important component within the triple helix paradigm in developing countries. This paper argues that in developing countries foreign direct investment is a factor needed within the triple helix paradigm as it may catalyzes some technology transfer and through its operations may create certain synergy that favours innovation, entrepreneurship and even the planning of a technological learning process in the host country. In order to develop the argument, this paper presents the case of the electronics cluster of Jalisco, Mexico.Dentro del contexto de la producción de interacción de compañías endógenas y extranjeras y sus respectivos sistemas de innovación, como también sus políticas estratégicas gubernamentales que favorecen el intercambio, pueden vislumbrar a círculos virtuosos o viciosos de salpique de desarrollo tecnológico (Cantwell 1989, 1995a; Perez 1998), de ésta manera, el factor extranjero es considerado un componente importante del paradigma de la triple hélice en países en vías de desarrollo. Este trabajo discute que en países en vías de desarrollo la inversión directa extranjera es un factor necesario dentro del paradigma de la triple hélice y puede catalizar algún tipo de transferencia tecnológica, y a través de operaciones puede crear cierta sinergia que favorece la innovación, el emprendimiento como también la planificación del aprendizaje tecnológico en los países huéspedes. Con el propósito de desarrollar la discusión, este trabajo presenta el caso del cluster electrónico de Jalisco, México.Within the context of global production the interactions among endogenous and foreign firms and their respective innovation systems, as well as strategic governmental policies favouring the exchange, may give rise to either virtuous or vicious circles of development through technological spillovers (Cantwell 1989, 1995a; Perez 1998), therefore, the foreign factor should be considered an important component within the triple helix paradigm in developing countries. This paper argues that in developing countries foreign direct investment is a factor needed within the triple helix paradigm as it may catalyzes some technology transfer and through its operations may create certain synergy that favours innovation, entrepreneurship and even the planning of a technological learning process in the host country. In order to develop the argument, this paper presents the case of the electronics cluster of Jalisco, Mexico.