Advance / How we support districts / PP DRAFT – Empirical Research
GIID's independent, practice-oriented research pinpoints the assets and strategies that help innovation districts sharpen their competitive edge
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GIID delivers robust, empirically-grounded research that drives real-world impact
We partner with a range of actors advancing district growth:
Innovation districts
At any stage of development, district leaders call on GIID to better understand their competitive advantages, gaps, and opportunities for growth.
Anchor institutions
Universities and medical institutions bring in GIID to define or evolve their role as anchor — identifying the assets they bring and how to leverage them for maximum impact.
Governments
Public sector leaders at every scale turn to GIID to advance knowledge-intensive economies and tackle social inequities — through an impact-oriented, place-based approach that puts local actors at the center.
Developers & Companies
Developers build districts from the ground up while companies grow within them. Both partner with GIID to define their highest-value role — from R&D placement and talent attraction to market growth.
Explore our groundbreaking research for five key insights into what innovation districts are today — and what they can become when their full potential is unlocked.
Research built for action
GIID delivers clear, actionable findings through written analysis, intuitive maps, charts, and tables — designed to help actors leverage their strengths and advance a purposeful innovation ecosystem.
Our research spans four main types:
Mapping R&D Strengths
Analyzing top areas of research commercialization, research impact, and how industries cite and build on a district’s institutional expertise.
Constellations of Innovation
Evaluating the full ecosystem of innovation hubs — and mapping the extent to which they collaborate on research and commercialization activities.
The Place-Innovation Nexus
Highly-illustrated analysis and benchmarking of the physical assets that shape district performance — from development density and land use to accessibility and porosity — with cross-district comparisons to reveal where differences prevail.
Organize for Success
District success hinges on how well they are organized. GIID’s dedicated research evaluates leadership capabilities and governance structures — identifying what high-performing districts across all stages of growth do differently.
"The deeper analysis, and the overview and evidence that the GIID team is providing us, is really helping to clarify and to accelerate our progress."
Tell us more about your ambitions and how GIID could support you.
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