What are innovation districts?
article – July 30, 2024
Innovation districts are urban hubs integrating research, startups, and public spaces to drive collaboration and growth.
Learn / About innovation districts
About innovation districts
Defining the role and impact of innovation districts
We define innovation districts as geographic areas where leading-edge anchor institutions and companies cluster and connect with start-ups, business incubators and accelerators. They are also physically compact, transit-accessible, and technically-wired and offer mixed-use housing, office, and retail.
Unlike science parks and science corridors that use expansive greenways and parking lots to separate institutions and companies, innovation districts embrace the attributes of density and proximity to facilitate collaborative, “open” innovation and strong social networks. Inside these growing and everchanging districts, workers learn new ideas from fellow workers, entrepreneurs learn from nearby mentors, and venture capital firms are more likely to wisely invest in a company they can observe.
Essential research
The evolution of innovation districts
The new geography of global innovation
research – June 7, 2019
This report highlights strategies for leveraging assets, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring sustainable growth in innovation ecosystems.
The rise of innovation districts
A new geography of innovation in america
research – November 12, 2014
This report examines urban districts where institutions and startups cluster to drive innovation and economic growth.
