Who advances districts? - The Global Institute on Innovation Districts

Actors advancing R&D

Innovation districts emerging globally are adjacent to these research actors, a critical part of a district’s DNA

Organizations that perform translational R&D that impacts the district’s ecosystem

Organizations that develop or apply knowledge to create or improve cutting-edge products, services, or processes

Organizations that support startups and the translation of new ideas

Organizations performing translational R&D, entities that support businesses, and convenors that aggregate actors around specific industry clusters

Local foundations, workforce organizations, and community development corporations

Governments draw connections between people, places, and ideas, and create infrastructure that integrates districts with their surroundings

Developers shape the physical landscape of districts, creating attributes of complexity, density, and mixed uses and activities

Local and community foundations, along with national philanthropy, invest in innovation districts

Asset-rich companies, civic entities, venture capital firms and financial institutions that invest at scale in innovation districts

Legally independent organizations with the purpose of supporting the growth of the district