Innovation districts are hyper-local innovation geographies that leverage unique assets–their R&D strengths, quality place, and strong relationships and networks–to drive new levels of economic and innovative growth. On-the-ground practice demonstrates that government contributes to the success of fast-growing innovation districts by championing, convening, and catalyzing these districts. The most optimal set of conditions to advance a district is when a collective of local stakeholders conceive a vision that powerfully aligns with government ambitions through policy, regulatory tools, and government powers. Building off research led by Julie Wagner at the Brookings Institution, Julie and the team at The Global Institute have developed a series of videos to further elevate the important roles that government can play in this field.
Julie Wagner, president of The Global Institute, and David Brito, research associate, have interviewed four leaders from three different levels of government:
- Yuval Admon, Deputy Head of Israel’s National Economic Council
- Professor Caroline McMillen, Chief Scientist for South Australia
- Dr. Joan Clos, Former Mayor of the City of Barcelona
- Ruth Engels, Spatial Economic Advisor at the City of Amsterdam
Government as a champion
Framing the conversation
Julie Wagner, President, The Global Institute on Innovation Districts
How can governments act as champions for innovation districts?
Julie Wagner highlights the power that governments at all levels have to create and champion a vision, develop a strategy and persuade key stakeholders to get involved. Julie introduces three speakers – from a national government (Israel), a state government, (Australia) and a city government (Amsterdam) – who explore how they have acted to champion innovation districts.
National Government
Connecting Israel’s ministries is important
Yuval Admon, Deputy Head of Israel’s National Economic Council
Government as a convener
Framing the conversation
Julie Wagner, President, The Global Institute on Innovation Districts
How can governments act as convener for innovation districts?
Julie Wagner explains how government can ignite the collective power of the different actors in innovation districts, by playing the convener role. Three speakers, from the governments of South Australia, Israel, and the City of Amsterdam, explain how their respective governments pulled actors together to help them to collaborate to compete.
State Government
The different roles are played at different stages of district development
Professor Caroline McMillen, Chief Scientist for South Australia
National Government
Connecting the dots within government and bringing players together around the same vision
Yuval Admon, Deputy Head of Israel’s National Economic Council
City Government
Improving the connections between the knowledge quarters within the city of Amsterdam
Ruth Engels, Spatial Economic Advisor at the City of Amsterdam
Government as a catalyst
Framing the conversation
Julie Wagner, President, The Global Institute on Innovation Districts
How can governments act as catalyst for innovation districts?
Julie Wagner talks about the strategies that governments can use when developing an innovation district. These can include policy and regulation strategies, tax incentives, strategies around land use and zoning, all of which can have a catalytic effect on the development of an innovation district. Julie introduces speakers from a national government (Israel), a state government (South Australia), and a city government (Barcelona), who illustrate the strategies at play in their respective geographies.
National Government
Promoting funding early on in the process
Yuval Admon, Deputy Head of Israel’s National Economic Council
State Government
The importance of investing in key infrastructure
Professor Caroline McMillen, Chief Scientist for South Australia
City Government
A complete overhaul of the urban plan, paired with a large investment in infrastructure made 22@ possible
Dr. Joan Clos, Former Mayor of the City of Barcelona
New roles of government
Framing the conversation
Julie Wagner, President, The Global Institute on Innovation Districts
What other new roles are governments taking to advance innovation districts?
Julie Wagner introduces three speakers from a national government (Israel) and two city governments (Amsterdam and Barcelona), who discuss new roles that their governments have taken to advance innovation districts.
City Government
The city of Amsterdam is stimulating, steering, and partnering with local actors to help advance its knowledge quarters
Ruth Engels, Spatial Economic Advisor at the City of Amsterdam
National Government
The Israeli national government partners with local players, putting its land and government R&D facilities in the mix
Yuval Admon, Deputy Head of Israel’s National Economic Council
City Government
The city of Barcelona has undertaken a complex process of legal, zoning and planning transformation that has facilitated the 22@ innovation district
Dr. Joan Clos, Former Mayor of the City of Barcelona
The balance of power
Framing the conversation
Julie Wagner, President, The Global Institute on Innovation Districts
How is the power balanced between the different levels of government and the local actors on the ground?
Julie Wagner introduces two speakers from a city government (Amsterdam), and a national government (Israel), who discuss how their governments have addressed this delicate question.
City Government
The city of Amsterdam supports the bottom-up approach, and actively connects the different districts within the city
Ruth Engels, Spatial Economic Advisor at the City of Amsterdam
National Government
The Israeli national government holds much of the power and funds that are allocated to specific district projects
Yuval Admon, Deputy Head of Israel’s National Economic Council
Advice to other governments
Advice for other governments that want to advance their innovation districts
Our four speakers from a national government (Israel), a state government (South Australia), and two city governments (Amsterdam and Barcelona), address their peers with advice on how to help advance innovation district initiatives in their own countries, states, and cities.
City Government
Choose the location wisely, make sure you have a critical mass for the project to take off!
Dr. Joan Clos, Former Mayor of the City of Barcelona
National Government
Continue being a champion within government throughout the process, and talk to the local actors to learn more about their motivations!
Yuval Admon, Deputy Head of Israel’s National Economic Council
State Government
Look at lessons learned and talk to people who’ve travelled the road!
Professor Caroline McMillen, Chief Scientist for South Australia
City Government
Stay in close contact with the local players to ensure policy is aligned with the ecosystem’s needs!
Ruth Engels, Spatial Economic Advisor at the City of Amsterdam
Other strategies
Our conversations with government leaders captured other important lessons:
Our first speaker, from a city government (Barcelona), outlines how the city created a special purpose municipal company to drive the development of their innovation district.
The next speaker, from a state government (South Australia), explains the importance of creating the right kind of infrastructure.
Last but not least, a speaker from a national government (Israel), talks about how innovation districts are a strategy for regional growth in the country’s periphery.
City Government
Creating the special purpose municipal company in Barcelona, was a key move to successfully develop the 22@ innovation district
Dr. Joan Clos, Former Mayor of the City of Barcelona
State Government
The importance of providing the right kind of infrastructure for the ecosystem to flourish
Professor Caroline McMillen, Chief Scientist for South Australia
National Government
In Israel, innovation districts are a regional growth engines deployed to develop the country’s periphery
Yuval Admon, Deputy Head of Israel’s National Economic Council
