Panel conversation – Building competitiveness – Weaving local innovation ecosystems
Local innovation ecosystems are complex fabrics that evolve over time and include stakeholders from all sectors of the economy. Successful ecosystems resemble rainforests, with diversity, connections, feedbacks, metabolism. It is not enough to have isolated resources (players, infrastructures, expertise, capital etc.) in place, as the performance of innovation ecosystems is a function of the level of connections and interactions among them. To advance local innovation, there is a need for purposeful initiatives to connect stakeholders and weave local ecosystems.
Anuar Buranbayev, Partner, Center for Research and Consulting, Kazakhstan
Panagiotis Nikas, Governor of the Peloponnese, Greece
Mohamad Haris Kader Sultan, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA), Malaysia
Carlos Bulhões, President, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Vassilis Kafatos, Partner, Clients & Industries Leader, Deloitte & Leader of Deloitte Alexander Competence Center
Moderator: Paul Madden, Director, Centre for Competitiveness, U.K.
Discussion questions:
- What should leaders do to weave innovation ecosystem in regions and cities?
- What are vital programs that have advanced local innovation in your realities?
- What workforce development initiatives are important to advance local innovation?