Innovation is the most important contributor to long-term economic growth. It is not just about “pushing the frontier”, but also about the spread of ideas and technologies throughout the economy. Innovation diffusion can help regions to catch up by integrating and building on existing ideas and technologies. Yet, the spread of innovation seems to be slow. What are the mechanisms of innovation diffusion, what are the barriers and how can regions more actively and successfully learn in order to increase their productivity, competitiveness and wellbeing?

The webinar is arranged by OECD Trento Centre for Local Development and its OECD Spatial Productivity Lab in collaboration with Swedish Entrepreneurship Forum

Speakers

Rudiger Ahrend
Head of Division, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, OECD
Linara Axanova
Senior Associate Director, Penn Center for Innovation, US
Ron Boschma
Professor of Regional Economics, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
Katerina Ciampi Stancova
Scientific Officer, JRS, European Commission
Riccardo Crescenzi
Professor of Economic Geography, LSE, UK
Johan Eklund
Managing Director, Swedish Entrepreneurship Forum
Alexander Lembcke
Head of Unit, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, OECD
Joaquim Oliveira Martins
Special Advisor, EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms; Counsellor, CEPII, France
Eva Schelin
CEO, The Knowledge Foundation, Sweden
Alison Weingarden
Policy Analyst, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, OECD