GIID’s Global Network “Pioneers”

Districts that joined The Global Network of Innovation Districts in 2022

In March 2022, 23 innovation districts from 10 countries worldwide, joined forces through the Global Network of Innovation Districts to advance one of the most promising models for 21^st century innovation, work and urban living.

The 23 innovation districts taking part are located across Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia and Asia.

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The Global Network recruited this initial group of districts to:

Create a powerful collective of districts worldwide, sharpening how districts work and learn together to evolve.

Advance their own districts, sharpening and strengthening the model of innovation districts.

Conduct cross district empirical analysis and elevate new findings through disseminating research, as well as advance districts’ positioning through the creation of investment prospectuses.

The Program for Global Network “Pioneers”

The power of innovation districts lies in their unique attributes and capabilities. That’s why we developed a tailored approach for this group of 23 districts, whereby participating innovation districts, working with the Global Network for a minimum of two years, are engaging in the following set of activities below:

“GIID’S analysis of Westmead’s R&D strengths has been a useful tool which provides an evidence base on the District’s research strengths from which to develop a new and updated value proposition. With a competitive landscape of health investors being targeted by international jurisdictions, it’s vital that we have granular and detailed insight into the research strengths and growth trajectory that we can take to industry. GIID’s analysis is helping us do that. We want our economic development strategy to communicate our strengths with a greater degree of specificity and opportunity for industry state-wide, nationally and internationally.”

– Davor Jozic
Director – Innovation Ecosystem, Westmead Health and Innovation District, Greater Cities Commission

Robust Empirical Research

Deep empirical analysis of each district helps understand an innovation district’s specific challenges and how to leverage its unique strengths. Such analysis across the 23 districts is also allowing The Global Institute to better identify the R&D strengths that are unique to particular innovation districts. This type of analysis is helping to address concerns, raised by governments and other investors, who have sometimes questioned whether districts’ declared R&D strengths are either unique or supported by sufficient evidence (see quote to the right).

Additionally, comparative analyses across these districts is helping to develop evidence to benchmark and identify new typologies for innovation districts. This includes defining and defending key features of what comprises an innovation district, so the brand is not lost or diluted.

“When we had the session with GIID on boundaries, it hit us hard because we realized that our district was too big (452 hectares!). Other districts were much smaller. So then we knew that we needed to “shrink to succeed”. This led us to start an intensive communication alignment between us internally, so we could agree on presenting a smaller geography.”

– District leader

Tailored Peer-to-Peer Learning

Districts meet on average about once per month in large-peer sessions or in small groups to advance their work. Key features of peer-learning among the 23 districts have been:

Large peer sessions: Districts are learning about a comprehensive set of high-level strategies essential to advancing districts. This has enabled the districts to develop a common language and understanding of the field. Topics already covered include: defining an innovation district’s boundary; vision and ambitions; governance; equity and inclusion; how to leverage an innovation district’s R&D strengths; and communicating for impact.
Small group cohorts: The Global Institute also divides the 23 districts into smaller, tailored cohorts which share similar characteristics and face similar specific challenges or opportunities. These cohorts give leaders in innovation districts the space to support each other in advancing their practice in very concrete ways. See example in quote from district leader below.

“In our governance cohort sessions last summer, we talked about the challenges of securing stakeholder buy-in to support our transition to a new district governance model. We found other district leaders were facing a similar challenge. GIID suggested reaching out individually to our stakeholders to better understand their priorities. We consulted on our proposed Governance model. People were excited about the opportunity. They have the desire to “own” and “shape” the district themselves.”

– District leader

Strategic Guidance to Advance the Practice

A key goal of the Global Network is to transform strategies into concrete solutions and tactics. The work in smaller, curated groups through the cohorts (as described above) and in one-on-one meetings is the main mechanism that the Global Network uses to deliver on this aim. Supported by The Global Institute and/or their peers, each district is developing and implementing new processes or products to strengthen and accelerate its growth.

Through these small group activities or one-on-one meetings, participants can tap our thought leadership and network of experts. They also benefit from the experience of more mature districts. See example to the right.

Strategies to Increase Visibility and Recognition

This first group of districts in the Global Network is forming the basis for The Global Institute’s empirically-rich research. Districts will be highlighted in future publications on the rise and evolution of districts, expanding their global reach and exposure. We are also working alongside districts to increase their visibility through public information and branding strategies. Meanwhile, districts, themselves, are amplifying the work of their peers through their own publications, social media and discussions. See an example here of a blog that the Innovation Quarter in Winston-Salem, United States published amplifying the work of their peers in the Global Network.