Mapping Regional Innovation Ecosystems to Boost the Effectiveness and Impact of Knowledge Exchange and Generation

The convening group are looking to set out an agenda of research to map Regional Innovation Systems using new data sources, methods and interactive visualisations in partnership with Nesta. In part, this builds on and extends work Nesta has undertaken with Welsh Government. The approach is also informed by a more holistic perspective (working beyond STEM to include capabilities and skills beyond narrow ‘tech transfer’ conceptions of innovation and knowledge exchange), and benefits from the input of expert researchers from disciplines acrossGW4. This initiative is to both catalyse new research activity and also to inform better decisions by all actors in regional innovation ecosystems (particularly universities), leading to stronger, better, and measurable impacts.

Following some initial interest in this area, a roundtable was convened by the GW4 social science group to discuss how GW4 colleagues and Nesta could work together to map innovation in regional innovation ecosystems. The roundtable produced an initial draft research plan, and a facilitated workshop would build on this to scope the project.