
Navigating the Future of Innovation Districts
In September 2024, 180 brilliant minds gathered at the conference “Navigating the Future of Innovation Districts”. They represented diverse European and US districts, industry players, hospitals, universities, businesses, and investors.
The conference covered four topics:
- The Value of the Place: The importance of the geographic location, physical environment and infrastructure of the innovation district was elaborated, and how it contributes to an innovation district’s success.
- Community Governance: Showed how effective governance of an innovation district ensures that various stakeholders work together, fostering an environment that supports innovation and sustainable growth.
- The ecosystem secret sauce: Explored the importance of different anchor organisations and how they contribute to the innovation ecosystem.
- Looking into the future: The last topic addressed how innovation districts buffer social and economic changes and their role in the future.
Read the full report on this link >
Speakers and interviews
Some of the speakers share their take-homes in films, and some of them were interviewed before the conference.
- Opening speech: Karin Wanngård, Mayor of Stockholm
- Anikka Fülöp Laczi, Manager Community Building & Partnerships Science & Business organisation, Amsterdam Science Park Take-homes from Anikka Fülöp-Laczi >
- Annika Borgenstam, Vice President, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
- Annika Östman Wernerson, President, Karolinska Institutet
- Beth O’Neill Maloney, Executive Director, Kendall Square Association Interview “Innovation districts can address the world’s greatest challenges” >
- Christine Wergeland Sørbye, CEO, Oslo Science City Take-homes from Christine Wergeland >
- Emma Frost, Chair, UK Innovation Districts Group
- Filippa Kull, Business Development Director, Stockholm Science City
- Jacob Sahlqvist, Managing Director, White Arkitekter Gothenburg
- Johan Christenson, Partner, HealthCap
- Johan Weigelt, CEO, KI Holding and KI Innovations
- Jonas Schorr, Partner, Urban Impact Take-homes from Jonas Schorr >
- Lena Mäler, Deputy Vice President, Stockholm University
- Magnus Björsne, CEO, AstraZeneca BioVentureHub
- Mikael Ahlström, Entrepreneur and CEO, The Park
- Peter Skogh, Museum Director, The National Museum of Science and Technology
- Peter Wallenberg Jr, Chair, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation
- Petter Hartman, CEO, Medicon Village Innovation
- Simon Danielsson, Project Manager, KFUM Central Take-homes from Simon Danielsson >
- Stefan Dahlbo, CEO and President, Fabege
- Stefano Minini, Project Director, Lendlease
- Travis McCready, Head of Life Sciences, Americas Markets, JLL Take-homes from Travis McCready > Interview Meet Travis, the Guru of innovation >
- Ylva Williams, CEO, Stockholm Science City Take-homes from Ylva Williams >
- Moderator: Dr Tim Moonen, Chair Co-Founder, The Business of Cities, LondonBelow is the report and take-homes from the conference. Take-homes Tim Moonen > Interview “Why innovation districts matter” >