IASP Beijing Training Seminar - laying the groundwork for innovation spaces

Just before our 42nd World Conference officially began, newcomers to our industry had a chance to join our dedicated training seminar, moderated by Alicia Shelley, Director of Operations & Partnerships at IASP. The seminar covered key elements of Science and Technology Parks (STPs), Innovation Districts (IDs) and Areas of Innovation (AOIs) to help individuals to understand and integrate core strategies for such innovation spaces. This intensive one-day training course welcomed 7 speakers covering the main building blocks of what any new AOI/ID/STP project should bear in mind.

Setting the stage - models and business creation

Opening the day’s talks, Ebba Lund, CEO of IASP, gave an overview of the different models, spanning AOIs, IDs and STPs, and the strategic choices that they can make during their development. She also shared information about the IASP Strategigram tool, which is an exclusive tool available to members of our association and allows users to analyse and reflect on their strategy as well as monitor their profile over time.

The session went on with Tom Bentley, from Melbourne Innovation Districts (Australia), who focused on the models and presented insightful content and cases from his ecosystem, sharing insights on how Innovation Districts are integrated into the broader urban renewal. They integrate research, enterprise, culture, and civic life directly into cities, creating shared platforms that enable collaboration, skills development, and inclusive growth. His presentation explored the role of innovation districts in building thriving communities, drawing on Melbourne’s City North District and RMIT University’s Social Innovation Precinct. 

The next session contained a detailed analysis on the business creation and business incubation, where Lamaie Benmakhlouf, from Technopark Morocco shared various approaches on their successful strategies for the development of science parks across their region, where they have developed a deep understanding of entrepreneurship drivers, from supporting tech startups to capacity building. 

AOI/ID/STP services and marketing

Justyna Adamska, Poznan Science and Technology Park (Poland), discussed the services that innovation spaces can offer, highlighting how it is these services which help such innovation ecosystems differentiate themselves from other locations. She highlighted the importance of tailoring the service offering to local contexts and the stages of evolution of each. They are crucial catalysts for innovation, economic growth, and knowledge transfer,and play a critical role in fostering a thriving innovation ecosystem.

Following on from this, Agnes con Matuschka, Potsdam Science Park, (Germany), discussed the impact of a cohesive communication and marketing strategy in effectively communicating the importance of Science and Technology Parks to stakeholders, potential clients, decision-makers, and the wider community. She presented a conceptual framework and hands-on impulses for understanding how identity and marketing can be strategically combined to implement targeted and meaningful marketing communication. 

Collaboration and governance

To cultivate success, good stakeholder management and smart governance is key. Romildo Dias Toledo Filho, Parque UFRJ, (Brazil) delved into the synergy between innovation spaces and universities. He emphasised how these collaborations promote research and entrepreneurship, connect academia with the market, attract talent, and contribute to the creation of dynamic innovation ecosystems. Building on this, attendees then heard from Scott Levitan from RTP (USA), as he shared the highs and lows of governance strategies in their experience, underscoring the importance of collecting, connecting, and fostering a collaborative platform for people.

Overall, these training seminars help to provide the tools, knowledge and information to global STP, AOIs and innovation districts to help to cultivate growth, success, and sustainability within our community. With thanks to all our speakers and participants for your involvement.

Stay tuned for next year's edition at IASP Sophia Antipolis - keep an eye on our events page for further updates.