IASP collaborates with UNCTAD at the 7th World Investment Forum

IASP was pleased to collaborate with UNCTAD, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and to organise a session on science parks and areas of innovation at last week’s World Investment Forum. 

The World Investment Forum is a global platform for engagement and dialogue on emerging and key issues related to investing for sustainable development. Since its inception it has served as the leading forum to leverage investment policy for sustainable development.

Held every two years, the forum gathers more than 5,000 investment stakeholders from 160 countries. The stakeholder landscape encompasses high-level participants from the global investment community, including Heads of State and Government, ministers, executives of global companies and stock exchanges, sovereign wealth fund managers, investment treaty negotiators, heads of investment promotion agencies, international investment location experts, heads of international organizations, parliamentarians, civil society representatives, eminent scholars, and the international media.

In partnership with UNCTAD, IASP organised a session on “Investing in innovation-based development”, where IASP Board members and experts from Brazil, China, India, Italy, Kenya, South Africa, Sweden, and the UK showcased the work of global innovation ecosystems to advance sustainable economic development.

IASP CEO Ebba Lund opened the session alongside James Zhan, Director of UNCTAD’s Division on Investment and Enterprise, and moderator Jacopo Dettoni (fDi Intelligence, Financial Times). Dr. McLean Sibanda set the scene, introducing the main concepts of science parks and areas of innovation which he described as catalysts working as intermediaries between government, research, and business within their innovation ecosystem.

Providing concrete examples from the different national contexts of the UK and Kenya, Gavin Poole and John Tanui shared case studies of their projects, contrasting Here East (UK), with its Olympic origins and a role today with international collaborations, strong ties to the local community and a focus on driving innovation, and Konza Technopolis (Kenya), the 'Silicon Savannah' that forms part of Kenya’s national strategy to transform the country to a knowledge economy.

More global perspectives came to the table at the panel discussion moderated by IASP Vice President Lena Miranda (Linköping Science Park, Sweden), highlighting the value of STPs/AOIs in creating trust for investors to new countries, and their role in stimulating innovation. IASP President Herbert Chen (TusPark, China), Deepanwita Chattopadhyay (IKP Knowledge Park, India), Leandro Pompermaier (Tecnopuc, Brazil) and Roberto Marelli (Kilometro Rosso, Italy) compared the different ownership and operating models, emphasising their role as hubs of knowledge that develop and attract talent. In the broader landscape of SEZs, they described STPs/AOIs as key entities to support innovation and sustainable economic development. 

The importance of international collaboration was another key point in the session, also highlighted in a second session where IASP CEO Ebba Lund participated alongside managers of other networks of Special Economic Zones/Special Innovation Zones, discussing the challenges ahead, the importance of innovation as we look to the future, and the value of global cooperation.

To find out more about the WIF and IASP's participation, see UNCTAD's press release here.