IASP joins UNCTAD discussions at the 2026 Global Investment Forum

From 8-9 September, IASP CEO, Ebba Lund participated in the Future Investment Conference 2026 in Xiamen, China organised by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In partnership with China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT), the conference brought together international stakeholders to explore how technological innovation is shaping investment and the industries of the future.

Ebba Lund attended in her role as CEO of IASP and Co-Chair of the Global Alliance of Special Economic Zones (GASEZ), bringing perspectives from science parks, areas of innovation, innovation districts and special economic zones to the international investment discussion. She is closely engaged in GASEZ alongside UNCATAD's Nan Li Collins, who played a prominent role throughout the event, featuring across several of its high-level sessions.

During the conference, Ebba Lund contributed to the panel “Building Investment Ecosystems for the Industries of the Future”, which explored the conditions that enable science parks and innovation ecosystems to develop beyond a reliance on real estate and incentives and become sustainable, high-performing communities. She highlighted the importance of governance and alignment of multiple actors of an innovation ecosystem, strong links with universities, active management, value-added services and access to funding as important factors in their development, alongside company growth, university-industry collaboration and R&D investment as indicators of success.

While in Xiamen, Ebba Lund also joined an IASP China Chapter Member Salon, hosted by Xiamen BRICS New-Era Science and Innovation Incubation Park in coordination with the IASP China Office, bringing together representatives from innovation ecosystems from across China.