Science parks as drivers of European innovation

What began at the innovation landscape of Lausitz concluded in the surroundings of Potsdam. Together, the two experiences offered an illustration of what European Science Parks are capable of when collaboration and vision come together. 

Ahead of the Second Potsdam International Forum, a delegation of IASP members visited Lausitz Science Park in Cottbus, one of Germany’s science park projects in development. The group included IASP CEO Ebba Lund, who had the opportunity to present IASP, along with Justyna Adamzka from Poznan Science Park, Bernhard Lamprecht and Pamela Kogelnik-Mühlmann of Lakeside Science & Technology Park, among others. The programme offered a rich combination of research excellence and ecosystem insights from a region in transformation, serving as a reminder that some of Europe’s most exciting stories are still being written. 

Following the visit, the Potsdam International Forum "Science Parks and Competitiveness: Bridging Regional Growth and European Innovation and Research Policy" was held on 15–16 April 2026, which brought together policymakers, innovation leaders and science park practitioners from across Europe to address one of the continent's most pressing challenges: how to translate state-of-the-art research into scalable, regionally anchored innovation. With close to a hundred participants, including 27 IASP members from 19 countries, the Forum had multiple keynotes and panel discussions.

The forum opened with host Agnes von Matuschka, IASP European Division President and Potsdam Science Park CEO, who emphasised that science parks and other innovation spaces are key spaces where knowledge transfer, networking, and lasting partnerships take shape. That theme ran through the first day's sessions, featuring speakers from the European Commission, the European Innovation Council and other EU actors. One thing was clear: innovation ecosystems and physical hubs such as science parks are essential for European competitiveness as they bridge the gap between ideas, industry, and academia. 

IASP CEO Ebba Lund delivered a keynote on "European Innovation Spaces - IASP Insights", drawing on the recently published IASP white paper to outline the factors that shape the competitiveness of science and technology parks in Europe. IASP President Salvatore Majorana, CEO of Kilometro Rosso, also addressed the forum, exploring how science parks can serve as connectors of global talent and act as trusted environments for cross-border collaboration.  

Day two focused on regional models, multi-site ecosystems and the evolving role of science parks as orchestrators of territorial innovation. IASP members Linköping Science Park, Kunnskapsbyen Lillestrøm, and WISTA Management GmbH each drew on their own experience to address regional alignment, resilience and the role of trust and human connection in making collaboration work. The afternoon sessions brought further perspectives from Basque Country Technology Park, NOI Techpark, and Poznań Science and Technology Park on the transition from single-site to networked ecosystems, and the importance of branding and citizen engagement. 

The recurring message throughout the forum was that Europe's challenge is not a lack of innovation, but a lack of connection. As Agnes von Matuschka noted in her closing remarks, innovation does not just happen on its own; it requires orchestration. For IASP and its members, this forum was both a demonstration of that principle and a call to action. The conversations will continue at the IASP World Conference this October in Cannes!