Regional Innovation Networks

PIECES OF CHINA - The Greater Bay Area : a powerful concept still unfamiliar abroad The Greater Bay Area (GBA) is one of the most ambitious regional projects in the world. With a population larger than Germany’s and an economy the size of South Korea’s, it is already a global powerhouse. And yet, outside Asia, the concept of the GBA remains little known. This is surprising, given its scale and its centrality to China’s future. ▫️ An economic giant The GBA brings together 11 cities in southern China: Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Huizhou, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing. Together, they count more than 86 million people (more than the population of Germany) and produce a GDP of around USD 2 trillion, on par with South Korea or Canada. ▫️ A history of transformation This power did not emerge overnight. In the late 1970s, the Pearl River Delta was chosen as a laboratory for China’s “reform and opening.” Shenzhen, then a fishing village, became a Special Economic Zone and grew into one of the world’s top technology hubs within four decades. Guangzhou consolidated its role as a logistics and manufacturing center, while Hong Kong remained a gateway for capital and global finance. By the 2000s, the region had become the “world’s factory”. ▫️ Complementary strengths The uniqueness of the GBA lies in its diversity. Hong Kong is a global finance hub; Shenzhen is the cradle of innovation, home to Huawei, Tencent, and BYD; Guangzhou drives industry and logistics; Macao adds culture and tourism. The surrounding cities, from Foshan to Dongguan, specialize in advanced manufacturing and components. ▫️ Innovation and integration The region is also becoming a leader in green energy, electric vehicles, biotech, AI, and advanced manufacturing. With hundreds of universities and research institutes, the GBA files more patents annually than most countries. Infrastructure projects such as the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, high-speed rail, and expanded airports are knitting the region together into a “one-hour living circle,” where people, capital, and goods circulate seamlessly. ▫️ Why it matters globally And yet, the GBA as a concept lacks global brand recognition. Say “Silicon Valley,” and everyone immediately understands. Say “Greater Bay Area,” and even business professionals hesitate. But the comparison is valid: the GBA is already one of the world’s leading clusters of innovation, finance, and manufacturing and by 2035, it aims to stand alongside New York and Tokyo as one of the three great bay areas worldwide. 💡 My Piece of Advice: Don’t think of Shenzhen, Hong Kong, or Guangzhou in isolation. Think of them together as the Greater Bay Area a global innovation cluster that is still underrecognized abroad, but that will play a decisive role in shaping China’s technological and economic future. ____________ #PiecesofChina #GreaterBayArea

📝 🇺🇸 🇪🇺 🔎 Excited to see our new collaborative study on circular business models & circular economy policy in the U.S. and Europe published: https://lnkd.in/eddrsMh3 👉 🔍 💡 We investigate how policy in one jurisdiction might positively shape circular innovation in other jurisdictions that lack strong circular economy regulatory frameworks of their own 👉 🔍 💡 We specifically investigate the Brussels & California effects, known from previous work where positive policy spill-overs have been identified, because of more stringent environmental regulations in one jurisdiction compared to another 👉 🔍 💡 This new study shows us that there are various positive spillover effects driving circular innovations even where there is a lack of direct country legislation 👉 🔍 💡 Specifically, we found that U.S. companies are deeply influenced by both EU and Californian regulations in their circular innovation practices 👉 🔍 💡 Characteristics of the ‘typical’ U.S. consumer may call for specific circular business models, different from other contexts like Europe 👉 🔍 💡 Key barriers to circular innovation include the lack of a comprehensive policy framework in the U.S., opposition from competitors, and making novel circular business models work in the U.S. legal context 👉 🔍 💡 Strategies to overcome these include: getting legal support for circular business models, developing (local, regional) U.S. regulations, level the playing field for all U.S.-based companies, lobbying for supporting regulation, industry collaboration, and finding a good market fit for circular business models 👉 🔍 💡 Future research can build on this to further enhance our understanding on how policy might positively drive circular economy innovations in international companies affected by different jurisdictions Published today together with Matthew Coffay (Centre for Sustainable Business // CSB NHH) & Carl Dalhammar (IIIEE at Lund University) in Circular Economy and Sustainability - CIES (Springer journal): "The Brussels and California Effects? Circular Economy Policy Influence Across Borders". Circular X Maastricht Sustainability Institute European Research Council (ERC)

The ultimate book that I've been searching for years 📕   For those who know me (or follow my content), you'd know that I love learning geography, history and culture of different countries. I often procrastinate by reading random Wikipedia articles and exploring cities on Google Maps street view. I especially love maps…so much so that I even started the websites "Global AI Regulation Tracker" and "Note2Map", which are all about tracking stuff on a world map!   An angle that I'm always curious about is "tech geography". i.e. the 'soft' culture, mindsets, language, stories and habits that shape a tech hub or smart city (beyond government regulation, policies and programs). For a while, I had been looking for a book *specifically* on modern geography of tech hubs around the world (not just Silicon Valley).   Indeed, it's a niche ask. I didn't expect there would be any book of this kind, and that it would be on me to read widely and connect the dots myself.   But finally, I stumbled upon this newly published book in my local bookstore. True to its title, *The New Geography of Innovation (2025)* by Mehran Gul dives into the 'secret sauce' behind the tech hubs of US, China, UK, South Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, Germany and Canada.   When I say 'secret sauce', I'm talking about really specific and fascinating fact nuggets, such as: 💡 The history of Tsinghua University and the origin of China's tech talent 💡 How minor kinks in California's labour laws shaped Silicon Valley 💡 The 3 cycles of Korean tech entrepreneurship 💡 How tech talent runs deep in Singapore government 💡 How Swiss university fee structure and trains led to a tech boom 💡 How evolving family-business culture will shape the future of German tech   Gul provides balanced narratives, backed up with countless case studies and authentic expert interviews, all tied together in an engaging fun-to-read story.   This is not a sponsored post btw. I genuinely cherish this book, and actually read it twice (first for leisure, second for notetaking). It's a book that I'll regularly refer back to whenever I study a new country. It's one book worth 10 books. Highly recommend it. #book #tech #read #digital #recommend

📍 Penang: The Silicon Valley of the East is here to stay. In 2026, its position as a leading tech hub is confirmed. Decades of industrial strength combined with bold digital transformation have turned it into a place where manufacturing excellence meets future‑ready innovation. Here are 10 reasons why Penang stands out as a formidable global tech hub in 2026: 1) Established Semiconductor Ecosystem Penang offers a mature, plug‑and‑play environment hosting nearly 40 OSAT and EMS firms. It contributes up to 13% of the global chip packaging and testing market, serving as a critical link in the worldwide supply chain. 2) Move to High‑Value Design Beyond manufacturing, the state is advancing into IC design and advanced packaging. Investments in heterogeneous integration and fan‑out technology target high‑performance computing and AI, keeping Penang relevant as chip complexity grows. 3) AI‑Manufacturing Integration Through initiatives like AI Horizon 2026, AI is embedded in core industries for predictive maintenance, efficiency, and smart production. Local factories now act as a large‑scale testbed for Industry 4.0 solutions. 4) ESG as a Competitive Advantage The Penang Green Industry Programme standardises sustainability via training, carbon tracking, and green financing. “Made in Penang” has become a trusted label for products meeting strict global environmental standards. 5) Expanding Data Centre Capacity Modular, medium‑scale data centres are growing to support edge computing in industrial zones. These facilities ensure low‑latency data flow essential for AI development and automated manufacturing. 6) Strong Technical Talent Base Institutions such as the Penang Skills Development Centre produce a steady stream of skilled engineers. This deep talent pool is the main reason multinationals locate R&D and advanced operations here. 7) Structured Digitalisation Efforts Events like PDX2026 | Penang Digitalisation-AI Conference & Exhibition align government, tech providers, and SMEs, closing gaps in digital adoption. This coordinated approach speeds up transformation for businesses of all sizes. 8) Forward‑Looking Governance Proactive planning integrates AI into urban services and regulation. A stable, tech‑friendly policy framework reduces risk and encourages long‑term investment. 9) Superior Regional Connectivity New subsea cables and logistics links cut data latency and strengthen trade. Combined with established industrial corridors, Penang operates as a seamless hub for Southeast Asia. 10) Robust Investment & Cluster Effect Supported by the National Semiconductor Strategy and green ICT incentives, FDI remains strong. Close proximity of suppliers, manufacturers,and designers creates a self‑reinforcing innovation ecosystem hard to replicate. If you could place a bet on one sector—semiconductors, AI-integrated manufacturing, or green data centers—which do you see as the true "anchor" for Malaysia’s tech future, and why? cc: Ts. Lukas J. Tan

The #GlobalSouth is stepping up, and it’s long overdue. Across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and parts of Asia, more than 130 nations are redefining what it means to grow, trade, and lead in a world that demands both prosperity and #resilience. This is not just a geopolitical movement; it is a deeper realignment that places sustainability at the heart of economic competitiveness, beyond compliance. The Global South accounts for 18% of global GDP and is projected to grow at 4.2% annually through 2029, nearly 2x the pace of advanced economies. Intra-South trade is expected to reach USD 14 tn by 2033. But the drivers of sustainability in these regions are different. In many cases, clean energy, circular systems, and regenerative models are not being pursued to align with the West; they are simply more viable. High energy prices, weak grid infrastructure, and resource scarcity are pushing innovation faster than regulation ever could. The narrative must be owned by the region. I recently had the chance to analyze global committees and working groups defining sustainability standards, the finding was striking! There is an excessive lack of representation from the countries most affected by the outcomes. If countries do not engage, the rules will be written without them. The Global South must lead from its own strengths, not simply respond to frameworks built elsewhere. Markets that must play a larger role: #GCC The ME holds the capital and scale to become a sustainability superpower. However, fossil fuel subsidies and low energy prices are slowing momentum. KSA and UAE must evolve from global buyers of climate tech to regional creators, embedding sustainability within economic diversification. #SouthAfrica With a mature financial system and industrial capacity, SA has the potential to anchor green industrialization. Stronger alignment is needed between sustainability ambition and policy delivery. #Morocco #Egypt These NA economies are building cross-continental connections. The challenge now is to scale from flagship projects to long-term national strategies that attract green capital and innovation. #Nigeria #Kenya #Ghana #Ethiopia These countries represent the pulse of Africa’s next growth wave. Renewable solutions are becoming necessary due to high energy costs and gaps in access. The primary challenge is no longer willingness to act, but access to funding. 5 principles to follow: 1. Ground sustainability in local economics, not foreign frameworks 2. Build homegrown capacity rather than importing solutions 3. Use regional platforms to influence global norms 4. Make sustainability a pillar of economic diversification, not a side objective 5. Pursue tailored compliance strategies without compromising competitiveness The Global South often remains without a seat at the global table. That must change. #Sustainability #GlobalSouth #MiddleEast #Africa #GreenEconomy #ClimateFinance #Resilience #Geopolitics #Innovation

UK Government Modern Industrial Strategy launched in the last 24 hours: what does it mean? I’ve been exploring this using #systemsthinking and a causal loop diagram (CLD) to map its feedback structures. A few key takeaways which might be relevant #business schools… Systemic Insights via CLD: – Investment → R\&D → Innovation → Productivity → Economic Growth → Investment – Skills ↔ Innovation & Infrastructure → Tech Adoption → Innovation → Productivity Key “hubs” include **Innovation**, **Productivity**, & **Economic Growth**, with **Collaboration** and **Skills** as powerful levers. Negative links (e.g., regulatory uncertainty) can weaken investment, while peripheral nodes (e.g., Net-Zero in our simplified map) may need stronger connections to reflect real-world influence. This underscores the need for aligning R&D, #skills, infrastructure, and #sustainability objectives. So, what should business schools do? 🤝 Strengthen Industry Partnerships: Collaborate with firms & regional clusters on real projects. Connect students/faculty to innovation initiatives, boosting learning and local impact. 💡 Focus on Emerging Skills: Update programs for digital literacy, clean-energy management, & advanced manufacturing basics. Equip grads with in-demand skills that feed productivity and innovation loops. 🚀 Foster Entrepreneurship & Scale-Ups: Offer incubators, mentorship, and finance guidance. “Entrepreneurship → Scale-ups → Innovation” will help startups grow and energize the wider economy 🤝🔬Promote Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Bridge business, engineering, sustainability, etc. Joint projects mirror how “Collaboration → Innovation/Skills/Infrastructure” drives broader outcomes. 📜 Short Courses on Policy Signals: Run workshops on navigating regulatory certainty/uncertainty. Helping leaders anticipate policy shifts reduces investment hesitation. 🌍 Champion Regional Engagement: Partner with local authorities & SMEs to tailor programs to regional needs. Reinforce “Regional Clusters → Growth → Inclusive Growth” and support levelling-up. ♻️ Embed Sustainability & Net-Zero Goals: Integrate clean energy case studies & net zero strategy in courses. Aligns with “Net-Zero → Clean Energy → Investment/Innovation,” preparing leaders for green transitions. 📊 Leverage Data & Analytics: Track outcomes of partnerships, alumni ventures, and skills placement. Measurable impact reinforces further investment and collaboration. 🌐 Build Innovation-Focused Alumni Networks : Create forums where grads in high-growth sectors share insights with current students. Sustains knowledge transfer and industry connections. #IndustrialStrategy #SystemsThinking #Innovation #EconomicGrowth #UK #CLD #Policy #Sustainability #Collaboration #Skills

Queenstown may be the most strategically important region in New Zealand without a university. For decades, its growth model has been tourism. Successful, but narrow. The current push to develop a technology cluster reflects a wider ambition to diversify the regional economy and build a more resilient economy. That shift will not happen through startups alone. Every successful regional innovation ecosystem begins with capability. Education is usually the anchor. The NZ Herald reports that the University of Otago is expanding into Queenstown with new programmes and partnerships with technology firms, with courses being co-designed with industry rather than simply delivered by the university. That approach recognises something important. Universities do not build regional ecosystems by exporting degrees. They do it by embedding themselves in the local capability system. But how this is done will matter. Successful ecosystems are rarely created simply by opening a campus. They emerge when education, industry collaboration, professional learning, and entrepreneurship reinforce each other over time. Executive and professional education often plays a critical early role, helping firms and institutions build capability while research activity and degree programmes mature. Queenstown already has many of the ingredients: global connectivity, entrepreneurial residents, investment capital, and a powerful international brand. What it has lacked is a durable institutional anchor. Otago’s move has the potential to provide exactly that. If developed thoughtfully, the Queenstown presence could become a focal point for capability development that connects regional firms, national networks, and international partners. Queenstown is an important place to watch. If this initiative succeeds, it could become one of the most interesting regional economic development experiments in New Zealand. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eR-Uzqce

If you’re trying to understand where Europe’s semiconductor future is being built, this place needs to be on your radar 👇 In the heart of eastern Germany lies one of the key regions shaping Europe’s tech and semiconductor future. Silicon Saxony is a semiconductor cluster based around Dresden, Germany. It’s the actually largest in Europe. Its role in Europe’s semiconductor efforts is well known, but I wanted to understand what’s really driving that momentum. Basically around a third of all chips made in Europe come from this region. To give you an idea, there are over 3,600 companies working in semiconductors, microelectronics, and software here. Employing more than 76,000 people. Everything’s concentrated in one place: chip manufacturers, suppliers, universities, and research institutes. Companies like Infineon, Bosch, GlobalFoundries, and TSMC all have a presence here. And that creates an environment where innovation, production, and talent development all feed into each other. What I really like is that there’s also a growing number of semiconductor and deep-tech startups coming out of the region. With initiatives like the Smart Systems Hub and startup-focused working groups, new companies get access to industry partners, mentorship, and tech infrastructure. Looking at the bigger picture. Why such clusters are so important for the European semicon industry? - First, they help train and keep skilled engineers. - Second, they make it easier to go from research to real world products. - Third, they reduce dependency on global supply chains. - And finally, they attract investment. If Europe wants to stay competitive and build some independence in semiconductors, regions like this are going to be key. Of course there are also important challenges that are faced by Silicon Saxony. High Operational Costs for example. The cost of setting up and running semiconductor facilities in Germany is relatively high. This has led some suppliers, such as Gudeng and Marketech International Corporation, to consider establishing operations in countries like the Czech Republic, where expenses are lower. Another important challenge that I see is the integration of diverse work cultures: As international companies invest in the region, integrating different corporate cultures and work practices becomes essential. Effective collaboration between local and foreign entities is crucial for the cluster's success. Which is difficult enough in "normal times" but given the current political and economic shifts it will be even harder. Of course, no ecosystem is perfect. But the progress in Saxony shows what’s possible when public support, private investment, and technical expertise come together 🤝 .

The standard data center siting model—with its sketchy promises of local economic development—is breaking down. Local leaders are questioning Big Tech’s claims of spillover benefits, even as frustration grows over rising electricity demands--and bills. Which is why it’s time to rethink the hundreds of data center siting deals still to come. As outlined in new work at The Brookings Institution by my colleagues Daniel Goetzel, Shriya Methkupally, and myself, developers, regions, and states need a more mutualistic approach. They need one that links massive data center projects to real investments in regional tech ecosystems. Here's our post: https://lnkd.in/eDhaneiu Today, data centers’ local economic contributions remain modest, despite extravagant promises. Under the standard model, long-term employment is limited once the construction phase ends. The ChatGPT era, however, is disrupting this model. AI firms’ race to scale ever-larger models has driven unprecedented demand for computing infrastructure, forcing rapid deal-making with communities—often amid growing concerns about energy use, noise, and other impacts. These pressures are shifting the balance of power. Regions with land, electricity, water, and permitting authority now have leverage to shape AI-focused data center deals to be more beneficial. And so regions should seize that leverage, and work harder to align deals with ambitious agendas for tech development, R&D, innovation, and entrepreneurship. They should ask for more. And developers facing site scarcity, backlash, and fierce competition may find they need to give more to get the deals done. Given that, we suggest a playbook for higher-order deal-making with hyperscalers and AI upstarts, including: 📈 Structuring negotiations to unlock regional economic development 🏭 Creating regional testbeds with universities, startups, and operators (e.g., CoreWeave, Microsoft, Princeton University, The Johns Hopkins University, University of Wisonsin/Madison) 💵 Converting AI investment into local wealth creation through shared-prosperity models (e.g., @O.H.I.O. Fund, Emerson Collective) 💡 Turning AI energy demand into a regional R&D focus in energy, grids, and emerging technologies (e.g., EmeraldAI Technologies, Fervo Energy, Thintronics®, ComEd) Can it work? We believe it can. Regions are rediscovering that their land, infrastructure, water, approvals, and electricity are precious. They should insist these resources be shared only through grand bargains that deliver lasting, high-value development in return--and they may find their AI partners eventually agree. The Brookings Institution Michael Hicks Paul Kedrosky Maria Messick Joe Parilla Mayu Takeuchi Sanjay Patnaik Amy Liu Karen Hao Brad Henderson Jason Hall Liat Krawczyk Francesca Gabriella Ioffreda

Rural Rwanda is more entrepreneurial than many people think. Yesterday I spent the day visiting a series of businesses across the rural food economy: a coffee farmer, a distributor of locally processed foods, an animal feed producer, a rabbit farm, a pig farm, and a local banker responsible for assessing the risk profiles of these ventures. Two key insights emerged from these candid one-on-one conversations. First: Rural Rwanda is changing quickly. As electrification and connectivity expand, a new generation of rural entrepreneurs is emerging. They are more mobile, more digitally connected, and increasingly treating agriculture not just as a way to feed the household, but as a serious business within the food system. Second: Not everyone is moving at the same speed. Many in the older generation are understandably struggling to keep up with the pace of change, mainly driven by climate pressures, digital tools, and the broader transition from farming as a way to feed the household to farming as a business. This is creating a visible gap inside the same communities. Fortunately, Rwanda’s demographic dividend means a younger generation is stepping in with new ideas, new tools, and a different level of mobility which is positive. But when you spend time listening carefully, another pattern becomes clear: Access to timely, practical information may be one of the biggest untapped opportunities in rural food systems. Information about markets. About inputs. About climate risks. About finance. About what others are trying and learning. This is precisely where networks like the African Food Fellowship can play an important role: bringing people together, connecting actors who rarely meet, and enabling the exchange of knowledge that makes local food systems more efficient, resilient, and opportunity-rich. Sometimes the biggest unlock is not a new technology. It’s simply helping the right people learn from each other.