Project

Reconsidering the role of innovation agencies: TAFTIE Presidency

Published

Innovation agencies have a vital part to play in developing strong innovation ecosystems. They are catalysts, supporting innovative businesses, entrepreneurs and researchers with varying combinations of funding, advisory services and networking activities. Increasingly, these agencies are also being called on to lead or coordinate ambitious missions that respond to major societal challenges. However, they often face a difficult balancing act between the need to plan and invest for the long term, and the reality that their missions, structures and approaches are prone to evolving significantly and sometimes quite suddenly in response to shifting political or societal priorities.

IGL supports innovation agencies to be effective change agents by helping them to develop the culture, capabilities and tools that enable them to be experimental and innovative, to evaluate the impact of their actions, and to reflect on the different roles they may need to take on in the future.

In 2023, IGL is collaborating with Croatia’s innovation agency HAMAG-BICRO in its leadership of the TAFTIE network of European innovation agencies. The theme of the presidency is ‘reconsidering the role of innovation agencies and mutual learning’, with sessions dedicated to technology transfer, intellectual property, start up and scale up support, and engagement with European funding and support instruments. IGL is designing surveys and other research activities on these topics, and will be sharing analysis and insights throughout the year.