The Guardian article about Innovation Hubs

1. The world's innovation hubs, mapped out | Media | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2009/mar/03/research-researchfunding
The world's innovation hubs, mapped out
Jemima Kiss
Tue 3 Mar 2009 12.04 GMT
Visualisations are only as meaningful as the data that is used to compile them, and this
innovation map comes with some weighty credentials.
Compiled by management consultancy McKinsey with the World Economic Forum,
researchers used 700 variables including infrastructure, demand, government regulation,
human capital and business environment to assess the activity and impact of hundreds of
innovation hubs around the world.

2. The world's innovation hubs, mapped out | Media | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2009/mar/03/research-researchfunding
The analysis picked out some fascinating trends. Firstly, political stability and the quality of
transport and technical infrastructure have to be in place for any innovation hub to
succeed. Secondly, hubs tend to develop a specialism and build credibility as an 'innovation
hot spring', often around a small number of companies, before expanding.
Those hot springs are typically driven by either targeted, government-led investment
projects,
local benefits such as cheap labour and 'knowledge oases' - places with a rich talent pool
like an R&D department or research university. Further contributing factors are local
regulation, local demand or the local investment scene but staffing remains key.
As well as the local talent pool, hubs need to be able to attract 'world-class talent'. There are
emerging problems in Japan and Europe, for example, because of an aging population, and
in the US where highly specialised immigrants are starting to return home. For Asia, the
challenge is training their growing populations to world-class level.
Survival during a downturn depends on diversification, according to the McKinsey
analysis, which has identified three types of mature innovation cluster:
"Dynamic oceans: large and vibrant innovation ecosystems with continuous creation and
destruction of new businesses. Leading innovators and primary sectors change organically
as the hub frequently reinvents itself through significant breakthrough innovations.
"Silent lakes: slow-growing innovation ecosystems backed by a narrow range of very large
established companies that operate in a handful of sectors. These clusters are frequently
the source of a steady stream of 'evolutionary' innovations and step-wise improvements.
"Shrinking pools: innovation hubs that are unable to broaden their areas of activity or
increase their lists of innovators and so find themselves slowly migrating down the value
chain, as their narrow sector becomes less innovation driven and increasingly
commoditised."
No surprise that Silicon Valley is a behemoth on this map, but delighted to see Bristol
makes an appearance.