The International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP), whose 350 members host around 115,000 companies in 81 countries, in September announced at the organization’s conference in Beijing the three winners of its Inspiring Solutions awards, designed to highlight innovative practices. Here are the three winners, selected from an original pool of 30 submissions from 20 different countries.
First Place: Linköping Science Park, Sweden: “The city as a testbed: testing green ideas in Linköping”
“Testbed Vouchers enable SMEs to test climate-smart innovations in real-life municipal environments,” the IASP stated. “Through fast funding and strong public-private collaboration, companies can validate and scale sustainable solutions that support Linköping’s goal of becoming climate neutral by 2030.”
Launched in 1984 in the Mjärdevi area in Linköping, Östergötland, Linköping Science Park is home to operations from over 600 companies employing more than 14,000 people.
Second Place: KACST, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: “KACST Venture Program (KVP): Implementation of innovation hexagon”
“KACST STP design and implement a deep tech commercialization program (KVP) using an extended Triple Helix model,” IASP said of the work by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology’s Science and Technical Parks. “In addition to Government, Academia, and Industry, this ‘Innovation Hexagon’ model incorporates the Entrepreneurial community, Investment community, and NGOs to accelerate lab-to-market success and deliver real-world impact.”
Third Place: Solution Innovation District, Awka, Nigeria:
“1 million anambra digital tribe initiative”
“1 Million Anambra Digital Tribe (1MADT) is a free digital skills training initiative by the Anambra State Government’s Solution Innovation District, aiming to upskill 1 million people,” IASP stated. “It empowers youth, women and informal workers through online learning, driving jobs, startups, and inclusive economic transformation across the state.”
“Governor Soludo’s strategic investments in technology infrastructure, his relentless focus on empowering our youth, and his firm commitment to building a world-class innovation district have been the wind beneath our wings,” said Ms. Chinwe Okoli, special advisor to the Governor on Innovation and Business Incubation, of the leadership of Anambra State Governor Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo. “This achievement demonstrates that with purposeful leadership, emerging economies can not only participate in but excel on the global innovation stage.”
IASP maintains a library of best practices that showcases all
10 finalists from all 12 years of the Inspiring Solutions program at www.iasp.ws/our-industry/inspiring-solutions. — Adam Bruns
