MEDIA RELEASE PR36790
European Cities Leading U.S.A. in Innovation Race
MELBOURNE, Oct. 27/Medianet International-AsiaNet/ --
Innovation Analysts 2thinknow released today a 4 year global study of which cities were winning the global
innovation race and why, in an in-depth report. The centrepiece of the Innovation Cities Analysis Report was a
162-indicator framework to build innovation cities globally.
Using this framework, the top 3 European cities were Vienna, Amsterdam and Paris. German cities
Hamburg, Stuttgart, Berlin and Frankfurt ranked among the world's top 25 nexus cities for innovation
competing among London, Lyon, Barcelona, Geneva, Copenhagen and Strasbourg.
Europe dominated 68% of top 25 nexus cities globally for innovation. Germany had the most nexus cities
(4), followed by France.
Examining 31 innovation segments, the 2thinknow Innovation Cities Framework applies 162 indicators in a
structured analysis and planning framework for measuring, defining and building an innovation city. For
reporting this is communicated as 3 factors -developed cultural assets, human infrastructure - for mobility,
start-ups, education, technology - and networked markets.
The strong German and European showing was due to cultural assets, coupled with relative infrastructure
improvements and opportunities of a shared European market. Recent innovation initiatives were "working in
Europe", analysts said.
Christopher Hire, innovation analyst and Executive Director at 2thinknow, authors of the report, said that
cities "want to innovate and profit from the new era of networks and connectivity will need to be networked.
Not just digitally, but physically. The next high growth company - and next jobs - will come from clusters of
cities that are interconnected."
"Cities that can inspire ideas, implement locally and network globally."
In the U.S., failure to reform innovation would leave high unemployment U.S. cities chasing Europe in an
innovation race. Most U.S. cities also have a large infrastructure gap with Europe in air-travel, fast-rail, finance
and mobility, and competed in education.
A bright spot for North America was Boston, identified as the world's number one innovation city. San
Francisco, New York, post-Obama Washington D.C. and Toronto were the only cities competitive with
European nexus innovation cities.
In Asia and North-west Europe, digital mobility - an ability to be online anywhere - was singled-out as a key
driver in innovation-led economic growth.
The Innovation Cities Analysis Report followed release of the Innovation Cities Index, part of the European
Year of Creativity and Innovation.
Image of Christopher Hire, Executive Director of 2thinknow, presenting the Innovation Cities Analysis
Media spokesperson:
Christopher Hire,
Executive Director,
2thinknow
Phone: +61-409-787-960
Phone: +61-3-9225-5284 [switchboard]
SOURCE: 2thinknow
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