IASP BOOK LAUNCH
PRESS INFORMATION
Catherine Johns, Innovation and Business Growth Director for Business
Durham, is one of 30 global innovation leaders shedding light on the
growing international phenomenon of areas of innovation in a new
publication from the International Association of Science Parks and Areas
of Innovation (IASP).
In this new book Areas of Innovation in a Global World: Concept and Practice, experts from
around the world share their insights, draw up essential criteria for success, share their
practical experience and provide results-oriented guidance for managers of areas of
innovation. With contributions from 15 countries and all seven continents, it is truly a global
project unlike any other.
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, Germany, Ecuador, Finland, France, Russia, South
Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, UK, and the USA
What is this book about?
Halfway into the second decade of the 21st century, a fresh wave of areas of innovation (AOI)
is emerging across the world. These AOIs expand on the concept of the science park and
university environments, and explore the new and even more active role of cities in
stimulating growth via innovation, creating sustainable and effective working and living
conditions, forming appealing urban ecosystems for students, scientists, entrepreneurs, larger
corporations, investors and startups.
Areas of Innovation in a Global World: Concept and Practice addresses the current demand
for AOIs, identifying key trends and concepts, shares management insights and successful
approaches in establishing and running an innovation ecosystem.
Who is this book for?
Areas of Innovation in a Global World: Concept and Practice will benefit managers of areas
of innovation, innovation clusters, universities, science parks, incubators, accelerators, city
policy makers and urban planners, as well as professionals involved in local, national and
international public and development organizations, such as business associations and
chambers of commerce, and any other interest groups looking to discover the logic, expected
outcomes and benefits of the areas of innovation.
It is a valuable tool for innovation community professionals anywhere in the world, addressing
the managerial reality of work in the field.
Dr Anna Nikina, one of the authors and editors of the book, who initiated the book project
together with IASP back in 2014, said:
“The dream was to initiate a project that would bring together the great minds and top
leaders of innovation ecosystems, academia and business, with the aim of sharing
contemporary knowledge and best practices in the sphere of innovation management, as well
as to inspiring outside-the-box modern thinking in the realities where, with the globalization
of technologies, startup teams and R&D, the support mechanisms for successful
commercialization of innovations are reshaping, making visionary leadership and modern
management central to the successful development of high-tech companies and overall
economic growth.”
Catherine Johns was asked to contribute a chapter on the Top 5 challenges of building AOIs
and also co-authored a chapter on the benefits to startups of being located in an AOI. She
commented:
“It was a privilege to be asked to contribute insights from how Business Durham has
developed the North East Technology Park and a great opportunity to showcase other best
practice from around the world. The key insight for us while working on the chapter was that
Silicon Valley cannot be recreated and neither should it be: each AOI needs to be nuanced to
its own locality and create a niche in which it can assume leadership by building on its own
particular strengths and characteristics.”
Luis Sanz, IASP Director General, commented:
“An important trend that we see taking place globally is the increase of areas of innovation –
either by the evolvement of science parks into a broader concept or by new innovation
ecosystems emerging and finding themselves within this new concept that considers all of the
necessary conditions for work and life of entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers and
scientists. The phenomenon pushes organizations, cities and countries to change their way of
thinking and supporting innovation processes. IASP assumed leadership and back in 2010 made
a strategic decision to open the doors of the association to areas of innovation, such as
science cities, innovation districts and other areas of innovation.”
IASP President Jean-François Balducchi (Atlanpole, Nantes, France) said:
“As we are deeply convinced that IASP experience and Innovation leadership can fully benefit
these new types of organizations we are glad to support and sponsor this publication of high
value and outstanding articles gathered from several authors all across our global network,
and to share them with policy makers and innovation professional around the World.”
Key insights, interviews, videos and co-author introductions are available at
www.areasofinnovation.com.
Global innovation leaders contributing to the project include

Arvind Satyam, Industry Solutions, Cisco, USA

Bruce Katz, Brookings Institution, USA

Bruce Wilson, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia

Catherine Johns, NETPark, United Kingdom

Cha Dong Kim, Innopolis Foundation, South Korea

Greg Clark, , Business of Cities Group, USA

Hardy Schmitz, Berlin Adlershof, Germany

Hector Rodriguez, Yachay City of Knowledge, Ecuador

Herbert Chen, Tsinghua University Science Park (TusPark), China

Igor Drozdov, Skolkovo Innovation Center, Russia

Jasmina Berbegal-Mirabent, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Spain

Jerome S. Engel, Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley, USA

Johan Ernst Nilson, Environmental Explorer, Sweden

John Harthorne, MassChallenge, USA

Jorge Audy, PUCRS, Brazil

Julie Wagner, Brookings Institution, USA

Jurgen Ingels, Clear2Pay, Belgium

Lois M. Shelton, California State University, USA

Magnus Lundin, Association of Swedish Incubators & Science Parks, Sweden

McLean Sibanda, The Innovation Hub, Pretoria, South Africa

Montserrat Pareja-Eastaway, University of Barcelona, Spain

Nikita Ageev, Novas Sk, Russia

Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK, USA

Peter Leys, Materialise N.V., Belgium

Samuel Bachelot, Atlanpole, France
Book authors and editors: Anna Nikina, Advisor to Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Counsel,
Acting Chairman of the Board, Skolkovo Innovation Center, Russia; Affiliated Professor,
Grenoble Ecole de Management, France; and Josep Pique, Executive President, La Salle
Technova Barcelona, Spain; IASP.
Publishing editor: Luis Sanz, Director General, IASP.
About the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of
Innovation (IASP)
IASP is the worldwide network of science parks and areas of innovation, founded in 1984.
With nearly 400 members in 70 countries, IASP connects professionals managing science,
technology and research parks (STPs) and other areas of innovation from across the globe,
and provides services that drive growth and effectiveness for members.
IASP members enhance the competitiveness of companies and entrepreneurs in their cities
and regions, and contribute to global economic development through innovation,
entrepreneurship, and the transfer of knowledge and technology.
IASP is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the
United Nations and a founding member of the World Alliance for Innovation (WAINOVA).
For further information about IASP, please visit.
IASP’s mission
To be the global network for science and technology parks, and other areas of innovation,
driving growth, internationalisation and effectiveness for our members.
Main facts and figures
Founded: 1984
Members: 374
Companies: >143,000
Countries: 70
Regional divisions: 6
 African Division
 European Division
 Asia-Pacific Division
 Latin American Division
 North American Division

WANA (West Asia North
Africa) Division
Offices:
 World Headquarters: Malaga, Spain
 Branch office: Beijing, China
World Conferences to date: 32
Upcoming World Conference: 19th – 22nd September 2016 in Moscow, Russia
Website: www.IASP2016moscow.com
Regional workshops and seminars to date: 93
With thanks to our sponsors
Gold sponsors:
Silver sponsor:
Contact
For additional information please contact:
Harriet Edwards
Communications and Events Officer
Telephone: +34 952 028303
Fax: +34 952 020464
E-mail: [email protected]
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