RELEASED 25 OCTOBER 2009 ASIA GAINING INNOVATION ADVANTAGE OVER U.S. CITIES AAP Media-Net, MELBOURNE, Australia – Innovation Analysts 2thinknow released today a 4 year global study of what makes cities innovative, in an in-depth report. The report found that United States cities long-term infrastructure advantages were eroding to Asia, but also sets out clear steps U.S. cities could take to regain their advantages. In the middle-East, the report identified new focus on science and technology as the key to innovation. Steps were outlined in the report to help Australian cities capitalise on innovation. 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 Asia, the report identified digital mobility – an ability to be online anywhere – as a key driver of innovation-led economic growth. Australian innovation was identified as requiring high-speed internet, improved mobility in and between cities, freight infrastructure spending and specialisation skilling programs. The report also commended European cities for out-performance with rising broadband speeds – enabling digital mobility – and fast inter-linked connections between European capitals – through fast-rail, logistics and ports. Amsterdam, Hamburg, Lyon and Copenhagen were also singled-out in a world of increasingly globally competitive cities – that included regionally superior infrastructure of Singapore and Seoul. Examining 31 innovation segments, the report applies 162 indicators in a structured analysis and planning framework for measuring, defining and building an innovation city. Overall, these indicators are grouped into 3 factors – highly developed cultural assets, human infrastructure – for mobility, education, technology – and networked markets. According to the analysts, the framework is designed to “turn theory into action” – based on analysis from international research tours, published ideas of professors from Harvard, Oxford, Imperial College and leading independent authors. For city examples for each indicator, the report uses 2thinknow city benchmarking data from a pool of 256 cities. Today is the first public release of the framework, although rankings of cities were commenced in 2007. The latest city rankings were released by 2thinknow in July. Copies of the report are available for order at http://innovation-cities.com — ENDS — Media spokesperson: Christopher Hire, Executive Director, 2thinknow Released via AAP Media-net: http://www.aapmedianet.com.au/MNJ/Release.aspx?R=633713&K=8973133
