Creative Spaces For Innovation

The technologies of the future are created and commercialized in innovation hubs that combine scientific excellence with entrepreneurial ambition. There are thousands of such hubs around the world, and our Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 seeks to shine a light on those doing well through the GII Ranking of World’s Top 100 Innovation Clusters. For the first time, we have included VC data alongside international patent filings and scientific publications. Adding the VC lens has shifted the top of the table slightly, helping to push China’s Greater Bay Area into number one spot, nudging the Tokyo-Yokohama cluster into second, and lifting Silicon Valley from sixth to third spot this year. Beijing was ranked fourth. Each of those clusters led in a different way. Tokyo-Yokohama was the single biggest source of international patent filings, while the Silicon Valley cluster (around San Jose and San Francisco) attracted more venture capital than anywhere else. Beijing led the world in terms of the number of scientific publications. The Greater Bay Area, which encompasses Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, did not lead in any of the three categories, but its strong showings across the board gave it a balanced profile and put it in first place overall. This cluster ranking, as well as our flagship Global Innovation Index (out on 16 September), is designed to help policymakers, business leaders and researchers better understand the local and global innovation landscape, and to design policies that make innovation ecosystems more vibrant. 33 economies are covered by our list of the top 100 clusters, including Germany (which has seven clusters), India and the United Kingdom (four each) and Canada and the Republic of Korea (which has three, like Japan). Propelled by the new methodology and strong performance in VC deals, Indian clusters have made remarkable advancements, with Bengaluru jumping from 56th to 21st position, Delhi to 26th (compared to 63rd) and Mumbai to 46th (compared to 88th). In addition to the dynamic hubs in China and India, six vibrant innovation hubs from middle-income countries also feature in the top 100: Brazil (São Paulo), Egypt (Cairo – the top-100 cluster in Africa), Iran (Tehran), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Türkiye (Istanbul) and Mexico (Mexico City) – which enters the top 100 this year for the first time and makes up the second innovation cluster within Latin America. Outside the top 100, some of the leading middle-income economy innovation clusters are Ankara (Türkiye), Bangkok (Thailand), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Islamabad and Lahore (Pakistan), and Rio De Janeiro and Porto Alegre (Brazil). These clusters show how the combination of strategic investments coupled with supportive policy frameworks can build thriving ecosystems. More: https://lnkd.in/e882jzRp #WIPO #GlobalInnovationIndex #GII2025

No More Backbenchers! A simple shift in classroom seating—triggered by a Malayalam film—is sparking a real movement in Kerala schools. Today's article in The Times Of India reports this case of reel affecting change in real! Traditional rows of benches are built for passive listening. We've all grown up in school where one person talks, the rest receive. But learning doesn’t happen in a straight line—it happens in spirals, sparks, and shared stories. What if our classrooms reflected that? Flexible seating isn’t just a design choice—it’s a pedagogical statement. It tells children: “Your voice matters. Your way of learning is valid.” From U-shaped arrangements to open circles, bean bags, standing desks, and learning nooks, schools across the world are waking up to this truth: The way we seat children can shape the way they think, collaborate, and grow. Why does this matter? - It fosters small group collaboration and peer learning. - It enables pair work and student-led exploration. - It allows for quiet corners and reflective time. - It frees the teacher from the “front”—and places them in the center, as a facilitator. - It breaks down power hierarchies. Everyone is equal. No stigma about where you sit. As Dr. U Vivek notes in the article, “This new arrangement gives the teacher a bird’s eye view… but more importantly, it gives each child the space to be seen, heard, and understood.” Flexibility in seating reflects flexibility in thinking. In fact, school designers and architects like Rosan Bosch have long championed learning spaces that are modular and organic—environments that invite movement, creativity, and play. Her work with Vittra School in Sweden is a powerful reminder that space IS a teacher. Similarly, Danish Kurani's work in school design emphasises the need for voices of practitioners and students in the design process. He believes that new teaching methods can't be adopted without the change in the classroom design. Similarly, the STUDIO SCHOOLS TRUST in the UK, the Reggio Children (Reggio Emilia) approach in Italy, and Big Picture Learning schools in the U.S. all embrace flexible learning environments. These aren’t “alternative” anymore—they are becoming essential. If we want to create classrooms of curiosity, critical thinking, and compassion—let’s begin with the seating. It’s not about removing backbenchers. It’s about removing the very idea of front and back. And here’s the best part—this is the lowest-stakes ‘edtech’ upgrade we can make. No fancy gadgets, no big budgets. Seems like a no-brainer to me! Let’s stop teaching. Let’s start facilitating. Let’s redesign learning—one seat at a time.

Innovation is the lifeblood of progress, but it doesn’t happen by chance. It’s cultivated in environments where team members feel safe to share ideas and challenge the status quo. Creating a culture of innovation means nurturing an environment where bold ideas can flourish. It’s about openness, diverse perspectives, and the freedom to experiment. When people feel empowered to speak up, creativity thrives, and true innovation follows. So, how do you create such a culture? 1️⃣ Embed a Growth Mindset: Encourage continuous learning and development across all levels of the organization. Provide resources for professional growth and celebrate learning milestones, fostering an environment where knowledge and skills are constantly evolving. 2️⃣ Facilitate Cross-Functional Collaboration: Break down silos and encourage teams from different departments to work together. Cross-functional projects can bring fresh perspectives and spur innovative solutions that wouldn’t emerge in isolation. 3️⃣ Implement Structured Feedback Mechanisms: Establish regular feedback processes focused on constructive criticism and actionable insights. Ensure psychological safety so team members feel secure, viewing feedback as an opportunity for growth rather than critique. 4️⃣ Encourage Calculated Risks: Promote a culture where calculated risks are welcomed. Empower your team to explore new ideas and approaches without fear of failure. Recognize and reward innovative efforts, even when they don’t result in immediate success. By embedding these principles into your organizational culture, you can pave the way for continuous growth and success. Let’s create spaces where innovation is not just an aspiration but a tangible reality. #Leadership #Innovation #FutureOfWork

"But who’s going to maintain the green?" I hear this all the time when I suggest turning empty lawns or parking lot corners into thriving gardens around corporate buildings or public sites. Here’s the simple math that gets ignored and why it’s a massive opportunity: A well-designed edible or biodiversity garden requires about 4h/100m²/year of maintenance. Now take the average size of a big corporate campus with 3000m² of green space: 👉 that’s 120 hours/year of maintenance → at €50/hour → €6000/year (60 USD/hour → 7000 USD/year 👉 that is peanuts compared to what companies pay for their buildings. Or let's take it one step further: Encourage your team spend 1 hour per person per year in the garden → team building + mental health + €0 maintenance cost. Now compare this to mowing grass every week or using chemical maintenance: ❌ Higher cost ❌ No biodiversity ❌ No PR value ❌ No talent attraction ❌ No connection with your brand story Meanwhile at our visitors center garden on a regenerative farm we created a simple biodiversity garden: 👉 it requires less than 24 hours of maintenance across 9 months 👉 it attracts HUNDREDS of extra visitors per season 👉 it makes the farm experience memorable and drives product sales Most companies are sitting on an outdoor goldmine. They just need to stop seeing Nature as a “maintenance problem” and start seeing it as a business asset: ✅ Attract visitors & clients ✅ Enhance brand story & PR ✅ Improve team wellbeing ✅ Get authentic ESG compliance ✅ Turn outdoor space into an experience, not a cost center Or... keep mowing grass and missing the opportunity. In regenerative design, we don’t fight Nature. We partner with it to create beauty, resilience, and business value. 👉 Where do YOU see the opportunity to turn outdoor space into an experience and an asset? #regenerativedesign #corporategardens #esg #biodiversity #talentattraction #businessandnature #natureasstrategy #stopmowinggrass

Are we losing the "in-between" spaces that make work work? A recent conversation with Dr. Richard Claydon got me thinking about the erosion of liminal spaces and its impact on organisations and the people in them. Liminal spaces—those "in-between" moments on coffee breaks, in hallways, or during casual conversations—have long been essential for more than just productivity and innovation. These pauses help us recharge, build genuine relationships, and make sense of what's happening around us. They provide time for informal check-ins and spontaneous chats that allow us to feel connected to our colleagues, more in sync with our teams, and more engaged in our work. But with today's focus on productivity and optimisation, are we unknowingly erasing these invaluable "in-between" moments? Modern working practices often prioritise efficiency above all else, which can feel amplified in remote settings. Packed schedules result in meetings beginning and ending abruptly on Zoom or Teams, leaving fewer opportunities to linger, chat, or unpack the day's issues and insights before moving to the next task. Without these open, unstructured moments, it's easy for work to feel transactional—a series of tasks rather than a place where we're part of something bigger, something meaningful. And is this loss of connection contributing to the growing toll on our wellbeing, leading to burnout, disengagement, and a sense of disconnection from our teams and organisations? Don't worry; this is not about returning to the way things were—this is not a call for a return to the office. Rather, I find myself wondering if we should be seeking new ways to recreate liminal spaces - whether through unstructured time, casual check-ins, or simply encouraging people to pause and spend time together without agenda. These spaces seem to me to be essential for a thriving, connected workplace, and I can't help feeling that we're losing them. #leadership #relationships #culture #engagement #WFH

Did you know that over 80% of employees are at risk of burnout this year, according to Mercer’s 2024 Global Talent Trends report? With stress and anxiety on the rise, healthcare experts are increasingly prescribing nature as a remedy. So, why aren’t we embracing the healing power of nature in our workplaces? Studies show that even simple changes—like adding plants to the workspace—can boost productivity by 15% and help reduce illness and sick leave, with improvements ranging from 20% to over 60% in some cases. In honour of #WorldMentalHealthDay, here are 3 quick, easy ways to bring some more nature into your workplace: 🍃 Take it outside: Swap a boardroom meeting for a walking meeting. Fresh air + movement = clearer thinking and better ideas. 🏃♀️ Micro nature breaks: Encourage mini-breaks that get people moving and outdoors. One company I know even locks people out of their computers for 5 minutes every hour to make this happen. 🌵 Bring the outside in: Add plants, natural light, and nature-inspired designs to boost mood and productivity. If we want teams to thrive, we need to design environments that do more than support work—they need to support people. How are you bringing nature into your team’s day-to-day? #NatureForWellbeing #MentalHealthMatters #Leadership

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? Workplace design is increasingly shaped by how people engage with space. The physical office is no longer viewed as a static backdrop to work. It is becoming an active contributor to culture, connection, and clarity within teams. Over the past year, we’ve seen a shift in how organisations approach spatial planning. Many have begun to question whether their offices truly support how teams interact. Instead of following standard layouts, they are looking for spaces that encourage movement, allow informal connection, and respond to how work happens across different functions. Design briefs today often include specific requests for spaces that build informal connections. Lounge areas are being planned with as much care as conference rooms. Soft zones and decompression areas are being prioritised alongside focus pods. These choices reflect a shift in how organisations are defining productivity and presence. We have also seen design decisions are closely aligned with HR and people strategies. This is important as the workplace environment influences employees’ trust, behaviour, and a sense of belonging. At Ensemble, our approach focuses on observing how people move, pause, and engage with each other. We study how light, acoustics, posture, and privacy affect focus and collaboration. These observations help us plan spaces that support both business goals and people’s needs. The idea of community is often discussed in abstract terms. But in our work, it shows up in particular ways. It is present in how circulation areas are designed, how open areas are balanced with quiet corners, and how choice is built into how people use a space. We continue to work with clients who see design not as a checklist but as a layer of culture. They are building environments that bring people together with intention. That intention is where community begins. 𝐈𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤? 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. . . . #WorkplaceDesign #OfficeCulture #DesignForConnection #WorkplaceStrategy #DesignThinking #HybridWorkspaces #EmployeeExperience #FutureOfWork

Interdisciplinarity is not a challenge for design science: It is our superpower! 🦸 🦸♀️ That is one of the key insights that emerged while working on our new paper (thanks for making it open access SBUR!): “Design Science Across Disciplines: Building Bridges for Advancing Impactful Business Research” co-authored with René Mauer Jan vom Brocke Marvin Hanisch Stephanie Schrage Orestis Terzidis Prof. Dr. Barbara E. Weißenberger Across information systems, strategy, business ethics & sustainability, entrepreneurship, and accounting, we found something remarkable: Each discipline brings its own rich traditions of problem framing, normative reasoning, artefact design, evaluation logic, and engagement with practice. Design science is not one method or one lineage. It has many flavors and strong traditions within each discipline — yet all are united by an interest in addressing questions of “how things should be” and “how to get there.” In my view this diversity is exactly what makes the DS research community so powerful. 🌍 Business Ethics & Sustainability brings deep normative thinking 🧩 Information systems brings strong artefact and evaluation methods 💡 Entrepreneurship brings experimentation and action 🔍 Accounting brings institutional perspectives 🎯 Strategy brings tools for shaping desirable futures Instead of trying to unify these traditions, what if we started intentionally recombining them? Imagine: - Strategy scholars drawing on design echelons and artefact logic from information systems. - Sustainability researchers using evaluation methods from design-oriented system development. - Entrepreneurship scholars integrating normative frameworks from ethics and political philosophy. - Accounting researchers using design thinking and experimentation to build new institutional solutions. What new forms of design knowledge could emerge if we proactively borrowed, blended, and hybridized methods across our disciplinary borders? For me, that is one of the biggest opportunities ahead: 👉  The more diverse our design science traditions become, the more powerful the approach gets in addressing real-world problems. I would love to hear your thoughts: Which tradition from your field has untapped potential to strengthen the broader design science community? DS:E - Center for Design Science in Entrepreneurship ESCP Business School ERCIS German Association for Business Research

Salespeople at firms with more flexible working policies grew sales 4 times more than those without.  The biggest challenge of assessing flexible working is the nebulous task of measuring productivity.  That’s why a huge piece of new research from Boston Consulting Group is so valuable. The study took data from 554 large companies (employing a total of 26.7 million people). It found that “fully flexible” firms — increased sales four times faster than those with more rigid policies. Flexible firms grew sales 21% between 2020 and 2022 compared with 5% growth for companies with rigid hybrid or fully onsite workforces.  The firms that only did a few office days a week grew sales at x2 the rate of those in the office full-time. More than anything this demonstrates the more workers feel trusted to do their work in the way that suits them best the better the results. If only every job role was as measurable as sales. https://lnkd.in/gSZtnMgf

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝘅 Everyone wants innovation. But in large enterprises, that can morph into 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀, 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 that can't scale. There’s a better way. Take a page from 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗻𝗲: They built an 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗯 where any team can experiment 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀. ✅ Lightweight deployment ✅ Security by design ✅ A clear path to scale what works The result? • 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀. • 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. 𝟯 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝘅 ✅ 𝟭. 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 Innovation doesn’t mean starting from scratch. Give teams 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 with security, architecture, and governance built in. ➡️ How? Pre-approved tooling, cloud templates, and compliance-ready data zones. ✅ 𝟮. 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿 Don’t make innovation a secret handshake or Shadow IT. Make it easy for product and business teams to get started with light touch intake and support. ➡️ How? Publish clear entry criteria and offer “office hours” with architects. ✅ 𝟯. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Don't let good ideas die in “pilot purgatory.” Define how a successful experiment scales: tech standards, funding triggers, transition steps. ➡️ How? Use decision gates based on business value, not bureaucracy. • 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀. • 𝗜𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱. 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲. --- ➕ Follow Kevin Donovan 🔔 ♻️ Repost | 💬 Comment | 👍 Like 🚀 Join 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬’ 𝐇𝐮𝐛 – our newsletter & community to enhance skills, meet peers, and level-up your architecture career! Subscribe 👉 https://lnkd.in/dgmQqfu2