Session 4: Smart Growth: Driving Regional Competitiveness Through Innovation, SMEs and Entrepreneurship
Oct 3, 2025 — 01:30 pm - 2:45 PM
Room 1
Regional competitiveness is increasingly dependent on the ability to harness place-based assets, ranging from workforce skills and industrial ecosystems to R&D. In the EU, Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) have emerged as a powerful, multi-stakeholder approach to drive innovation and guide investment in high-potential sectors. Regions can adopt and adapt these lessons to unlock new economic opportunities. Meanwhile, across the OECD, stagnating productivity and stark regional disparities underscore the need for coordinated action. Boosting innovation—through increased R&D spending, knowledge spillovers from large firms, and stronger support for SMEs—is central to addressing this challenge. Success will require cross-sector collaboration to harness digitalization, support innovation ecosystems, and scale the global potential of both emerging and established businesses.
