In an era of rapid digitalization and shifting trade dynamics, how do young founders transform a local solution into a global enterprise? This interactive workshop, hosted by JCI, dives into the heart of Pillar IV of the OECD Global Forum. Participants will move beyond theory to engage in a hands-on "Interactive Lab," mapping out market entry points and identifying the leadership skills necessary to navigate international barriers. Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to scale, a policymaker designing ecosystem support, or a business leader seeking fresh innovation, this session provides the practical tools and global networks needed to turn local potential into international success.

This interactive side event, jointly organised by the OECD, the European Committee of the Regions and EURADA, will explore how strategic foresight and anticipatory governance can strengthen regional strategic autonomy by placing preparedness at the core of regional policymaking. Drawing on practical experiences from regions such as Emilia-Romagna, Italy and Helsinki-Uusimaa, Finland, as well as regional development agencies in Andalucía, Spain and Limburg, the Netherlands, the session will highlight how regions and public authorities are using and translating foresight into concrete preparedness measures. In particular, it will illustrate how these approaches are being used to strengthen regional innovation systems, enhance inter-institutional coordination and multi-level governance, integrate risk assessment into planning, and operationalise strategic autonomy through actionable policy instruments.

Are we entering an era of localisation, or a new phase of globalisation? Global value chains are being reconfigured across places and sectors, reshaping where jobs are created, which skills are needed, and how exposed regions are to economic, technological, and geopolitical disruptions. This session examines how local and regional policymakers are responding to trade fragmentation, digital and AI diffusion, and shifting security and sustainability requirements. It will highlight concrete examples of how regions manage growing supply‑chain exposure, and which place‑based strategies help anchor strategic activities while supporting workforce transitions, innovation, and long‑term growth.

What solutions are emerging from the ground up? In this lightning round, exhibitors from the Local Initiatives Marketplace will deliver rapid-fire pitches showcasing how they are tackling these challenges in practice. Each short spotlight is designed to spark curiosity and encourage participants to continue the conversation at their stands during breaks.

When communities face economic shocks or long-term disinvestment, this not only takes a hit on people’s livelihoods but also on a place’s identity. Within a place, a sense of decline and the loss of a way of life can hinder forward-looking visions and action, while externally, a negative place identity can deter potential investment and new residents. This session will examine concrete examples of how places can unearth authentic place narratives with a diversity of stakeholders, to reposition themselves as dynamic places full of opportunity – in a way that is visible globally but resonates locally. It will consider how this can be translated to seize new opportunities to reinvent their economies through policies and plans that deliver local development outcomes for all, and strengthen local pride. In this session, here about the new OECD publication “Local Identity, Pride and Branding in Place Transformation: Stories that Shape Places”. The work was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as part of the work by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to create opportunities and improve outcomes across the United Kingdom.

Industrial policy is back at the centre of economic strategy, but its success often depends on how well it connects to the specific strengths and needs of places – particularly in a context of increasing global trade volatility. While national governments set priorities, regions and cities play a critical role in shaping industrial ecosystems, supporting innovation, and ensuring that the benefits of structural transformation reach local economies. This Solutions Lab will bring together policymakers and practitioners to explore how countries are implementing place-based approaches to industrial policy in practice. Through a dynamic and interactive discussion, speakers and participants will share concrete experiences, policy tools, and governance approaches for aligning national industrial strategies with regional development objectives. The session will focus on practical solutions to common challenges, including multi-level coordination, targeting strategic sectors, and managing territorial trade-offs. Participants will leave with actionable insights on how to better “put industrial policy in its place.”

Local leadership can be a deciding factor in whether a community navigates change successfully or gets left behind. In practice, leading local change means more than having the right person in the right role. It means building coalitions across sectors and institutions that don't always naturally work together, maintaining alignment when priorities clash, translating a shared vision into concrete action, and sustaining momentum over the long haul — often in places where trust in institutions is already fragile. It also means knowing how to tap into what makes a community distinctive: its identity, its history, its assets, and the pride and agency of its residents. In this workshop, the audience will take an active role in identifying the most important competences needed for leaders to help places navigate change, and identity good practice examples that can inform OECD work on this topic.

Trade related shocks can have profound local consequences, triggering plant closures, mass layoffs, and long term employment losses in regions economically reliant on a small number of exposed industries. This session explores how local policymakers and partners can move from reactive responses to proactive strategies. It will examine how to anticipate and manage economic disruptions, support displaced workers and seize opportunities for renewal by promoting job creation in growing sectors, investing in reskilling and upskilling, and fostering entrepreneurship.

Welcome evening reception for all Forum participants, held at the Province of Limburg Building.

What solutions are emerging from the ground up? In this lightning round, exhibitors from the Local Initiatives Marketplace will deliver rapid-fire pitches showcasing how they are tackling these challenges in practice. Each short spotlight is designed to spark curiosity and encourage participants to continue the conversation at their stands during breaks.

This preview for the World of Public Employment Service 2026 publication, to be launched on 9 June at the IDB in Washington, is an opportunity to provide insights on the state of and challenges facing public employment services based on novel findings from a global survey of nearly 80 public employment services. Building on its first edition, the 2026 Volume provides novel and updated insights on development, challenges, and opportunities faced by public employment services worldwide. This preview comes at a crucial moment as public employment services navigate the effects of global trade shifts on labour and communities around the world, discussed throughout the Forum. This preview session will gather the three organisations that have contributed to the report – the IDB, the OECD, and WAPES – to discuss key findings.

Reconfigured value chains, alongside other shifts like demographic change, are stress-testing the resilience of local labour markets. Many places simultaneously need to develop a local skills base to meet the demands of new growth sectors, manage demographic pressures, including through attracting and retaining young people, and help those displaced by restructuring to move into new opportunities. This panel will consider how places across the OECD are experiencing these challenges, and the types of place-based innovations they are putting in place in response.

This exclusive study tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at ETpathfinder in Maastricht, an international test laboratory dedicated to developing the technologies that will enable the next-generation Einstein Telescope. Gain insight into the science of gravitational wave detection and understand the collaborative approach between academia, industry, and government.

Discover the RWTH Aachen University AI Campus, one of Europe’s leading hubs for engineering, applied sciences, and technology. This study tour highlights advanced research facilities and collaborative projects that bridge academia, industry, and regional partners. The campus is renowned for its multidisciplinary approach, cutting-edge infrastructure, and strong ties to international innovation networks. Explore how cross-border collaboration within the Euregio stimulates knowledge transfer, technological development, and sustainable economic growth.

This study tour offers participants a unique insight into pioneering circular economy initiatives. Visit the Brightlands Chemelot Campus and Brightlands Circular Space to explore leading examples of entrepreneurship, research, and collaboration in transforming materials and production processes to become circular. Discover how cross-border initiatives, such as the Cross-Circular Program EMR and CHILL (Chemelot Innovation and Learning Labs), drive sustainable development, innovation, and new business models.

Discover ETEC and the Discovery Museum and explore the science behind the Einstein Telescope. As a cross-border education initiative, ETEC introduces secondary school students to the physics, technology, and international collaboration behind the ground breaking Gravitational Waves detector Einstein Telescope.

Public Employment Services (PES) are operating in an increasingly complex and fast-changing environment, in which labour markets are shaped by digitalisation and AI, the green transition, population ageing, and disruptions in global value chains driven by geopolitical tensions. These trends are transforming the demand for skills and increasing the need to support workers and jobseekers through more frequent and complex labour market transitions. This session will explore how PES can become more agile and locally attuned in response, and what key features and institutional arrangements are needed to remain effective in an environment that requires flexibility and rapid adaptation. It will focus in particular on how PES can better anticipate changes in labour demand, engage employers, make use of new AI tools, and deliver tailored support on the ground.

Across the EU, around 1.9 million people commute across borders for work, illustrating both the scale and strategic importance of cross-border labour mobility. Differences in regulations, skills recognition, taxation, and social protection systems continue to create obstacles for both workers and employers. In a context of growing labour shortages and mounting demographic and economic pressures, improving cross-border labour market integration is increasingly critical to sustaining productivity and economic development. The session will provide concrete insights and strengthen the foundation for designing more effective and coordinated approaches to cross-border labour market integration.

As global value chains are reconfigured, interest is growing in what a more locally rooted economy can look like. Rather than a retreat from globalisation, the proximity economy can be considered a complementary strategy for making places more competitive and cohesive over the long term by enhancing local resilience and quality of life. From sustaining vibrant high streets, to developing circular economy models that anchor new activity in local supply chains, to ensuring that residents in all parts of a community can access good jobs and essential services, the proximity economy touches some of the most pressing challenges in local development. This session draws on real-world experience and emerging evidence to explore how local value chains, community-led initiatives, and public-private partnerships are helping places build this kind of strength from within.

Shifting global value chains create both competitive pressures and new opportunities for local firms — but businesses rarely make these transitions in isolation. Their ability to innovate, scale and reach new markets depends on the strength of the ecosystem around them: finance, talent, research capacity, networks and business support. This session explores how places can build entrepreneurial ecosystems that help firms of all sizes and types — from start-ups and SMEs to co-operatives and social enterprises — plug into reconfigured global value chains, adopt new technologies, and move into higher-value activities. It also examines how foreign investment can be better leveraged to generate local spillovers, and how approaches like the circular economy can build stronger local linkages can help anchor more value within communities and reduce exposure to external shocks.

Rising geopolitical tensions have led to increases in defence spending, with far‑reaching implications for regional economies, labour markets and public policy. This session brings together policymakers and industry leaders for a focused conversation on how defence investment can better align industry, education and regional development so that benefits are widely shared across territories.