Analysing and supporting strategic decision-making in innovation policy institutions
Why it matters
Innovation agencies have a vital part to play in developing strong innovation ecosystems. They are catalysts, supporting innovative businesses, entrepreneurs and researchers with varying combinations of funding, advisory services and networking activities. Increasingly, these agencies are also being called on to lead or coordinate ambitious missions that respond to major societal challenges. They face a difficult strategic balance between planning for the long term, and responding to shifting political or societal priorities.
IGL supports innovation agencies to be effective change agents by helping them to develop the culture, capabilities and tools that enable them to be experimental and innovative, to evaluate the impact of their actions, and to reflect on the different roles they may need to take on in the future.
Our work and impact
Since its launch, IGL has helped national and regional innovation agencies around the world to develop more experimental and data-driven cultures and to conduct pilots and randomised controlled trials (RCTs). IGL partner organisations receive tailored support for their individual experimental journeys, as well as opportunities to learn from each other and our wider policy and research networks.
We also partner with organisations like the Taftie network of European innovation agencies, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the EURADA network of regional development agencies to provide experimentation training and support. Our work on innovation agencies has explicitly shaped the thinking and practices of the World Bank, the IDB and Taftie, as well as individual agencies worldwide, and is regularly cited in policy and planning documents.