The City as a Lab: Open Innovation Meets the Collaborative Economy

Posted at 9 February 2017 in Collaborative Innovation

This article introduces a special issue on the increasing role of cities as a driver for (open) innovation and entrepreneurship. It frames the innovation space being cultivated by proactive cities. Drawing on the diverse papers selected in this special issue, this introduction explores a series of tensions that are emerging as innovators and entrepreneurs seek to engage with local governments and citizens in an effort to improve the quality of life and promote local economic growth.

Inclusive Smart Cities: a European Manifesto on Citizen Engagement

Posted at 7 February 2017 in Cities, Collaborative Innovation, Intelligent Cities / Smart Cities

The European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities has launched a manifesto on Citizen Engagement. It declares the commitment of signatories to create and foster accessible urban services for citizens, in order to improve the quality of life in cities and contribute to sustainable cities and a liveable environment.

Smart Investments Make Smart Cities

Posted at 3 February 2017 in Collaborative Innovation, Intelligent Cities / Smart Cities

Most cities started their journey toward becoming smart with government digitization efforts that focused on benefiting constituents. But with the advent of the Internet of Things

Public Agenda on Participatory Budgeting

Posted at 16 December 2016 in Collaborative Innovation

Why let people decide? Elected officials on participatory budgeting is a report from Public Agenda that presents a summary of the research on U.S. selected officials’ views of and experience with participatory budgeting (PB).  Based on in-depth interviews, the report discusses what had motivated officials to adopt or not PB, as well as what have been the challenges and opportunities of its implementation.

Book: Democratic by design

Posted at 13 April 2016 in Collaborative Innovation

“Democratic by Design: How Carsharing, Co-ops, and Community Land Trusts Are Reinventing America ” by Gabriel Metcalf is a book that looks at how alternative institutions—small-scale, self-organized projects that work outside the traditional structures of government and business—can ultimately scale up to effect widespread social change.

Making Sense of the UK Collaborative Economy

Posted at 11 December 2014 in Collaborative Innovation

Nesta and Collaborative Lab published a research report aiming to figure out how a road ahead in the collaborative economy, although not necessarily straightforward, can work in powerful ways for 21st century business, governments and communities.

EU Public Consultation on Science 2.0

Posted at 16 July 2014 in Collaborative Innovation

The European Commission launched a public consultation on ‘Science 2.0’, in order to gauge the trend towards a more open, data-driven and people-focused way of doing research and innovation. ‘Science 2.0’ is understood as a systemic change in the modus operandi of doing research and organising science.