About Nesta

Nesta is a research and innovation foundation. We apply our deep expertise in applied methods to design, test and scale solutions to some of the biggest challenges of our time, working across the innovation lifecycle.

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Innovation Policy Toolkit: Introduction to innovation policy and collaboration

Pack 1 of 3 of the toolkit which provides an introduction to supporting innovation and international collaboration for policy practitioners

Stage 1 - See (Understand the opportunity)
Stage 4 - Shift (Change a whole system)

In Innovation policy

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Kirsten Bound

Executive Director of Research, Analysis and Policy

Kirsten was an Executive Director at Nesta and led Nesta’s Research, Analysis and Policy team.

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Tom Saunders

Principal Researcher

Tom was a Principal Researcher in the inclusive innovation team.

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This guide provides an overview of important concepts and latest thinking in innovation and debunks some common myths.

It covers themes ranging from innovation systems and innovation policy to value chains and financing innovation. We tried to keep it as concise as possible, but it contains lots of links to explore themes in more detail.

What’s in it?

Innovation 101: What is innovation and how does it contribute to economic growth? How does policy attempt to support innovation?
Why and how firms innovate: Why do companies decide to invest in innovation? How do they do it and who benefits?
Collaboration in innovation: Why is collaboration important for innovation and what forms does it take?

Part of

What works in innovation policy?

We extend our impact through two specialised units that help people and organisations to solve complex problems and achieve their goals.

BIT

BIT helps clients from government, nonprofits and the private sector to improve people’s lives through our empirical problem solving and deep understanding of human behaviour.

Challenge Works

Challenge Works designs and runs challenge prizes to spark innovation in science, technology and society.

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Innovation Policy Toolkit: Introduction to innovation policy and collaboration

About Nesta

Innovation Policy Toolkit: Introduction to innovation policy and collaboration

Kirsten Bound

Kirsten Bound

Tom Saunders

Tom Saunders